BizBash Washington News

With Hip-Hop Theme, Alliance Française Reaches Out to Younger Members at New Gala

]]> Not everyone can afford a $1,000 ticket to the Alliance Française de Washington's annual gala. So the organization, which promotes the French language and francophone culture, began a second fund-raising event—with the help of a newly formed young professionals group.

The Urban Corps Inaugural Gala met May 17 at the Mexican Cultural Institute with about 150 guests. Ticket prices ranged from just $100 for young professional members to $350 for V.I.P. tickets that bought access to a special area, a champagne bar, and an invitation to another event later in the year.

“This is more affordable and mainstream,” said development officer Marie-Laure Elliott, who planned the event. “The main goal of the second event is to reach out to a younger crowd. We feel it’s the future of our organization. We need to cater to our major donors and sponsors, but there is demand for this kind of program for a younger crowd.”

The entertainment was also geared toward a younger audience. The Alliance already had planned the opening of its Urban Corps: Transatlantic hip-hop festival the following day, so it made sense to tie it into the gala, Elliott said. The classically trained dancers previewed their performance at the Kennedy Center. Hip Hop dance companies Stylistik, Par-Allèles and De Fakto performed, along with the jazz group Hot Club of DC and DJ Jon Cue.

The decor, from Chicka Chicka Boom Boom with rentals from DC Rental, featured four color-themed rooms and sleek, modern furniture.

'Atlantic' Innovation Summit Features Robots, Sneak Peek at Boeing's 787 Dreamliner

]]> Having Boeing as its main sponsor came with a major perk for The Atlantic's Innovation Summit: tours of the company's new Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, a next-generation airplane currently making preview stops in Washington, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Italy.

The D.C. visit coincided with the summit, which met May 8 in the Historic Lobby Terminal A at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Tours of the Dreamliner—with cabin features such as a redesigned entryway, bigger bins, LED lighting, and dramatically larger, dimmable windows—came between presentations from top executives from Boeing, Google, and IBM as well as an interactive demonstration from the chief strategy officer at iRobot, maker of the Roomba as well as unmanned ground vehicles used by the military. 

The summit, a new event for The Atlantic, brought together scientists, business leaders, and public officials to discuss innovation. An artist from ImageThink, a graphic facilitation company, translated the ideas discussed at the event into an instant visual story. About 400 people attended the event.

The Atlantic live-streamed the event and tweeted it for people who could not attend.

Chefs in the City Prepare Five-Course Meals Benefiting Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

]]> At the start of Monday’s Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s second annual Chefs in the City event, 200 guests anxiously listened to find out which of 20 award-winning chefs would be cooking a five-course meal at their table. Held at the National Association of Homebuilders' headquarters near Thomas Circle, participating chefs created a menu for 10 guests and designed their own table decor.

Each chef traveled to tableware company and Chefs in the City event sponsor Fortessa Inc.’s outlet store in Sterling, Va., to choose flatware, glassware, and silverware for the event. This is the first year Fortessa has donated tableware for all participating chefs as tableware sponsor. “It’s a great opportunity for them to market to a new demographic of retail buyers and wholesale buyers,” said Michelle Christian, development director for the foundation's D.C. chapter.

Chefs in the City grew this year from 12 chefs at the inaugural event to 20 chefs, including Citronelle's Michel Richard, Erik Bruner-Yang from ramen spot Toki Underground, Kevin Miller from Baltimore catering company Copper Kitchen, Ris Lacoste of RIS and Zentan’s Jaime Montes de Oca Jr. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation plans to keep the event at this size next year. “The success of it was more reliant on the fact that it was more intimate,” Christian said. "You’re actually seated at a table where there’s one chef cooking your whole dinner."

Chefs in the City raised $130,000, surpassing its $75,000 goal as well as last year’s total of $70,000. Fundraising initiatives included $500 individual tickets, full tables for company buyouts, a silent auction, and a live auction with chef David Curley Cornblatt of Curly’s Q BBQ food truck serving as an impromptu auctioneer for items such as a stay at the Ritz-Carlton Destination Club in Jupiter, Fla., and 12 restaurant certificates for a year of date nights.

New Advertising Strategy Helps Taste of the South Increase Attendance by 500

]]> The 30th anniversary party of Taste of the South, which brings together 13 Southern state societies for a showcase and black-tie party, increased its attendance this year by 500 people, to nearly 2,000 at DAR Constitution Hall on Saturday night. Event chair Megan Spindel credits an ad placed in Politico for the uptick. “Tickets sold out within two days—last year it was seven days—and we had to add more tickets due to the response from our ad,” Spindel said.

Representatives from Politico, a returning sponsor this year, as well as 500 other sponsor guests received V.I.P. tickets, which afforded them entry an hour early and access to the basement-level lounge with two specialty bars, a silent auction, and Southern-food buffet service. J ericho Stage Inc. once again covered the floor seats of the main auditorium, where each Southern state set up an exhibition with its local food, drink, and takeaways from sponsors. Cover band Burnt Sienna performed three sets until nearly 1 a.m. from the stage erected over the auditorium’s main entrance.

The increased attendance brought the fund-raising total to more than $500,000—an increase of $50,000 over last year—the majority of which will be donated to the spotlight state of Texas’s chosen charity, with smaller amounts going to the other states' designated charities.

Kennedy Center Closes Pennsylvania Avenue for Aerialists Show on Post Office Tower

]]> The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts shut down Pennsylvania Avenue on Friday night for one of the evening performances of its Look Up! Night Street Festival, the after-dark portion of the Look Both Ways Street Arts Across America festival that offers free performances around the city. Nearly 4,000 people turned their attention upwards, as Project Bandaloop took to the side of the Old Post Office Pavilion with an nearly hour-long aerialist dance performance.

“It’s an opportunity to really stretch our audience’s understanding of what performing arts can be,” said Garth Ross, vice president of community engagement for the performing arts center. “Project Bandaloop fused the extreme discipline of climbing with contemporary dance and in doing so changes our perspective about what dance is and how it can bring us together in different ways.”

The Kennedy Center worked with Atmosphere Lighting to spotlight the performers from a hidden platform between two turrets of the building hidden from the view of the audience.

The Sunset Room by Wolfgang Puck: Renovation Creates Modern Space With Water Views

]]> After a three-month renovation, the Sunset Room by Wolfgang Puck at National Harbor has opened for events. The venue boasts the same sweeping Potomac River views, but with Wolfgang Puck Catering as the exclusive caterer. The revamped Sunset Room includes a new 5,100-square-foot kitchen, updated contemporary decor, and an emphasis on fresh, locally sourced food as overseen by The Source's executive chef, Scott Drewno, and the Sunset Room by Wolfgang Puck’s executive chef, Russell Smith.

The Sunset Room is the first property of its kind for Wolfgang Puck Catering. Usually the company works as a caterer for an internal client, but for this venture, Wolfgang Puck Catering will oversee and manage the venue. Architect Martin Vahtra of Projects Design updated the space by adding dark wood finishes, tiled walls, and sculptural metallic light fixtures for a contemporary look. The venue includes two main spaces, the Plaza View and the Harbor View. Both rooms include separate outdoor terraces, and atria that allow for check-in and breakout space. The Plaza View, with a circular accent on the ceiling and wraparound terrace, accommodates 250 standing guests, 150 seated guests without a dance floor, and 120 guests with a dance floor. The Harbor View accommodates 450 standing guests, 350 seated guests without a dance floor, and 250 sitting guests with a dance floor. The Harbor View and Plaza View rooms are lit with recessed lighting and adjustable pinspot lighting. Audiovisual components include a built-in audio system for CDs and MP3 players.

Event menus are custom for each client, and inspired by the client’s needs and what’s in season at local markets. The 5,100-squre-foot kitchen is stocked with every gadgets chefs might need, from a pizza oven to an ice cream maker. Sample items from the extensive menu include passed hors d’oeuvres such as spicy tuna tartare in a sesame miso cone with pickled ginger and bonito flakes, Maryland crab cakes with tomato relish and basil mayo, and a demitasse of asparagus soup with opal basil and mint. Entrees include pan-roasted Maryland rockfish with Maryland jumbo lump crab, bay oysters, vine ripened tomato and fennel, and pan-roasted filet mignon au poivre with potato puree, Maitake mushroom and bordelaise sauce. For dessert, The Source’s pastry chef Duane Copeland can whip up sweets such as caramelized Meyer lemon tart with blackberry merlot sauce or mango upside down cake with pineapple sauce.

The Sunset Room by Wolfgang Puck will cater events with passed hors d’oeuvres, tasting dinners with custom wine pairings, themed buffets, and chef action stations, and will also cater to offices in National Harbor.

Gaylord National Resort Debuts RiverView Terrace Outdoor Event Space

]]> Gaylord National Resort has started booking events at its RiverView Terrace, a new 15,000-square-foot outdoor special event venue along the Potomac River.

The open-air space can be configured in many ways and accommodates as many as 700 guests for a seated dinner or 1,200 for a reception. Upgrades to the space include full or partial tenting, twinkle lights for the greenery and terrace, and a private fireworks display over the Potomac River. It has built-in handicapped access and tent anchor points, on-site electrical hook-ups, and designated catering staging areas.

Catering is provided by Gaylord’s on-site banquets department, while the resort has a list of preferred audiovisual vendors.

RiverView Terrace is available for booking seasonally from April through October.

Spirit of Mount Vernon Undergoes Largest Renovation in Boat's History

]]> After a $500,000, three-month renovation, Entertainment Cruises' Spirit of Mount Vernon is sailing the Potomac again, now with a newly added rooftop bar on the revamped outdoor observation deck. As part of the largest renovation to the 176-foot dinner boat since it was built in 1989, Flanders Construction set out in January to brighten the interior of the two dining decks, with new lighting, new double-paned windows, and an extended window-seating area in the upper Delaware Deck. The renovation also added bright blue carpeting throughout the ship, tile dance floors, tile head floors, and a tiled foyer area by the port cargo door.

The ship has a capacity of 570, with guests split between the lower Potomac Deck and the upper Delaware Deck. Of the total party, 200 guests at any one time can enjoy views from the revamped observation patio.

The Spirit of Mount Vernon offers narrated trips to Mount Vernon, including full-day trips with round-trip fare and discounted admission at Mount Vernon, one-way cruises to or from Mount Vernon, and 40-minute photo and sightseeing cruises. The entire ship can be rented for private, chartered events starting at $15,000 minimum dining cost for Sunday through Thursday, and $20,000 minimum dining cost for Friday and Saturday. Upgrade options for private events include enhanced menus, linens, chairs, and outdoor furnishings.

Penthouse Pool Club Lets Guests Enjoy the View

]]> The Penthouse Pool Club, a 12,000-square-foot private rooftop pool, opened last month after a $2 million build-out. The only catch? Just like an exclusive country club, you have to know a member to book an event here.

Located in Dupont Circle along the U Street corridor, the club has three private event spaces: a sun deck with 100-person capacity, a poolside cabana for 25 people, and a reserved spot on the pool deck for 50. Each spot has different food and beverage minimums, but all increase on Friday and Saturday.

The in-house catering offers food and beverage service featuring beer, wine, cocktails, appetizers, salads, flat-bread pizzas, and sandwiches.

The design surrounding the 60-foot pool has a Moroccan theme that features platinum-colored lounge chairs with thick red cushions and red and white zebra-print daybeds atop synthetic green grass. Stoneking/ von Storch Architects of Charlottesville, Va., and Hallock Design Group of Miami designed the space.

The club opened as an extension of VIDA Fitness-U Street and has proved popular: its waiting list already has 300 people.

10 Biggest Venues for Events and Meetings in Washington

]]> Planning an event that requires the largest event space in Washington? Here’s a look at 10 venues with the biggest capacity: hotel ballrooms, convention centers, banquet halls, clubs, auditoriums, conference rooms, and more. We’ve included total square footage and maximum capacity to help you choose the best big space for your super-sized event.

Styleliner Mobile Accessories Boutique Rolls Into D.C.

]]> Styleliner, a mobile accessories boutique available for private parties and events, begins its residency in D.C. May 4 and stays until June 17. It will park at various locations around the city, including at the W hotel.

The 20-foot vehicle was converted from a potato chip delivery truck. Joey Wolffer, a former jewelry designer for Nine West and trend director for Jones Apparel Group, curated the merchandise, which includes items from international designers and Wolffer's own jewelry and accessories collection.

The Styleliner moves on to the Hamptons for July and August.

10 Ideas for Corporate Summer Entertaining in Washington

]]> New ideas for group outings, catering, rentals, corporate entertaining, gifts, and entertaining summer associates in Washington.

10 Group Activities and Teambuilding Ideas in Washington

]]> To get corporate groups out of the office and interacting in 2012, here are 10 new group activities that can work for teambuilding, meeting breaks, incentives, and other kinds of corporate outings.

Washington's Top 100 Events of 2011

]]> While Washington catches the world’s attention a few times each year—the State of the Union, White House Correspondents’ dinner, and of course, Election Day—locals know there are many more events that make this city pop night after night. Yes, there are the must-attend political gatherings, but also lavish charity galas like the Opera Ball, trade shows that bring in tens of thousands, and high-energy celebrations like Capital Pride and the National Black Family Reunion. In that spirit, here’s our annual list of Washington’s Top 100 Events. Plus: Recognizing that the city’s event scene is ever-changing, for the first time we’ve included five events to watch in future years.

10 Ideas for Company Holiday Parties in Washington

]]> The company holiday party season has arrived. If you’re still searching for entertaining ideas for corporate groups in Washington—whether you're hosting an office party, after-work drinks in a bar, or a big blowout—check out these resources for food, entertainment, gifts, event decor, rentals, group activities, and more.

1. Menus by Occasions Caterers, a new corporate line from the catering company that offers delivery for conferences, lunches, dinners, and office gatherings, will deliver a holiday feast with favorites like roasted chicken roulade with country stuffing and gravy, whipped buttermilk potatoes, and individual pumpkin pies. All orders require a 10 person minimum, and a 24 piece-minimum for hors d’oeuvres. Menu items are priced per person.

Dear Jon Stewart: 7 Tips for Planning Events on the National Mall

]]> As Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert’s dueling rallies on October 30 continue to garner headlines across the country, planners from Comedy Central are in the midst of obtaining permits, reserving portable bathrooms, and checking off the long list of other requirements that come with an event on the National Mall. For first-time hosts, this historic national space comes with plenty of challenges. To identify the pitfalls others have faced, we reached out to two veteran planners and a vendor who have hosted multiple events in the shadow of the Washington Monument and the Capitol. Here's what they shared about planning an event on America’s front yard.

1. It’s all about the permits.
Planning an event on the mall begins—and might unexpectedly end—with the permitting process. Just because you want to have an event on the mall doesn’t mean it’s going to take place. Every aspect of the gathering has to be cleared with the National Park Service, which typically issues the final permit one to two weeks prior to the event date. “Expecting and preparing for changes to your original plan is one of the best ways to endure the process,” said Kelley Gillespie, who has produced six events on the mall in 2010 as the senior operations manager for Capitol Services Inc. “Your event will not happen without the permit, so a high level of flexibility is needed both in terms of your event plan and the client who is paying for it."

To Expand National Harbor Food & Wine Festival, Lynn Schwartz Listens to Attendees, Adds Family-Friendly Elements

]]>The second annual Food & Wine Festival at National Harbor hits Maryland's waterfront complex June 6 and 7. Show manager Lynn Schwartz of Annapolis-based Shows Inc. is returning after producing the 2008 event, which she considered a success—despite a few problems. The festival hit its attendance target of 5,000 guests per day on the first day, but fell short on the second. This time around, Schwartz has increased the emphasis on food (with fewer alcohol vendors), developed programs for children (who weren't allowed last year), and changed the layout to boost attendance. With the festival just weeks away—and final preparations in high gear—we spoke to Schwartz about these and other changes.

What's planned to make this year better for families?
One of our lessons learned from last year, our debut year, was that some attendees want to bring their children to the festival. People voiced their complaints as it is, after all, an outdoor weekend event. I had to listen to our audience. To that end, we have added hands-on cooking classes for children, face painters, a balloon-animal maker, and the Maryland-Delaware Watermelon Association’s Watermelon Queen will host a watermelon seed spitting contest. The National Peanut Board with mascot Buddy McNutty will teach kids fun tasty ways to incorporate more healthy produce options into their diet and creatively explore, through drawing, their favorite ways to put that energy to work. Pirate cruises on the Potomac River are available at an extra charge.

Virginia Gold Cup's Katie Snyder Adds Sponsor Categories for New Revenue Streams

]]>The race never stops for Katie Snyder, director of development for the Virginia Gold Cup Association. Based in Warrenton, Virginia, Snyder and her full-time staff of four produce the Old Dominion’s largest twice-yearly horse race, with the leading purses for timber racing (jumping fences) in the country. The two race days in spring and fall draw a total of more than 85,000 fans to the 175-acre Great Meadow equestrian facility and event venue in the town of The Plains for one of the biggest social and sporting events in the D.C. area.

Before taking the Gold Cup reins in summer 2007, Snyder was the associate director of corporate development for the Sundance Institute in Los Angeles and also practiced law. Her efforts at Gold Cup have added new corporate-sponsorship opportunities, such as a Chairman's Box and JumboTrons, to an already action-packed day at the races. In addition to the ever-popular Jack Russell terrier races (sponsored by the Virginia Lottery) and tailgate competition (sponsored by Goodstone Inn and Estate), there are now nearly 25 sponsored programs and activities. We spoke to Snyder as she nailed down details for the upcoming Virginia Gold Cup race May 2.

When do you start planning for Gold Cup?
We start about 18 months out. This year will be the 84th running for the spring races, and our major vendors for tents, equipment, and catering have multiyear contracts to receive the best pricing. But so far this year we are seeing an 8 to 10 percent decline in ticket sales from 2008. Still, our attendance is very diverse, from young socialites to college alumni to business groups, as well as neighborhood families and friends. These groups annually book tailgate spots or buy the higher-end tickets on Members Hill for the spring tradition of seeing and being seen.

On Inauguration Night, Purple Ball Had Color But Lacked Authenticity, and American Music Balls Were a Bust

On Tuesday night, as my taxi inched down M street to the Georgetown inaugural ball, held in two venues alongside the Georgetown Shops Mall, one shop owner had posted a hastily made but hard-to-ignore suggestion: “Why not go home already: Take it all in on your TV!” I wish I had.

Let it be known that this mostly jaded reporter was down with the oneness, surprising everyone who knows me by hopping the metro yesterday at 11 a.m. and, with careful planning, arriving on the mall in time to hear Barack’s speech, call my sister, take a picture, etc. It was touching and all that.

But a night of overly commercialized, under-organized (or failed) party planning reminded me that even the noblest of causes or movements are not free from shameless exploiters and profiteers. It's been a long trip.

So as I rush to Union Station—I decided to forego my business class reservation and early return to the calm and cool oasis that is Manhattan—herein are my parting observations.

I Saw Fierce Models and Senator Feinstein at Two Presidential Inaugural Fashion Shows

]]>I was fascinated that there were not one but two Presidential Inaugural Fashion Shows on January 18. And let me tell you how glad I am to have seen both.

As a veteran attendee, promoter, and producer of fashion shows and events, I thought I had seen and done it all. But I was wrong.

White House Correspondents' Dinner: With Obama at the Mic, G.S.A. Jokes Followed the Petite Filet

]]> With government spending and scandal in the news, this year's White House Correspondents' Association dinner found itself targeted in the jokes. "Look at this party," President Obama said. "We’ve got men in tuxes, women in gowns, fine wine, first-class entertainment. I was just relieved to learn this was not a G.S.A. conference." Later, he took on the venue: "Anyway, it’s great to be here this evening in the vast, magnificent Hilton ballroom—or what Mitt Romney would call a little fixer-upper."

Every president since Calvin Coolidge has attended the dinner, which began in 1914, but those early dinners probably resemble nothing close to what the event has turned into: a celebrity-/media-/politician-filled gathering of more than 2,600 people with roast-worthy remarks from a professional comedian.

"For better or worse, the once-clubby press dinner has become Washington’s own Super Bowl, a main event drawing ever more out-of-towners and bracketed by ever more parties," The Washington Post's Reliable Source wrote, noting the increase in corporate executives at parties. "Why? WHCD is less political than an inauguration; brainier, presumably, than the Oscars."

This year, Jimmy Kimmel took on hosting duties, skewering both Washington and Hollywood. Kimmel lobbed jokes at both crowds. He took on Kim Kardashian and Lindsey Lohan, asking "Miracle on the Hudson" Captain Sully Sullinger if he could give Lohan a ride home, as well as first lady Michelle Obama's healthy-living initiatives: "They say diplomacy is a matter of carrot and sticks. And since Michelle Obama got to the White House, so is dinner."

Kimmel's performance did not wow many critics. "He didn't bomb," according to The Hollywood Reporter. "Kimmel's half-hour speech was received with consistent, if not uproarious, laughter—likely a result of his playing it relatively safe. By Correspondents' Dinner standards, and certainly compared to Seth Meyers' 2011 skewering of Donald Trump, Kimmel really wasn't that mean."

Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker was kinder: "I liked how old-school Kimmel was, doling out one short, punchy joke after joke after joke, in the manner of Henny Youngman."

Then again, how could this year possibly live up to the dramatic dinner last year, which the president attended immediately after giving the go-ahead for a mission to kill Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden? He alluded to it in a joke: "Last year at this time—in fact, on this very weekend—we finally delivered justice to one of the world’s most notorious individuals,” Obama said, pausing as a photo of Donald Trump flashed on the ballroom screens.

The meal itself was far from carrots and sticks. According to The Christian Science Monitor, the menu featured "a salad of black lentil terrine with lump crabmeat; tango green and red artisan greens; red and yellow tear drop tomatoes, paired with a dill vinaigrette. The entrée was a Texas-rubbed petite filet with a calvados demi, paired with duo of jump shrimp seasoned with red curry, roasted haricot verts, baby pepper, patty pan squash, tasso mache choux risotto. Dessert was 'The Galaxy'–a rich chocolate truffle mousse layered with chocolate genoise and almond macaroon; ganache truffle center finished in chocolate glaze, garnished with fresh raspberries."

White House Correspondents' Dinner Weekend Preview: A List of the Parties, People, and Planners

]]> Two new parties—one hosted by Google and The Hollywood Reporter, the other by NPR— join a packed slate of parties surrounding the White House Correspondents' Dinner this weekend. One of Washington’s biggest weekends includes pre- and post-parties, cocktail receptions, and brunches, not to mention the actual dinner Saturday at the Washington Hilton Hotel. Jimmy Kimmel will M.C. the dinner, hosted by the White House Correspondents Association, and President Obama is scheduled to speak. Media outlets who have purchased tables fill them with a mix of celebrities and politicians: Picture Sofia Vergara and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie at ABC’s table, or the Huffington Post table with Glee’s Darren Criss and Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.

While a ticket to the actual dinner is tough to get, those relegated to watching the dinner live on C-font can still snag an invitation to the parties this weekend. Here’s a roundup of what’s happening around town:

Events kick off Thursday with a private dinner from the Creative Coalition celebrating Leading Women in Media. Hosted by Lanmark Technology Inc. and Elle at the Ritz-Carlton, Capital Decor & Events by Kelly B. Jenkins will provide decor and event production; gift bags are from NeuProfile. The event’s after-party—"Off the Record" with Rock the Vote—will take place at the home of Lanmark president and C.E.O. Lani Hay. DJ Mia Moretti and Caitlin Moe as well as Sam Trocki will perform, with a menu from Well Dunn Catering. The omnipresent Georgetown Cupcake will provide dessert for both events.

Friday, Google and The Hollywood Reporter have invited bigwigs from politics, technology, and entertainment to the W Hotel. The event, a first for the companies, will be hosted by Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt and Hollywood Reporter editorial director Janice Min. Also at the W, The New Yorker will host a rooftop party hosted by editor in chief David Remnick.

NPR’s affair, dubbed "Friday Night Spin" and hosted by the station's White House correspondent, Ari Shapiro, invites guests to the Gibson Guitar Showroom. Solange Knowles, sister of Beyoncé, will DJ and guests will take dessert to go, with Georgetown Cupcake providing take-away treats. Over at the St. Regis, Time Inc. and People's annual party is being produced for the fourth year by Syzygy Event Productions and decor will feature tone-on-tone grays with a pop of yellow, as well as ikat and other patterns.

Voto Latino will hold its second Emerging Voices in Media event at the Hay-Adams Hotel. Actress Rosario Dawson will host, and guests include Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington, MSNBC president Phil Griffin, and BET C.E.O. Debra Lee. The event starts with a panel discussion in the afternoon followed by dinner and a party.

Atlantic Media owner David Bradley and his wife, Katherine, will host a welcome dinner at their home. AtlanticLIVE is planning the event, with Susan Gage Caterers handling the catering and decor, flowers from Ociana, lighting from Frost Lighting, and tenting from Loane Bros. The Atlantic’s entertaining continues later that night with the First Amendment Party, co-hosted by the National Journal, Funny or Die, and Impact Arts & Film Fund at event space 1800 L Street NW. Lyn Stout of Bond Events is handling the event production and design, with Kimball Stroud and Associates managing the event. It will have catering from José Andrés' Think Food Group, a photo booth from Onomonomedia, an art vending machine from Art-o-Mat, and entertainment from DJ The Plug Agency.

Saturday kicks off with a garden brunch at the Beall-Washington House hosted by Tammy Haddad and others, including BizBash C.E.O. David Adler. The event supports Cure Epilepsy and the White Ribbon Alliance.

Several media outlets will host pre- and post-dinner cocktail receptions at the Washington Hilton including Thomson Reuters and another co-hosted by The Atlantic, National Journal, and CBS News.

Claire Danes will host Capitol File’s after-party at the Newseum. Gala Design Group is producing the event, which features Wolfgang Puck Catering, Bialek Music's Bryan Hoover as DJ with saxophonist Tim Murphy. Vanity Fair/Bloomberg’s after-party will take place at the French ambassador’s residence, while the Italian Embassy will see the after-party for NBC and MSNBC. Dufour & Co Productions is producing that event with a menu from Occasions Caterers.

Sunday highlights include two brunches. John McLaughlin and Reuters editor in chief Stephen Adler are hosting a brunch on the Hay-Adams Hotel roof terrace. Politico publisher Robert Allbritton is hosting a brunch at his Georgetown home, where guests will mingle in a tent adorned with floral textiles and fresh peonies and orchids. Wolfgang Puck’s The Source designed a menu that will include made-to-order steak and eggs, a raw bar, and butler-passed hors d’oeuvres. Drinks include fresh squeezed juices and fruit-infused waters.

Best of 2011: 10 Washington Event Industry Highlights

]]> As part of our Best of 2011 look back at the year, we asked our local editors to share their—admittedly subjective—takes on the most important things to happen in their markets this year. Here's what news editor Courtney Thompson and contributor D. Channing Muller had to say about Washington.

M.L.K. Memorial Dedication Scaled Back; Postponed Dream Gala Only Big Event Returning

]]> Civil rights leaders, local dignitaries, and Washingtonians will head to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial site for its official dedication on Sunday, nearly two months later than originally planned. The dedication ceremony, as well as the final two days of events, were canceled in August due to Hurricane Irene’s impending landfall in the Washington area.

“Due to the postponement, we are planning an event much smaller in scale but just as big in spirit,” said Harry E. Johnson Sr., president and C.E.O. of the Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, in a press release.

M.L.K. Memorial Dedication Preview: 10 Official Events, Dozens of Vendors, 30,000 Chairs

]]> The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial opened to the public Monday, and vendors all across Washington are gearing up for Wednesday night's celebratory kickoff, with the Honoring Global Leaders for Peace gala at the National Building Museum. Hosted by the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, the weeklong dedication comprises 10 sanctioned events, including two galas, a public expo at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, a prayer service, a youth symposium, and the dedication ceremony itself, which is taking place on the National Mall on Sunday, the 48th anniversary of the March on Washington and King's historic "I Have a Dream" speech. The event is expected to garner anywhere from 150,000 to 400,000 spectators.

To oversee all the moving parts, the foundation tapped GEP Destination Management and Susan Davis International to jointly manage the official events. "To some extent, we both went with what our strengths are, and ours is the event management and logistics side," said GEP president Marty MacKay, who added that the company has 28 staffers working on the dedication. "That was how we naturally divided the different tasks. However, there wasn't any area in which either of us was able to operate in a vacuum—everything was touching everything; it all needed to be done together."