1. BET AND AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL TO PRODUCE NEW AWARD SHOW: BET Networks will produce a new award show with the American Black Film Festival to honor black culture and movies and TV shows from the past year. The ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood, will tape February 21 and air February 23, less than a week before the Academy Awards, which this year have been criticized for lacking any nominees of color in the acting categories. Variety: “It’s clear that there’s a need for this show,” said Stephen Hill, president of programming at BET Networks. “BET is very excited to partner with Jeff and ABFF to present ‘A Celebration of Hollywood.’ We will unabashedly acknowledge performances and achievements of African-Americans on screen from this past year and give special honor and recognition to artists that have thrilled us during their highly acclaimed careers. 2015 was ripe with tremendous and inspiring performances by African-Americans and we are beyond thrilled to be the ones to recognize them with class and admiration.”
2. OSCARS SWAG BAG WORTH A RECORD $232,000: From luxury toilet paper to personalized M&Ms, the gift bag at this year’s Academy Awards contains a mix of items that add up to a record price tag. New York Post: “The 2016 swag bag — worth a record $232,000 — includes a $55,000 trip to Israel, $45,000 worth of Audi A4 rentals and even a roll of Joseph’s Toiletries luxury toilet paper, valued at $275 each.” http://pge.sx/1S8i489
3. NEW YORK’S ONLY COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL CANCELED: FarmBorough, the first country-music festival held in New York, has been canceled after just one year, according to Founders Entertainment. The event had already announced headliners and began selling tickets, which will now be refunded. Vulture: “The news of FarmBorough's cancellation is made worse by the fact that Delaware's Big Barrel Country Music Festival, also entering its second year, was canceled just last month.” http://bit.ly/1ms9C5t
* LOCAL NEWS *
COAST TO COAST: Venture Beat: “On-demand food delivery service Caviar is branching out with a new offering for the workplace. Called Caviar for Teams, it’s a corporate catering service that will let you request food deliveries from select restaurants for up to a few hundred people. This feature is currently only available through the Web and can be used in all of the 17 U.S. cities where Caviar operates.” http://bit.ly/1QplJIL
ATLANTA: The Woodruff Arts Center has renewed its deal with Live Nation to operate Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. Atlanta Business Chronicle: http://bit.ly/1O1UB0x
BOSTON: The 47-10, a New England-theme seafood and comfort food concept, will open on February 18. The space will seat 44 inside and 44 on a patio. Eater: http://bit.ly/1QTZflO
CHICAGO: Chicago Loop Alliance will host its annual meeting at the Palmer House Hilton on March 10. Start-Up City author Gabe Klein will be the keynote speaker.
AgencyEA will open a River North event space, Savage Smyth, this spring. In the same building as the agency’s offices. The venue will offer 16,000 square feet of open space.
LAS VEGAS: The T-Mobile Arena, which opens April 6, has announced its premium seating, suites, and clubs, which include 310-square-foot luxury suites with sofa-style seating and private bars, eight 700-square-foot event-level suites, and the 18,000-square-foot nightclub Hyde Lounge.
LOS ANGELES: Conservation International's 20th annual Los Angeles Gala Dinner will take place March 10 at 3Labs in Culver City.
iHeartMedia and Turner have announced the nominees for the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Awards, slated for April 3 at the Forum in Los Angeles. Nominees include Taylor Swift, Adele, the Weeknd, and Justin Bieber.
Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: The Miami Home Design and Remodeling Show will take place March 18-21 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Among the draws are interior designer Taniya Nayak—familiar from shows on HGTV and Food Network—as well as contractor Jason Cameron of several DIY Networks shows.
MONTREAL: Boutique hotel William Gray is slated to open in Old Montreal this summer. The 127-room hotel will feature a rooftop terrace, an outdoor pool and spa, a 180-seat restaurant, and 10,000 square feet of event space.
NEW YORK: New York Convention Center Development Corporation president Barbara Lampen will receive the King’s Glove Award from the International Association of Exhibitions and Events New York chapter for her leadership during the renovation of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The association will present Lampen with the award at a luncheon at the convention center on March 1.
Russell Simmons's Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation's fourth annual Rush Hearts Education Luncheon will take place March 11 in the Grand Ballroom at the Plaza Hotel at Central Park South. The event will raise money for inner-city youth and honor Cyndi Lauper, Charles Best, Craig Newmark, and Guy Vickers.
The annual CancerCare Gala will take place April 20 at Cipriani 42nd Street. The event will honor Frank Doroff, vice chairman of Bloomingdale's.
New York Building Congress's 95th anniversary Leadership Awards Luncheon will take place May 18 at New York Hilton Midtown.
Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork
ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA: Beach business trade show Surf Expo will add kayaks, canoes, and paddle sports gear to its next event, which is slated for September 8-10 at the Orange County Convention Center. Orlando Business Journal: http://bit.ly/1Q7L2Vm
PHILADELPHIA: The 37th annual Broad Street Run, which raises money for the American Cancer Society, will take place May 1.
SAN FRANCISCO: The fifth annual Bay Area Brew Festival will take place March 12 at Pier 35. The event will offer international and domestic beers and have notable San Francisco food trucks on site.
TORONTO: In celebration of the N.B.A. All-Star Weekend, Maxim will host the "All Star Party" at Muzik on Friday. The event will feature Maxim models, a performance from Snoop Dogg, and a DJ set by Shaquille O’Neal.
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Hyatt Regency Crystal City has launched a locally focused menu with new chef de cuisine David Carlson. The hotel's Cinnabar restaurant will now serve dishes made with ingredients from farms including Meadow Creek Dairy in Grayson, Virginia, and Kreider's Farms in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
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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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