August 20, 2013: Chris Brown Cancels Canadian Festival, Elton John's Lavish Party for One-Year-Olds, Meetings Go Casual


1. CHRIS BROWN PULLS OUT OF CANADIAN FESTIVAL: The organizers of the Energy Rush festival have postponed the event after headliner Chris Brown pulled out due to health concerns. The series of four concerts that was slated to take place in Toronto, Halifax, Winnipeg, and St. John was originally planned to run August 29-September 1. Reuters: "The decision also comes after some sponsors, including Canadian telecom company Rogers Communications Inc. and Molson Coors Brewing Co., pulled their affiliation with the concert in Halifax, Nova Scotia, after Brown was named as a performer. … An online petition in Nova Scotia protesting Brown performing in Halifax gained more than 16,000 signatures and the city's mayor, Mike Savage, also spoke out against the 'Turn Up the Music' singer playing there." http://reut.rs/170CEy7

2. ELTON JOHN THROWS LAVISH BIRTHDAY FOR HIS TWINS: The Daily Mail has photos and details of the extravagant birthday party Elton John and David Furnish hosted for their one-year-old twins. Planned by Steven Duggan, the Alice in Wonderland- and Peter Pan-theme event reportedly cost ÂŁ70,000. http://dailym.ai/16Zy2It

3. ARE CABANAS THE NEW BOARDROOMS?: In the past year, an increasing number of business deals are taking place at more relaxed venues than traditional meeting spaces. The New York Times: "Cabanas, patios and even spas are increasingly the new boardrooms. 'Recently, there are customers that are looking for out-of-the-box ways to conduct their business,' said Robert Pfeffer, director of sales and marketing for the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort in Florida, where meeting planners started asking to book its 20 thatch-roofed beachfront huts almost as soon as they were built a year ago. ... 'Some of it, I think, is driven generationally,' Ms. [Betty] Wilson [vice president of divisional sales for North America at Starwood Hotels and Resorts] said. 'The younger generation wants a different experience,' she said." http://nyti.ms/14PE0a3

4. URBAN EXPOSITIONS ACQUIRES RESTAURANT SHOWS: Atlanta-based show management company Urban Expositions has added four new restaurant and food service events—the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo, Expo Comida Latina, and International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York—to its portfolio. The latter was purchased from the New York State Restaurant Association, while the other three were acquired from Reed Exhibitions. Reed Exhibitions will still manage the upcoming Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo and the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show; Urban Expositions will take over management when the shows close. Press release: http://bit.ly/19FtVoS

5. CVENT ADDS NEW CHECK-IN APP: Yesterday, event management software company Cvent announced the launch of a mobile app designed to streamline on-site check-ins. The free app, dubbed OnArrival, is currently available for Apple devices running on iOS 6.0 or higher. Press release: http://bit.ly/1cVSKhG

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON:  The new iKnow Concierge app is available at six local hotels, including the Revere. Installed on iPads near the hotels' front desks, the app offers dining and shopping suggestions, maps, and other services in six languages. Boston Globe: http://b.globe.com/18EwGSF

According to Eater, two new food trucks will soon hit the Boston streets. Moyzilla will offer yakitori and dumplings, while the Bacon Truck will serve its namesake snack. http://bit.ly/13MIleN

CHICAGO:  The Chicago Fringe Festival, scheduled August 29-September 8, will include the fest's first Olympics with various oddball activities like shoe golf, Frisbee tic-tac-toe, and cherry-seed spitting.

LAS VEGAS:  Metro Weekly: "Gay Days has long been associated with Orlando, Fla. However, in 2012, the wildly popular party explanded to Las Vegas. It will make its return this year, starting September 3, with a week of special Sin City-inspired events, including pool and dance parties and a four-day expo." http://bit.ly/14Q4EQ7

Apparel News: "If you are in Las Vegas right now for the big apparel trade shows, you’ve no doubt seen the skeleton of the High Roller—the 550-foot-tall observation Ferris wheel that will anchor the new Linq entertainment and retail project slated to start opening later this year." Apparel News has a photo of the progress. http://bit.ly/19urCkU

LOS ANGELES:  Comedy actor Rainn Wilson will serve as the M.C. for the Hollywood Wilshire Y.M.C.A.'s Comedy for a Cause fund-raiser at the Laugh Factory on October 22.

The Bicycle Casino will host the return of the Legends of Poker championship beginning on August 29. Press release: http://bit.ly/13NB6mW

ESquared Hospitality and Drai’s Management Group announced Monday a new partnership to open a new venue at 8720 West Sunset Boulevard, slated for this fall. The spot, known as Rare, will fill the space previously occupied by ESquared Hospitality’s flagship restaurant, BLT Steak.

Jade Alex is now senior publicist in publicity and special events at Warner Brothers Pictures.

As of Monday, the buzzy new Mari Vanna restaurant is open for lunch.

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Miami Herald: "More tourists visited Florida this spring and early summer than ever before during the same three-month stretch, according to early estimates released Wednesday by Visit Florida. A record 23.4 million visitors came to the state during the second quarter, a year-over-year increase of 2.6 percent." http://hrld.us/16PTRu5

NEW YORK:  New York City Center's Fall for Dance Festival kicks off with two free performances at Central Park's Delacorte Theater September 16-17.

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

ORLANDO:  The Westin Orlando Universal Boulevard will begin construction on a conference and event center September 5. The 5,500-square-foot facility is expected to open in December.

TORONTO:  Bask-It-Style will host its media day on September 4 at an $8 million penthouse. Chique and Unique Home Staging will give the event a "rustic luxe" look, and media can check out the gifts that Bask-It-Style will deliver to celebrities if town for the Toronto International Film Festival.

WASHINGTON:  Imagination Stage will host its 2013 gala, Stories Make the World Go 'Round, October 19. Ridgewells Catering is providing the buffet, and author Judith Viorst will be honored. The event hopes to raise $312,000, with proceeds benefiting the organization's theater and arts education programs.

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With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Lauren Matthews, and Anna Sekula in New York.

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

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