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  1. Catering & Design
  2. Food Trends

Best of 2010: 10 Washington Event Industry Highlights

T.J. Walter
December 10, 2010

As part of our Best of 2010 look back at the last year, we asked our local editors to share their—admittedly subjective—take on the most important things to happen in their markets this year. Here's what Washington bureau chief T.J. Walter had to say.

1. Washington Opera Firsts
This was a year of new endeavors for the Washington Opera. The first change came during the annual Midwinter Fete, where the opera switched venues and formats for the first time in its seven-year history. Held at the Embassy of France, this year’s event was created as a cocktail reception with an “Evening in Paris,” theme. While the fete was downsized, the opera’s annual Opera Ball pulled out all of the stops—becoming one of the most talked about parties of the year—as more than 600 guests came together for the first time at the ceremonial building at the Embassy of the Russian Federation. Sandi Hoffman of Sandi R. Hoffman Special Events created five themed spaces in the building that immersed guests into different eras of Russian history.

2. White House Prom
Except for the once-every-four-years inauguration, there is no larger regularly occurring event in Washington than the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.  Always a magnet for Hollywood stars and media heavyweights, this year’s attendees had the chance to rub shoulders with Jon Bon Jovi, Justin Bieber, Steven Spielberg, Kim Kardashian, and many others. While the dinner at the Hilton Washington is the main focus of the weekend, much of the attention is on the parties and this year welcomed several new options for guests. The New Yorker took over the W Washington rooftop, while MSNBC booked the Mellon Auditorium, where guests could order specialty cocktails from host Rachel Maddow.

3. Making the Most of the Mall
Events on the National Mall happen every year, but in 2010, two nonpolitical events garnered the most media attention. Glenn Beck’s Restoring Honor rally attracted a crowd estimated at more than 300,000 people in August, filling the park grounds between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Not to be outdone, comedians Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert staged their own rally, the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, in October, which garnered an estimated 215,000 people gathered in the front of the Capitol. 

4. Arena Stage Grand Opening
Arena Stage officially opened the doors to the Mead Center for American Theater, its new, $135 million, 200,000-square-foot, glass-covered home on Washington’s Southwest waterfront in October. The center, which has been in the planning and design phase for nearly a decade, now features a centralized lobby, a new on-site café by José Andrés, and a 200-seat theater, the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle. To celebrate the new space, Arena Stage hosted a one-time, grand opening gala chaired by President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama and featured a performance by Tony award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell.

5. Food Trucks
As in so many U.S. cities, food trucks have been hitting the streets this year. By year’s end more than 28 trucks will be traveling throughout the Washington area offering everything from macaroni and cheese (CapMac) and poutine (EatWonky) to cupcakes (Curbside Cupcakes) and lobster rolls (Red Hook Lobster Pound). Both fans and doubters had the chance to taste 20 of the specialty dishes at the first ever Curbside Cookoff, held at CityCenter DC parking lot over two days in October.

6. Restaurant Rundown
Washington continued its rapid expansion when it came to dining, with a host of new restaurants opening in 2010. Celebrated chef Michel Richard expanded beyond downtown taking his innovative French cuisine to the Ritz-Carlton Tyson’s Corner with Michel,and after a four-year wait, Robert Donna finally opened Galileo III. Two of New York’s famous eateries also opened up shop in the District: Carmine’s in Penn Quarter and P.J. Clarke’s on K Street, just a few blocks from the White House. 

7. iPod Bidding
Charitable giving and silent auctions took a high-tech turn this year, as Fight for Children’s Fight Night and the Washingtonian’s Best of 2010 party hired Indianapolis-based Bid Pal to oversee the bidding. The wireless technology allows guests to browse auction items, monitor their bids, and make donations through a preloaded IPod Touch.

8. BET Honors
After a toned-down affair in 2009 due to the inauguration, BET ramped up its annual BET Honors celebration this year with a two-day, three-venue event that was overseen by event producer Andre Wells. The festivities kicked off on January 15 with a V.I.P. dinner at the Meridian House, followed by the award ceremony on January 16 at the Warner Theatre. The celebration culminated with an after-party at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center attended by 2,000 people.

9. Hilton Washington Renovation
The iconic Hilton is host to several of Washington’s biggest events, the White House Correspondent’s Dinner among them, and the property finally wrapped up its three-year, $150 million renovation in June. Now boasting all-new guest rooms and updated restaurants, the hotel also increased its function space to 110,000 square feet with the addition of the 30,000-square-foot Columbia Hall and the nine-room Heights executive meeting center. 

10. R.T.C.A. After-Party
The 66th annual Radio and Television Correspondents got a new after-party host this year when BBC World News America took over from MSNBC. While the venue, the Historical Society of Washington D.C., and the event producer, Philip DuFour, remained the same as last year, the evening included some British touches, especially when it came to the menu, with mini Cornish pasties and a pudding dessert buffet, all catered by Occasions Caterers.

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Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography
In October, Arena Stage debuted its $135 million, 200,000-square-foot Mead Center for American Theater on Washington's Southwest waterfront. The center has an on-site café by José Andrés and a 200-seat theater.
In October, Arena Stage debuted its $135 million, 200,000-square-foot Mead Center for American Theater on Washington's Southwest waterfront. The center has an on-site café by José Andrés and a 200-seat theater.
Photo: Nic Lehoux courtesy of Bing Thom Architects
At the Washington National Opera's Opera Ball this year, plush white carpets and white birch trees helped transform the Russian embassy lobby into a winter landscape.
At the Washington National Opera's Opera Ball this year, plush white carpets and white birch trees helped transform the Russian embassy lobby into a winter landscape.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
At MSNBC's White House Correspondents' Association dinner after-party, banners promoting the network's shows and personalities hung between columns inside the Mellon Auditorium.
At MSNBC's White House Correspondents' Association dinner after-party, banners promoting the network's shows and personalities hung between columns inside the Mellon Auditorium.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
More than 200,000 Comedy Central fans descended on the National Mall for Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in October.
More than 200,000 Comedy Central fans descended on the National Mall for Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in October.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Groups can reserve the Eat Wonky food truck, which specializes in the Canadian comfort-food staple poutine.
Groups can reserve the Eat Wonky food truck, which specializes in the Canadian comfort-food staple poutine.
Photo: Courtesy of Eat Wonky
At Carmine's, guests can dine at the 40-seat circular bar, in the 50-seat lounge, or in one of the nine private dining rooms.
At Carmine's, guests can dine at the 40-seat circular bar, in the 50-seat lounge, or in one of the nine private dining rooms.
Photo: Courtesy of Carmine's
The main event at Fight Night is the boxing matches. There were four bouts this year.
The main event at Fight Night is the boxing matches. There were four bouts this year.
Photo: Jack Hartzman/Washington Talent
Giant teal BET letters fashioned from sequined velvet fabric served as the focal point of the BET Honors after-party in the Reagan Building atrium last January.
Giant teal BET letters fashioned from sequined velvet fabric served as the focal point of the BET Honors after-party in the Reagan Building atrium last January.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
The Hilton Washington's international ballroom, which accommodates 4,200 guests for a reception and 2,600 for a seated dinner, received new carpet and audiovisual updates as part of the hotel's $150 million renovation.
The Hilton Washington's international ballroom, which accommodates 4,200 guests for a reception and 2,600 for a seated dinner, received new carpet and audiovisual updates as part of the hotel's $150 million renovation.
Photo: Courtesy of Hilton Washington
Crystal-studded white couches and orange shag carpets accented the BBC's Radio and Television Correspondents' Association dinner after-party at the Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
Crystal-studded white couches and orange shag carpets accented the BBC's Radio and Television Correspondents' Association dinner after-party at the Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography
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