
#3 PR Industry Event (new to the list)
The Sabre Awards recognize superior achievement in branding, reputation, and engagement. Roughly 850 industry players attend, and judges include public relations executives from State Farm, Wal-Mart, Nestle, and Microsoft. Next: May 3, 2016

#6 Food & Restaurant Industry Event (new to the list)
Since its launch in 2009, the five-day event has grown to include more than 100 ticketed events for the public as well as a two-day conference for the trade. Next: May 15-19, 2015

This year, the Governors Ball went with a “Reigning With Radiance” theme executed with thousands of crystalline details from Swarovski. Governors Ball Committee co-chairs Barbara Cassel and Geriann McIntosh worked with the ball’s longtime designer and producer, Cheryl Cecchetto of Sequoia Productions, to bring the theme to life.

A crowd of about 4,000 guests dined on a meal catered by Patina Catering that included a first course of wildflower honey-poached pear salad, a main course of filet of beef tenderloin, and a single-origin Ghana brownie for dessert.

Designer 8 supplied furnishings, First Circle Design provided lighting design with equipment from ShowPro, and Goodman handled the sound. Dazian installed sparkle drape in the party space and created a perimeter of silver beaded curtains.












Visionary removed and replaced the venue's furniture with sleek, color-blocked pieces. Partner Xbox set up shop in a large branded cabana while sponsor Jack Link's sent a costumed Sasquatch to the party to photo-bomb guests during photo ops. Costumed characters and a face-in-a-hole-style photo activation played off of imagery from the show—and provided ready-made Instagram fare.
