New York's Top Entertainment Industry Events 2005

1. Television Network Upfront Week
The Scoop: Network television’s biggest stars—including actors and execs—come out to promote new and old shows, and hopefully generate media buzz and sell a few ads while they’re at it.
Behind the Scenes: This year, there’s a new twist to the networks’ usual routine of rotating through venues like Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, and the New Amsterdam Theatre, with ABC heading to Lincoln Center and holding an after-party at Damrosch Park. Restaurant Associates will be catering. “Both are brand-new venues for us, but Lincoln Center is our neighbor, and we were able to work out the dates this year,” says ABC event chief Brenda Major. NBC always kicks off the week, with the other networks following on subsequent days. May 16-20

2. New York Film Festival
The Scoop: The Film Society of Lincoln Center’s annual film festival showcases new and important cinematic works by directors from all around the world. It attracts an A-list crowd of industry pros, critics, and New York society cinema buffs to Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, and the Walter Reade Theater.
Behind the Scenes: Film Society executive director Claudia Bonn oversees the event, while development director Maria Laghi handles corporate sponsorship. Graham Leggat, director of communications, handles PR. Restaurant Associates caters the prescreening dinner and gala tribute, while Carolyn’s Cuisine caters the donor dinner. Tavern on the Green always hosts the opening night after-party. Sept. 23-Oct. 9

3. Tony Awards
The Scoop: The Tony awards are presented by the League of American Theatres and Producers and the American Theatre Wing, and honor the best on Broadway each year.
Behind the Scenes: The event is always at Radio City Music Hall. Elizabeth McCann, managing producer of Tony award productions, hired Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss of White Cherry Entertainment to executive produce the event again this year; Weiss will serve as director. PMK/HBH handles PR duties. CBS will broadcast the event live this year. June 5

4. Daytime Emmys
The Scoop: Daytime television’s divas and dramas duke it out for their industry’s top honors, which are awarded annually by the National Television Academy and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Behind the Scenes: A preawards dinner will be held at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, while the Marriott Marquis will host the Daytime Creative Craft Emmys, which honor the behind-the-scenes folks, on May 14. Goodman Media handles PR. CBS will air the event this year. Deloitte & Touche tabulates the winners. Audiences Unlimited handles ticketing and seating. Dick Clark produced last year’s telecast. May 20

5. CMJ Marathon
The Scoop: College Music Journal’s annual four-day festival brings new musical acts—along with more than 10,000 music professionals and fans—to the city each year for concerts, panel discussions, and even a film festival. The event honors today’s music scene and charts its future. This year marks the event’s 25th anniversary.
Behind the Scenes: Michelle Mutter, CMJ’s events division producer, oversees North America’s biggest music festival each year. Musical acts (past performers have included the Thrills and Andrew W.K.) play at more than 60 venues throughout the city, including Bowery Ballroom and Joe’s Pub. Last year’s marathon was held at the Javits Center, but Mutter says two different venues are still under consideration for 2005. Spin magazine, Sonicbids, Gibson, and The Village Voice sponsored last year. No date yet

6. American Museum of the Moving Image Salute
The Scoop: The museum’s annual gala honors top entertainers—last year’s event honored John Travolta—whose careers have influenced film. Usually held in the spring, the event moved to December in 2004. “With the plethora of awards that have cropped up in recent years, by March everyone was tired of them,” explains Springer Associates PR’s, Gary Springer, who handles publicity for the event.
Behind the Scenes: No honoree has been named for 2005, but it will return to the Waldorf=Astoria, its historic home. Event Associates coordinates the event, which is overseen by museum director Rochelle Slovin. Dec.

7. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Introductions
The Scoop: Rock and roll’s royalty has been getting its hall passes to Cleveland every year since 1986, with artists becoming eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record. The 20th annual induction ceremony honorees include Buddy Guy, Percy Sledge, the O’Jays, the Pretenders, and U2. Past inductees have included Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, and the Rolling Stones.
Behind the Scenes: Suzan Evans is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation’s executive director, and oversees the committee that organizes the event. Elizabeth Freund will handle PR duties once again, and Line By Line Productions will oversee the production duties. As usual, the event will be held at the Waldorf=Astoria. March 14

8. Gotham Awards
The Scoop: The Gothams have gotten a major makeover. No longer content just to celebrate visionary independent film in the city, IFP/New York revamped its 14-year-old awards ceremony last year and extended its scope beyond New York to include the entire film community. Two new categories were added, and the event was moved from September to December.
Behind the Scenes: No date or venue has been set yet for 2005. Last year’s event at Pier 60 as overseen by IFP/New York executive director Michelle Byrd, and was produced by Dalzell Productions. Dan Klores Communications handled PR. Early Dec.

9. Museum of Television & Radio Gala
The Scoop: One of two annual galas held by the museum (the other is in Los Angeles), this $1,000-a-ticket fund-raising gala pays tribute to distinguished television professionals each year. Last year’s event, which honored the now-retired NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw, raised more than $1 million for the museum’s various education and preservation programs.
Behind the Scenes: The museum is chaired by Frank Bennack Jr. Amy Handler, the museum’s special events and membership director, has overseen the event for the past five years. Loretta Ramos handles PR. At press time this year’s honoree had not been finalized, but the gala will return as usual to the Waldorf=Astoria. May 26

On Probation: MTV Video Music Awards
The Scoop: The VMAs have long been at the top of our list, but thanks to its detour to Miami last year, the star-studded event is on probationary status this year. (Especially since MTV execs are mum on the details for 2005. “We haven’t chosen a city or event space yet,” says vice president of production events Kathleen Flynn.)
Behind the Scenes: When the MTV crew took its show on the road to Miami, New York vendors like Greenroom, The Catering Company, and venues like Lot 61 and Show lost business they’d come to rely on. You can bet they’re hoping for a return to Radio City Music Hall or the Met this year. Aug./Sept.

More Biggies:

The New York International Fringe Festival dominates downtown with more than 1,300 theatrical productions spread across 20 venues in August.

The Tribeca Film Festival takes over TriBeCa for the fourth year this year from April 21 to May 5.

The New York Film Critics Circle handed out its annual awards on January 9.

—Erika Rasmusson Janes

Posted 02.23.05

Read about the rest of New York's Top 100 Events...

Photos: Paul Drinkwater/NBC Universal (The Apprentice); Alex Tamargo/Getty Images (MTV)

This story originally appeared in the February/March 2005 issue of the BiZBash Event Style Reporter.