1. NO-TIPPING MOVEMENT GETS BIG WIN: In the latest and perhaps biggest example of fine-dining restaurants eliminating tipping, Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group has announced that its 13 restaurants including Gramercy Tavern and Union Square Cafe will end the practice by the end of next year. The New York Times: “The wage gap is one of several issues cited by restaurateurs who have deleted the tip line from checks. Some believe it is unfair for servers’ pay to be affected by their race and age, their customer’s moods, the weather and other factors that have nothing to do with performance. A rash of class-action lawsuits over tipping irregularities, many of which have been settled for millions of dollars, is a mounting worry.” http://nyti.ms/1LMmfOo
2. HOW BEER BRANDS' MARKETING WILL CHANGE AFTER MERGER: Beer brands such as Bud Light, Coors Light, and Heineken USA are planning major changes in their marketing strategies as parent companies A-B InBev and SABMiller move closer toward their mega merger. Advertising Age: “Of the three brands, A-B InBev-owned Bud Light might be prepping the biggest change. The brewer plans to scrap its nearly two-year-old, millennial-focused ‘The Perfect Beer for Whatever Happens,’ campaign for an approach targeting a broader age group. ‘Up For Whatever’ is ‘trying too hard’ to appeal to young adult drinkers, Jorn Socquet, U.S. VP-marketing for A-B InBev, said this week in an interview from Las Vegas where he was attending the annual meeting of the National Beer Wholesalers Association. … While Mr. Socquet declined to reveal details, he said the campaign would include celebrities -- which he did not name -- and would break as early as December or as late as during the Super Bowl in February.” http://bit.ly/1GIfxYn
3. DEMOCRATIC DEBATE SETS RATINGS RECORD: The first Democratic debate of the presidential election averaged an audience of 15.3 million viewers, becoming the highest-rated Democratic debate ever. The event still drew fewer viewers than the wide-open Republican debates, which featured more candidates and the spectacle of Donald Trump. CNN speculates that a partnership with Facebook and its marketing strategy contributed to the increased interest. CNN: http://cnnmon.ie/1hEN5jy
* INDUSTRY NEWS *
Eventbrite is moving into the R.F.I.D. wristband business to offer easy entry into events and cashless transactions. TechCrunch: http://tcrn.ch/1Kb9v2K
* LOCAL NEWS *
AUSTIN: The Día de Los Muertos Festival at Fiesta Gardens will take place on Saturday. The daylong event will be headlined by Grammy award-winning Tejano singer Emilio Navaira.
BOSTON: The sixth annual Halloween on the Harbor will take place on October 30. The evening will feature trick-or-treating for adults in the seaport district, and the city’s famous Duck Boats will shuttle guests between nine bars and restaurants in the area.
CHICAGO: Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel will open a new bar overlooking the Chicago River this spring. The indoor-outdoor space—as yet unnamed—will seat 160.
LAS VEGAS: Opportunity Village will host the inaugural HallOVino at the Magical Forest on October 28. The wine-tasting event, sponsored by Southern Wine & Spirits and Lee's Liquor, creates awareness for Opportunity Village's Legacy Society.
Hakkasan Group's latest nightclub, Jewel, will open at Aria Resort & Casino in spring 2016.
LOS ANGELES: The Only in Hollywood Music & Arts Festival will take place November 5-8 and feature more than 100 acts in more than 20 venues along Hollywood Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard, and Selma Avenue. An opening reception will take place at Space15 Twenty, and two new public spaces will be activated during the festival.
The Art of Elysium has announced that Vivienne Westwood and Andreas Kronthaler are the 2016 visionaries for the ninth annual "Heaven" gala, slated for January 9.
Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: The second South Florida location of Apeiro Kitchen & Bar opens October 23 in the Shops of Midtown Miami. Restauranteur Burt Rapoport and chef David Blonsky are behind the Mediterranean concept. The 6,000-square-foot space will seat 320 and have a 40-seat private dining room.
NEW YORK: The Alzheimer's Association Rita Hayworth Gala will auction off a purple gown that designer Naeem Khan created for the event, which takes place October 27 at Cipriani 42nd Street. Women's Wear Daily: http://bit.ly/1X4wzJN
Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork
ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA: Lakeridge Winery will host its 25th annual Holiday Open House November 13-15. The three-day outdoor event will feature live music, a photo booth, and more than 80 local arts and crafts vendors. Orlando Sentinel: http://bit.ly/1GHufPo
SAN FRANCISCO: The 17th annual A Wine & Food Affair will take place November 7-8 in the Alexander, Dry Creek, and Russian River valleys in Northern Sonoma County. One hundred local wineries will participate.
TORONTO: The Gourmet Food & Wine expo will take place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre November 19-22. The event will showcase more than 1,800 wines, beers, spirits, and foods.
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The ninth annual Alexandria Film Festival will run November 5-8 and will show short and feature-length films.
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With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, Anna Sekula, and Ian Zelaya in New York.
BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.
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