Event Ideas

#1 Fashion Industry Event
More than 100,000 industry insiders turn out for eight consecutive days of runway shows and parties during each edition of the semiannual mega event, currently presented by title sponsor Mercedes-Benz. Next: September 5-12, 2013

#2 Fashion Industry Event
The Swarovski-sponsored black-tie gala, the industry's buzziest award show, honored Marc Jacobs as Womenswear Designer of the Year in 2012. Next: June 3, 2013

#3 Fashion Industry Event (up from #5)
Broadcast live on CBS, the music-and-fashion extravaganza, held at the 69th Regiment Armory, attracts national attention for bringing together many of the world’s name-brand supermodels. Next: November 2013

#4 Fashion Industry Event
The red-carpet event honoring designers, hosted by Simon Doonan in 2012, attracts a steady stream of A-list celebrities, like Sarah Jessica Parker and Renée Zellweger. Next: October 2013

#5 Fashion Industry Event
A hip benefit attracting a younger art and fashion-world crowd, the Art Party teamed up with online platform Artsy for a preparty e-commerce sale this year. Next: Spring 2014

#1 Advertising Industry Event
No competition for the top slot here: the 10-year-old event, now encompassing more than 200 different mini events, continues to be the must-hobnob gathering of the year for advertising executives. Next: September 23-27, 2013

#2 Advertising Industry Event (up from #3)
After returning to New York in 2010, the revamped award ceremony, held at the American Museum of Natural History, has reestablished itself as the industry's highest honor. Next: May 15, 2013

#3 Advertising Industry Event
Marking its 60th outing this year, the Ad Council's prestigious award ceremony attracts 1,110 corporate executives and other high-level advertising insiders. Next: November 20, 2013

#4 Advertising Industry Event
Now in 10 cities worldwide, the East Coast edition of the digital marketing conference brings 10,000 attendees to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center each fall. Next: November 6-7, 2013

#5 Advertising Industry Event (new to the list)
Now encompassing more than 100 different events, the spring advertising, design, and digital media fest includes the One Club's prestigious One Show awards, as well as seminars, presentations, and roundtables. Next: Spring 2014

#1 Media Event
The celebration of power and influence exhibits broad appeal by crafting a unique mix of celebrity honorees and minglers from across genres—including Lena Dunham, Joe Biden, Jimmy Fallon, and Arianna Huffington in 2013. Next: Spring 2014

#2 Media Event
"The Ellies"—the highest honor in the world of glossy paper publishing—has expanded to digital categories in recent years and retooled with a more relaxed dinner setting. Next: Spring 2014

#3 Media Event
The seven-decade-old award is still one of print publishing's most prestigious prizes and a must-attend evening for many agents, authors, and publishers. Next: November 2013

#4 Media Event
Author Malcom Gladwell, rockers Vampire Weekend, and rocker-author Patti Smith were among the big names appearing at this highbrow cultural festival in 2012. Next: October 2013

#5 Media Event
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and photographer Annie Leibovitz were among the women honored at the diverse celebration of feminine accomplishment in 2012. Next: November 2013

#6 Media Event
CBS News anchor Scott Pelley is set to serve as M.C. at the awards honoring quality television, which will fete HBO's Girls this year. Next: May 20, 2013

#7 Media Event
Hosted by Joan Rivers in 2013, the long-running luncheon pays homage to women in media. Next: April 2014

#8 Media Event (new to the list)
The retooled old-media publishing event is adding new media sponsors like the Huffington Post in 2013, and it also brings in a larger array of publishers from global markets. Next: May 29-June 1, 2013

#1 Entertainment Industry Event
While TV broadcast networks are not quite the media behemoths of years past, the industry's annual inventory unveiling only grows larger with additional cable networks and other outlets joining in each year. Next: May 13-16, 2013

#2 Entertainment Industry Event
More than 6,000 film submissions competed to get in front of the almost 400,000 movie lovers who turned out for the 12-year-old festival this year. Next: April 2014

#3 Entertainment Industry Event
With 120,000 music fans filling 80 venues large and small, the one-time college-centric gathering is now the city's biggest live music party. Next: October 15-19, 2013

#4 Entertainment Industry Event
Lincoln Center's half-century-old movie festival is known for regularly premiering many of the films that go on to garner Oscar nominations. Next: September 2013

#5 Entertainment Industry Event
After two consecutive years at the Beacon Theatre, Broadway's biggest night is set to return to Radio City Music Hall this year with a live broadcast on CBS. Next: June 9, 2013

#6 Entertainment Industry Event (up from #8)
Bill Clinton presented the 40th annual prize to Barbara Streisand in 2013 at a fete that filled the 2,738-seat Avery Fisher Hall to capacity. Next: April 2014

#7 Entertainment Industry Event (new to the list)
Launched in 2011, the ever-expanding outdoor music festival has moved from its namesake isle up to Randall's Island, with Kanye West and Kings of Leon slated to headline in 2013. Next: June 7-9, 2013

#9 Entertainment Industry Event
Launched in 2005, the six-day event has added many independent TV creators in recent years, growing to 15,000 participants. Next: October 2013

#1 Tech Industry Event
As the Big Apple's start-up scene blossoms, the eight-day festival has grown to 10,000 attendees turning out for panels, meet-ups, and marquee events like the Webby Awards. Next: May 20-27, 2013

#2 Tech Industry Event
Rapidly catching up to the more established Internet Week in terms of the stamp it leaves on the city, the biannual gathering takes place in 10 global locations, with New York's events boasting the largest registration numbers at more than 9,000 in February. Next: September 23-27, 2013

#3 Tech Industry Event (new to the list)
While not exactly an annual event, the monthly pitch-fest is one of the local event landscape's greatest success stories, exploding from an informally organized gathering into an enthusiastic 30,000-member group. Next: June 11, 2013

#4 Tech Industry Event (new to the list)
Consumer electronics professionals flock to the city each summer for the weeklong gathering that includes sub-industry-specific conferences like the Digital Health Summit and the Ultra HD Conference. Next: June 24-28, 2013

#5 Tech Industry Event
Hosted by popular technology news site TechCrunch, Disrupt has quickly become one of the East Coast's buzziest technology showcases with more than 100 start-up companies jostling for attention. Next: Spring 2014

#1 Art, Design & Architecture Event
Now the centerpiece on an entire Armory Arts Week featuring several smaller fairs, New York's largest art show welcomed 60,000 visitors this year. Next: March 4-9, 2014

#2 Art, Design & Architecture Event
With exhibits from more than 350 brands, the city's biggest home design show grew to more than 43,000 attendees this year. The table installations for Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS' Dining by Design continues to be one of the year's highlights for the design community. Next: March 2014

#3 Art, Design & Architecture Event
Marking its 25th anniversary in 2013, the 165,000-square-foot, four-day show brings in 26,000 design professionals and consumers. Next: May 18-22, 2013

#4 Art, Design & Architecture Event
Held at Pier Sixty on the Hudson River last fall, the design awards honor contributions to aesthetics and functionality across industries. Next: October 2013

#5 Art, Design & Architecture Event (up from #6)
The city's largest consumer art event is across the river in Brooklyn with attendance topping 200,000 people annually. Next: September 27-29, 2013

#6 Art, Design & Architecture Event (new to the list)
Founded as part of Architecture Week in 2003, the annual peek inside New York's least visited structural wonders now brings out 200,000 eager viewers. Next: October 12-13, 2013

#7 Art, Design & Architecture Event
While the Art Dealers Association of America's big show doesn't attract as large a crowd as the concurrent Armory Show, it remains one of the city's most talked-about destinations for fine art fans. Next: March 2014

#8 Art, Design & Architecture Event (new to the list)
The average consumer's alternative to the high-end art show, the upstart event grew to 16,000 attendees in 2012 with more than $4 million worth of art sold. Next: October 3-6, 2013

#1 Food & Restaurant Industry Event
Fine cuisine's highest honor, the gala awards ceremony brings 2,000 foodies to Avery Fisher Hall; this year's event started with a special pre-presentation to book, broadcast, and journalism award winners at Gotham Hall three nights earlier. Next: Spring 2014

#2 Food & Restaurant Industry Event
Some 40,000 food lovers will take over the meatpacking district—and increasingly, venues throughout the city—for the sixth annual weekend-long gorge-fest this fall. Next: October 17-20, 2013

#3 Food & Restaurant Industry Event (new to the list)
After decamping to Washington for two years while the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center completed renovations, the Specialty Food Association's massive trade show returns to New York this summer with 180,000 products on display. Next: June 30-July 2, 2013

#4 Food & Restaurant Industry Event
More than 500 vendors took part in the industry showcase at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, which drew a record 16,000 attendees in its 20th outing. Next: March 2-4, 2014

#5 Food & Restaurant Industry Event
The longtime fund-raiser continues to hold the restaurant industry's attention, raising $828,000 from 1,000 guests last year. Next: June 10, 2013

#6 Food & Restaurant Industry Event
Now 25 years old, the magazine-bestowed honors are widely seen as a sign of a successful career-to-come for chefs around the nation. Next: Spring 2014

#1 Political & Diplomatic Event
Coinciding with U.N. Week each fall, former President Clinton's marquee annual event has brought together 150 heads of state and garnered some $73 billion in pledges for global aid. Next: September 23-26, 2013

#2 Political & Diplomatic Event
The traditional comedic break in the presidential campaign season, the Smith dinner brought together President Obama and Mitt Romney for the standard guffaws last fall and also brings local politicos together in off-years. Next: October 17, 2013

#3 Political & Diplomatic Event
New York's localized answer to the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, the annual insiders' send-up took on added significance in 2013, with Mayor Bloomberg making a last hurrah at the end of his third term. Next: March 2014

#1 PR Industry Event
The six-decade-old awards are still the most prestigious prizes around for public relations professionals. Next: June 13, 2013

#2 PR Industry Event
Increasingly seen as an equal to the Silver Anvil awards, the 14-year-old industry awards attract a crowd of 900 to the Grand Hyatt hotel. Next: March 2014

#1 Beauty Industry Event
The Fragrance Foundation's biggest night brings out 1,000 designers, celebrities, and perfume professional for a red-carpet gala. Next: June 12, 2013

#2 Beauty Industry Event
Consistently one of the city's largest trade gatherings for professionals in any industry, the beauty show brings nearly 60,000 to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Next: March 9-11, 2014

#3 Beauty Industry Event
The only black-tie gala to encourage magenta accents, the nonprofit's Hot Pink Party raised more than $5 million for cancer research in 2013. Next: Spring 2014

#1 Trade Show & Convention
With more than a million attendees and 1,000 new vehicles on display, the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center's car show is consistently one of the year's more talked-about events. Next: Spring 2014

#2 Trade Show & Convention
The city's most celebrated geek fest continues to balloon in size with a record 116,000 attendees in 2012. Next: October 10-13, 2013

#3 Trade Show & Convention (up from #4)
Now in 13 cities around the country, the New York edition of the show regularly brings out nearly 70,000 high-octane adventure enthusiasts. Next: January 2014

#4 Trade Show & Convention
After a small recession-era decrease in attendance, the city's largest boat show was on the rise again in 2013 with almost 50,000 attendees. Next: January 2014

#5 Trade Show & Convention
Formerly known as the New York International Gift Fair, the biannual gathering of home, lifestyle, and gift retailers reels in 35,000 guests. Next: August 17-21, 2013

#6 Trade Show & Convention
One of the country's largest heath-care events, the professional trade show logged 53,481 visitors last year. Next: November 29-December 4, 2013

#7 Trade Show & Convention (up from #9)
An appearance by Bill Clinton helped the 102-year-old show boost attendance by 13 percent in 2012—a number that kept growing this year, to a record 27,600. Next: January 12-14, 2014

#8 Trade Show & Convention (new to the list)
The world's largest pet convention hosts 35,000 humans—and 210 vendors showcasing cats and dogs. Next: September 28-29, 2013

#9 Trade Show & Convention
The largest toy trade show in the Western Hemisphere showed off some 150,000 playful products this year. Next: February 16-19, 2014

#10 Trade Show & Convention
More than 500 destinations from around the globe were showcased at the latest edition of the city's most popular consumer travel event. Next: February 28-March 2, 2014

#1 Hospitality Industry Event
The 35-year-old gathering is the hotel industry's premier meeting of C.E.O.s and executives. Next: June 2-4, 2013

#2 Hospitality Industry Event
About 18,000 professionals from the lodging, dining, and travel industries are expected at Hospitality Media Group's trade show this fall. Next: November 9-12, 2013

#3 Hospitality Industry Event
Following an overhaul that replaced a seated dinner with a more free-flowing reception and the presentation ceremony, the 56-year-old gala has garnered renewed interest from the industry in recent years. Next: January 2014

#1 Benefit
The celebration of art, fashion, and charity overseen by Vogue editor Anna Wintour has gradually grown from socialite gathering into must-attend event for A-list Hollywood celebrities. Next: Spring 2014

#2 Benefit
After hosting a special Sandy benefit concert in December—and raising a staggering $70 million—the Robin Hood Foundation returns again this spring with New York's biggest-money annual fund-raiser. Next: May 13, 2013

#3 Benefit
The buzzy band Fun is set to perform in MoMA's sculpture garden for this year's benefit, honoring Mayor Bloomberg and artists Ellsworth Kelly and Cindy Sherman. Next: May 21, 2013

#4 Benefit
Traditionally held in October, last year's gala moved to December following Hurricane Sandy and raised $2.7 million at the Whitney's Upper East Side home. Next: October 2013

#16 Benefit (new to the list)
Since launching in 2005, the black-tie gala has raised more than $16 million from humanitarians and celebrities like Uma Thurman and Kelly Ripa. Next: November 2013

On Wednesday night, the Whitney Museum of American Art held its annual Art Party at the Skylight Soho.

To keep the focus on the art auction and performances, the decor was kept simple with a minimal palette of black and white.

A streamlined, modern bar stood at the center of the room with an arrangement of black and white lanterns hanging overhead. Liquor sponsors Domaine Chandon and Belvedere offered cocktails, including the Summer Fling, a mix of Chandon brut sparkling and Belvedere pure vodka, with lemon juice and a dash of simple syrup.

Just outside the gallery, lighting designer Bentley Meeker illuminated the corridor walls with red and blue floor lamps.

To add more color and match the red and blue lighting, MKG installed art-like wall displays of hundreds of individual lightbulbs behind two bars positioned at either end of the hallway.

Although not devised by the planning and production team, a display from Domaine Chandon of its new limited-edition American summer bottle matched the art-focused design.

Kalup Linzy, one of two artists performing for the night, presented his piece titled "A Memorial for Taiwan." Prior to the start of the event, and perhaps to build buzz among attendees, the stage was set up with a casket and floral arrangements for a funeral-like setting. A video projected on the wall displayed the artist acting out the character, Taiwan.

In the meatpacking district—the New York City Wine & Food Festival's hub—Illy set up a public welcome center. The coffee brand's spot had red and white seating, coffee stations, book signings by Food Network stars, and a "Give Happilly Coffee Amnesty," in which festival-goers could donate coffee in exchange for a complimentary can of Illy MonoArabica.

Hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, the fried chicken event set up shop at Yotel on Thursday night and had several eateries like the Brooklyn Star offer fried chicken and waffles served in waffle cones. Inside the hotel's fourth-floor space, guests were treated to tunes by DJ Questlove, while the terrace offered a view of the skyline and colorful decorations to the tenting structure.

The photo op from Shake & Bake sponsor Cape Cod Potato Chips came complete with seagulls—to match the brand's imagery—and invited guests to post pics to Instagram. A screen at the event displayed images marked with the hashtag #Capeonthego, and guests who posted their photos scored a free T-shirt and chips.

A cocktail-focused event at the Public Theater on Thursday was hosted by in-house culinary expert Andrew Caramellini. As guests strolled through three different spaces—the Lobby, Joe’s Pub, and new lounge the Library—they could sample various cocktails, mini crab sandwiches, and margarita marshmallow pops (pictured).

In the basement space of 82 Mercer, the festival's casino sponsor the Borgata created a lounge space that let attendees play casino games, snap pics in a photo booth, and paint the interactive graffiti wall, which included chocolate "paint" and "spray paint." The activation was open for three days, running from Thursday to Saturday.

This year, the festival's signature Burger Bash moved from the Tobacco Warehouse in Brooklyn to Basketball City at Pier 36. Rachael Ray returned to host the affair, which was sponsored by Blue Moon and Pat LaFrieda Meats, and saw servers on roller skates pass around mini treats.

Hosted by Rocco DiSpirito, who was celebrating the release of his book Now Eat This! Italian, Thrillist's event on Friday served all types of barbecue complemented by take-home bags of brownies from Fat Witch. To add branding to the Hudson Terrace, the lifestyle Web site placed its logo within the chandelier and on the side of the building.

Friday's late-night dessert showcase doubled as the festival's fifth anniversary celebration, and, as a nod to this and title sponsor Godiva, a gilded Lady Godiva rolled around 82 Mercer handing out birthday hats.

True to tradition of the event, Godiva decorated the entire three-room space with chocolate touches including a chocolate photo booth background, chocolate-studded vases, and columns lined with the sweet stuff.

Echoing the Absolut Citron-clad bar, lush floral arrangements with citrus details dotted bars and tabletops throughout the venue.

Some 1,200 feet of confetti garland hung from the ceiling, matching the chair decorations.

A gold background by Confetti System served as a festive backdrop for photos.

Hosted by Guy Fieri, Target's kid-friendly, educational event on Saturday filled Basketball City with activities like a Carnival-sponsored obstacle course, Zumba lessons, and a giant foosball table. Children in attendance took home bags filled with healthy snacks.

Healthy snack stations dotted the perimeter of the room for a break from the activities. The Indian Harvest table served soothing soup from a festive pumpkin display.

A main sponsor of the entire festival, LG approached the event with kid-friendly activities like a sock toss to showcase its new laundry machines. Additionally, to promote the new LG dishwasher, the electronics brand had several mom bloggers partake in a dish-loading challenge.

The seafood-focused Saturday afternoon event, hosted by Hook, Line & Dinner star Ben Sargent was presented by the Corcoran Group at the Standard's Biergarten. The Lobster Place donated approximately 14,000 oysters for the outing in addition to several restaurants and oyster farmers setting up shop for the tasting. Some stations even offered to teach attendees how to shuck.

Nautical displays were featured throughout the venue as guests strolled from table to table sampling bites from eateries like the Mermaid Oyster Bar and Ed’s Chowder House, including oysters with gazpacho, mini oyster potpies, and French fries.

The Hudson River Park's Pier 57 was overflowing with stations of food and drink for the tasting on Saturdy and Sunday, as well as KitchenAid culinary demonstrations with a rotating roster of Food Network personalities taking the stage kitchen. As a sponsor, Delta hosted a lounge where attendees could take a breather by relaxing in the airline’s new business elite seats and sample sommelier-selected wine served in-flight. Also available for testing was Delta’s Touch the Future interactive app, which allowed guests to select their travel priorities such as "shopping" or "foodie travel" and see which locations the airline offers fit their travel must-have list.

Buick teamed up with online chocolatier Chocomize to promote their affordable luxuries mindset. Grand Tasting attendees were invited to sample chocolate bar ingredients—including chocolate and sea salt or chocolate and red pepper—then hop on an iPad and place an order for the customized treat to be delivered directly to their home.

Sponsored by Creekstone Farms and hosted by Bobby Flay, Saturday night's Tacos & Tequila filled the three-room space at 82 Mercer with tacos of all kinds. Many stations had simple displays of ingredients used and various signs on the walls that read, "Tacos, yo!"

Held at the Highline Stages, presented by the Corcoran Group, and hosted by Food Network’s Sandwich King Jeff Mauro, Sunday's Sandwich Showdown saw attendees sample 15 different sandwiches, including pastrami and lobster rolls. Each attendee was given a wooden coin as they entered, which was used to vote for the event's best sandwich.

The event offered a fall foliage decor theme with sunflower bouquets, red and orange leaf displays, and a scenic step-and-repeat. Funny signage around the venue paid homage to the sandwich through tweaked song lyrics, like "I am sandwich, hear me roar," "spread some mayo on me," and "for the love of the sandwich."