May 22, 2018: Hot Wheels Looks to Keep Toys Relevant With Live Events, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Donate Royal Wedding Flowers to Local Hospice, Pitchfork Music Festival Announces Nonprofit Partnership to Fight Sexual Harassment

1. HOT WHEELS LOOKS TO KEEP TOYS RELEVANT WITH LIVE EVENTS: As more kids are drawn to mobile devices, Hot Wheels has been seeking to keep traditional toys relevant with a cross-country tour to interact with fans. The New York Times: “The Legends Tour began at the company’s headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., and will end in October at an automotive convention, the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Along the way, fans can enter their custom vehicles, which will be judged on flair and originality. The winning car will be available at retailers worldwide in the fall of 2019. The Legends Tour comes at a crucial time for Mattel. Hot Wheels is the No. 1 selling toy in the world, but Mattel’s sales have been in a prolonged slump as the company struggles to adapt to the rise of technological competitors for children’s attention and the decision by Toys ‘R’ Us, one of its biggest customers, to close or sell all of its stores in the United States. … Toymakers have to find a new way to reach children because TV no longer provides the same level of engagement, said Jim Silver, chief executive and editor in chief of TTPM, a toy industry website. Live events like the Legends Tour can help raise a company’s profile. ‘What these events do is create an experience,’ he said. ‘You see things larger than life, which is different than seeing it on screen.’” https://nyti.ms/2GGTDew

2. PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE DONATE ROYAL WEDDING FLOWERS TO LOCAL HOSPICE: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle donated the flowers used as decor at their wedding to a London hospice. CNN: “The donated flowers, which adorned both St. George's Chapel and St. George's Hall in Windsor on Saturday, were designed by Philippa Craddock and a team of florists from Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. The bouquets were made up of foxgloves, peonies, and white garden roses, many of which were sourced from the gardens and parkland of the royal-owned Crown Estate and Windsor Great Park. Kensington Palace confirmed that the flowers were donated to a number of charities and hospices. One recipient was St. Joseph's in Hackney, east London. St Joseph's has a long history of royal connections, having been visited by Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana and, most recently, Prince Edward, who toured the grounds in 2015, the hospice said. The ties to the royal family do not stop there. Pauline Clayton, an 89-year-old patient, once worked as an embroideress to Norman Hartnell, one of the Queen's dressmakers.” https://cnn.it/2x07ay7

3. PITCHFORK MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIP TO FIGHT SEXUAL HARASSMENT: Chicago's Pitchfork Music Festival has announced a partnership with nonprofit Rainn (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) in an effort to raise funds and awareness to support the fight against sexual assault. The festival also apologized for booking singer R. Kelly in 2013. Chicago Tribune: "RAINN, the largest anti-sexual violence organization in the country, is currently working with over 1,000 sexual assault prevention groups coast-to-coast. Pitchfork Music Festival has had the presence of local campaign OurMusicMyBody in Union Park since 2016. The music festival didn’t have any written policy on sexual harassment or assault until summer 2017 — which read in part, 'The Festival believes everyone should feel safe during the event and works to ensure this. We will help maintain this by not tolerating harmful behaviors, which may include non-consensual touching or verbal harassment,'—adding that patrons should contact any festival staff member or security guard. Friday’s announcement about RAINN also included information about a new on-site Resource and Response Center, where professionally-trained counselors and security will be available to attendees who witness or experience behavior that violates its code of conduct—and addressed the festival’s booking of singer R. Kelly, who was booted from performing at the UIC Pavilion in April, in 2013. 'In committing to raise awareness for such an important cause, Pitchfork’s editors and festival staff feel it’s appropriate to acknowledge a past mistake,' the statement begins. 'While Kelly has not been charged with any crime since his 2008 acquittal on charges of child pornography, and denies all allegations, an overwhelming number of accusations of sexual abuse have been made against him dating back many years. It was wrong to book R. Kelly to perform at our festival in 2013 and we regret doing so. Pitchfork supports the work of journalists and organizations who have brought the allegations against him to light.'" https://trib.in/2IFCqne

* LOCAL NEWS *

AUSTIN:  The Austin Ice Cream Festival will take place June 23 at Fiesta Gardens. Vendors will include Amy’s Ice Creams, Moojo, Odd Pop, and Swoon, By H-E-B. 

CHICAGO:  Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Gala 2018 will take place June 8 at Navy Pier. The event benefits Chicago Shakespeare in Classrooms and Communities initiatives, and will honor Marilynn and Carl Thoma and John Lithgow. 

LOS ANGELES:  Emmy-winning writer Lena Waithe will receive the Trailblazer Award at the 2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards. Hosted by Tiffany Haddish, the awards take place June 18 at the Barker Hangar.

For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Pérez Art Museum Miami will host its annual Memorial Day BBQ on May 28. 

NEW YORK:  Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s annual spring gala will take place May 31. The event will honor Viraj Puri, co-founder and C.E.O. of Gotham Greens. 

Taste of the Terminal will take place June 26-28 at Grand Central’s Vanderbilt Hall.

Denihan Hospitality has appointed Michael Goldrich vice president of marketing. 

For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

TORONTO:  This year’s Mississauga Waterfront Festival will take place June 15-17 at Port Credit Memorial Park. 

YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected]. 

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With contributions from Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Ian Zelaya, and Deirdre Jahn in New York.

BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.

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