The BiZBash Event Style Awards ceremony honored the most creative and innovative ideas in special events, meetings, conferences, and trade shows at the B. B. King Blues Club & Grill. More than 550 special event and meeting industry members gathered for the awards, which were presented to winners in 16 categories—six more than last year’s awards. The Experiential Agency/XA’s Alice Turner, Mark Musters, and Jessie Lomma produced the event, which was sponsored by American Express.
Kicking off this year’s event was a special reception for nearly 200 finalists, event planners, and advertisers in the Lucille’s Bar & Grill room within B. B. King’s. Blues-soul act Gary Lovett and his blues band, booked through Harbor Lights Music, performed in front of a constantly changing slide show of awards submissions images. In a nod to the night's BiZBash Event Style Hall of
Fame inductees, Hugh McMahon carved an upright watermelon with caricatures of Julian Niccolini and Alex von Bidder of the Four Seasons restaurant. Another touch of decor was a large ice sculpture by Okamoto Studio branded with liquor sponsor Absolut's logo and a row of upturned dancers’ legs and heels.
Magician Mal Cross strolled amidst the crowd, and Ami Goodheart and her Las Vegas-style showgirls, booked through Bongarbiz Acts & Artists, culminated the reception with a performance that proceeded down the room's curving staircase.
A cabaret-style set-up inside the Showcase Room set the stage for the awards show. Iridescent red-orange linens from White Plains Linens covered the tables, which were topped with silver champagne buckets. Table decor alternated between candle lamps decorated with a fringe of red feathers, squat square vases filled with red gel and tealights, and small lamps with glass bead shades, all from TriServe Party Rentals. Models from Eye5 passed out Absolut drinks from Okamoto Studio’s tornado-shaped ice sculpture, which doubled as a cocktail slide. A bright, eye-grabbing LED wall from Scharff Weisberg served as a constantly changing backdrop on the stage.
As guests streamed into the main event space, jazz singer Vanessa Trouble sang and scatted, accompanied by a band from Empire Entertainment. Screaming Queens Entertainment provided its signature strolling dessert table, a cigarette girl, and a man with a candelabra on his head who offered drinks to guests entering the space. Goodheart and the showgirls performed a dance number as guests sat down, and Movin’ Out star Michael Cavanaugh (represented by Empire Entertainment) opened the show with a few songs.
Next, BiZBash Media president Richard Aaron welcomed the crowd, and he and BiZBash editor in chief Chad Kaydo; editors Suzanne Ito, Alesandra Dubin, and Mark Mavrigian; and event manager Dana Bertotti presented the B-shaped trophies designed by the Award Group. The winners included EventQuest, which took home two awards—as the company did last year—this time for Best Use of Tent Design and Best Fresh Idea. Another big winner was Dalzell Productions, which picked up prizes for Best Tabletop Design and Best Staging/Set Design. Mid-way through the presentation—which lasted a brisk 35 minutes—BiZBash C.E.O. David Adler inducted Niccolini and von Bidder into the Event Style Hall of Fame.
Following the awards presentation, Todd Londagin and his band performed standards as guests mingled for the rest of the party.
Related Stories
BiZBash's 2005 Event Style Award Winners
BiZBash's Event Style Awards Finalists
BiZBash Awards Honor Event Biz Best
BiZBash Gives Awards at New Hyatt Ballroom
Kicking off this year’s event was a special reception for nearly 200 finalists, event planners, and advertisers in the Lucille’s Bar & Grill room within B. B. King’s. Blues-soul act Gary Lovett and his blues band, booked through Harbor Lights Music, performed in front of a constantly changing slide show of awards submissions images. In a nod to the night's BiZBash Event Style Hall of
Fame inductees, Hugh McMahon carved an upright watermelon with caricatures of Julian Niccolini and Alex von Bidder of the Four Seasons restaurant. Another touch of decor was a large ice sculpture by Okamoto Studio branded with liquor sponsor Absolut's logo and a row of upturned dancers’ legs and heels.
Magician Mal Cross strolled amidst the crowd, and Ami Goodheart and her Las Vegas-style showgirls, booked through Bongarbiz Acts & Artists, culminated the reception with a performance that proceeded down the room's curving staircase.
A cabaret-style set-up inside the Showcase Room set the stage for the awards show. Iridescent red-orange linens from White Plains Linens covered the tables, which were topped with silver champagne buckets. Table decor alternated between candle lamps decorated with a fringe of red feathers, squat square vases filled with red gel and tealights, and small lamps with glass bead shades, all from TriServe Party Rentals. Models from Eye5 passed out Absolut drinks from Okamoto Studio’s tornado-shaped ice sculpture, which doubled as a cocktail slide. A bright, eye-grabbing LED wall from Scharff Weisberg served as a constantly changing backdrop on the stage.
As guests streamed into the main event space, jazz singer Vanessa Trouble sang and scatted, accompanied by a band from Empire Entertainment. Screaming Queens Entertainment provided its signature strolling dessert table, a cigarette girl, and a man with a candelabra on his head who offered drinks to guests entering the space. Goodheart and the showgirls performed a dance number as guests sat down, and Movin’ Out star Michael Cavanaugh (represented by Empire Entertainment) opened the show with a few songs.
Next, BiZBash Media president Richard Aaron welcomed the crowd, and he and BiZBash editor in chief Chad Kaydo; editors Suzanne Ito, Alesandra Dubin, and Mark Mavrigian; and event manager Dana Bertotti presented the B-shaped trophies designed by the Award Group. The winners included EventQuest, which took home two awards—as the company did last year—this time for Best Use of Tent Design and Best Fresh Idea. Another big winner was Dalzell Productions, which picked up prizes for Best Tabletop Design and Best Staging/Set Design. Mid-way through the presentation—which lasted a brisk 35 minutes—BiZBash C.E.O. David Adler inducted Niccolini and von Bidder into the Event Style Hall of Fame.
Following the awards presentation, Todd Londagin and his band performed standards as guests mingled for the rest of the party.
Related Stories
BiZBash's 2005 Event Style Award Winners
BiZBash's Event Style Awards Finalists
BiZBash Awards Honor Event Biz Best
BiZBash Gives Awards at New Hyatt Ballroom
A cabaret-style set-up inside the B. B. King Blues Club & Grill set the stage for the BiZBash Event Style Awards show. Iridescent red-orange linens from White Plains Linens covered the tables, which were topped with silver champagne buckets and andle lamps.
Ami Goodheart and her showgirls culminated a reception with a cabaret performance that proceeded down the room's curving staircase.
Movin’ Out star Michael Cavanaugh, represented by Empire Entertainment, performed to start the award show.
Julian Niccolini (left) and Alex von Bidder of the Four Seasons restaurant were inducted into the BiZBash Event Style Hall of Fame.
