September 30, 2015: Russia Plans Film Festival in Nice to Rival Cannes, NBC Pulls Out of Action Sports Tour, Warner Brothers to Offer Christmas Dinner at Hogwarts

1. RUSSIA PLANS FILM FESTIVAL IN NICE TO RIVAL CANNES: Russia announced plans to host a film festival in Nice, France, in May that will show movies rejected by film festivals in Cannes, Berlin, and Venice. The Hollywood Reporter: “’Many well-known festivals have become biased, especially Cannes, Venice and Berlin,’ Nikolai Borodachev, head of the Russian state film archive Gosfilmofond, which is set to run the event, was quoted as saying by the Russian daily Izvestia. … 2016 will be ‘the year of cinema’ in Russia, which means extra funding for the film sector and, specifically, for international promotion of local films. However, the Nice festival will not to be limited to Russian films, focusing on movies from Russia, Brazil, India, China and South Africa, according to Borodachev.” http://bit.ly/1RemOpa

2. NBC PULLS OUT OF ACTION SPORTS TOUR: The Dew Tour, an action sports tour sponsored by PepsiCo, could end following NBS’s decision to shutter its action sports division that operated the tour. Pepsi is seeking another party to stage Dew Tour events, which include selecting a host city and building out the venue. Sports Business Daily: “The tour, valued in NBC’s 2011 deal to buy back a stake from MTV at between $40 million and $60 million, has struggled for several years as TV ratings plummeted, sponsorship sales slowed across all action sports, and the target youth demographic abandoned traditional media. … Many industry experts suggested a TV-centric business model is no longer feasible.” http://bit.ly/1VixSaz

3. WARNER BROTHERS TO OFFER CHRISTMAS DINNER AT HOGWARTS: Looking for the perfect Christmas gift for a Harry Potter fan? Warner Brothers Studio Tour is hosting a Christmas dinner in Hogwarts’ Great Hall in London. Mashable: “The event, which will take place from 6 p.m. to midnight on Dec. 3, will let fans tuck in to a two-course meal on the set used for filming the Harry Potter movies before taking in the rest of the sights. … The evening — which, as well as dinner, includes canapés, Butterbeer, a character wand, desert, drinks and entrance to the Studio Tour — will set you back a whopping £230 ($349).” http://on.mash.to/1jxVsir

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON:  Fenway Park will host the skiing and snowboarding U.S. Grand Prix Tour event February 11-12. Known as “Big Air at Fenway,” the event will feature a 140-foot snow ramp.

CHICAGO:  The woman’s board of the Chicago Horticultural Society will host its 10th annual “All Aboard” fund-raiser on December 4. Kehoe Designs will handle decor, Jewell Events Catering will prepare the dinner, and String Theory will entertain.

LAS VEGAS:  Food Tours of America will launch in Las Vegas Monday with the Vegas Celebrity Chocolate Walk. The tour will be offered seven days a week, and additional tours including Vegas Celebrity Dine, Vegas Celebrity Eats, and Vegas Celebrity Bites will launch in the coming months.

Jerry Seinfeld will return to the Colosseum at Caesars Palace for two nights of stand-up December 26-27.

LOS ANGELES:  Mark Burnett will return as executive producer of the People’s Choice Awards, which will broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater on January 6.

Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The 20th annual Jeb Bush Florida Classic, which includes golf and fishing tournaments as well as social functions, is scheduled for November 19-21. The event benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and is sponsored by the Wasie Foundation, with its namesake serving as honorary chairman.

Over the Top Rental Linens, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, has named Michael White as linens sales manager in Nashville, the company’s latest service territory.

NEW YORK:  The Harlem School of Arts will host its 50-year anniversary kickoff Monday at the Plaza Hotel. The event will honor singer Alicia Keys, actress and activist Cicely Tyson, soprano Jessye Norman, and others.

Lady Gaga will be honored as Billboard's 2015 Woman of the Year. Don Mischer Productions will produce the event, which will be held December 11 at Cipriani Midtown. The event will be televised for the first time December 18 on Lifetime. Billboard: http://bit.ly/1P3YuXK

The charitable app Spare held its launch party Tuesday at City Hall Restaurant. The app rounds up users’ restaurant and bar tabs to the nearest dollar and gives the change to nonprofits dedicated to fighting hunger in the city.

Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  The 20th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, which runs through November 16, has introduced four new pavilions and more than 30 new dishes. Another new feature is the use of liquid nitrogen in drinks and dishes throughout the park. Orlando Business Journal: http://bit.ly/1iJbVzM

SAN FRANCISCO:  The sixth annual San Francisco Dance Film Festival will take place October 8-11 at Brava Theater Center.

TORONTO:  Rethink Breast Cancer’s 14th annual Boobyball will take place at Sound Academy on Friday. The event has an outer space theme.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  Atlas Brew Works is hosting a World’s Fair-theme celebration for its second anniversary Saturday. The ticketed event includes beers from the brewery, food trucks, and live music.

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

JOB BOARD: Post a job or find a job: http://jobs.bizbash.com

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.

Feed the Sheet: [email protected]

Subscribe: www.bizbash.com/bizbashdaily

Advertise with BizBash: [email protected]