INDUSTRY NEWS: Accenture and Qualcomm Technologies are collaborating with InterContinental Hotels Group to develop a virtual reality program to help streamline event planning. Program features enable users to modify room layouts, toggle between table and chair configurations, stage placement, decorations, and lighting.
AUSTIN: Tickets are on sale for the ninth annual Austin Food & Wine Festival, to be held on April 24-26. The festival, taking place at Auditorium Shores and Fair Market, will feature more than 100 chefs, restaurants, and wine and spirits experts.
LOS ANGELES: The Fairmont Century Plaza—a new $2.5 billion mixed-use development slated to open this spring—has a new food and beverage team led by Daniel Sabo. Other new appointments include executive chef Atticus Garant, executive chef of Lumière Jason Franey, executive pastry chef Michael Aguilar, and beverage manager CJ Catalano.
Circles: Til Infinity, a multimedia exhibition celebrating the life of the late rapper Mac Miller, took place in Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and New York on January 17-18. The immersive events—which were launched with Warner Records and Amazon Music and produced by Mirrored Media—coincided with the release of Miller's sixth studio album, Circles. The pop-ups included listening parties of the new album, a multimedia fan art exhibition, exclusive merchandise, a space for fans to leave digital notes, and more.
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: Miami Beach Pride announced its 2020 theme, “Let's Have a Ball!” The event, scheduled for March 28-April 5, which is an expansion to nine days from seven, will include a voguing ball featuring Pose star Jason Rodriguez. Celebrity Cruises is the presenting sponsor.
Real estate developer NP International has announced a company rebranding and will now be known as Nolan Reynolds International. The company will add an investment arm plan to expand business throughout the U.S. and Latin America.
NEW YORK: Christa Carone has been named president of CSM North America, a sports and entertainment agency with clients including TikTok, Amazon Prime Video, Mazda, Fox, and L'Oréal. Carone was most recently president of Group Nine Media, home to media brands such as Thrillist and PopSugar.
The ninth annual Winter Film Awards International Film Festival is scheduled for February 20-29. The festival, which emphasizes supporting women and under-represented filmmakers, will include film screenings, discussion panels, professional development workshops, a gala, and award ceremony.
SAN DIEGO: The agency Grandesign Experiential has rebranded as GDX Studios. In addition to its experiential marketing services, the company will now offer tracking capabilities, content capture, consumer touch points, public relations, and social media services. The company’s clients include WarnerMedia, Universal Studios, Adult Swim, HBO, Freeform, Disney, and Carnival.
WASHINGTON: The D.C. chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation plans to host the 15th annual Brewer’s Ball Served Up by Baker Tilly on March 28. The fund-raising event, featuring a silent auction, restaurant stations, and breweries, moves to a new venue, the Anthem.
With contributions from Ashton Pike in Atlanta, Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, and Rayna Katz, Beth Kormanik, and Michele Laufik in New York.
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