NATIONAL: Sodexo Live! has partnered with innovation specialist L Marks to launch the Sodexo Live! Accelerator program for North America. The program aims to find start-ups and scale-ups with innovative and scalable solutions that address three themes: Service Excellence (solutions to attract the best talent, provide consistent training, and retain staff), Guest and Fan Experience (solutions for personalization of event experiences, digitization of touchpoints, ease of service, and future-forward virtual expansion), and Operational Optimization (solutions to improve cross-venue interoperability, better utilize public and transactional data to provide key customer insights, and develop predictive analytics for guests). Applications close on Sept. 12, and selected applications will then be invited to pitch their innovative solutions to Sodexo Live! management in mid-October.
CALGARY: Taste of Calgary returns Aug.4-7, inviting visitors to sample the city's global cuisine, unique beverages, and live music. This year, the event will be held in a new location along the river pathway on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Ninth Street in a large surface parking lot. The event runs every day from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Admission to the event is free, and sampling tickets can be bought in advance on Taste of Calgary's website.
HALIFAX: The Halifax Seaport Cider & Beerfest is back, this time with a third event: Fizzfest, celebrating the seltzer craze. Over three days, attendees can sample more than 300 craft brews, ciders, and fizzy drinks. The completely outdoor festival will also feature live music from local bands and DJs, plus food from a variety of food trucks and restaurants. This year’s festival will be held at the entrance to the Halifax Seaport at 1209 Marginal Rd. The outdoor venue features a completely covered exhibition space and waterfront patio overlooking the harbor.
QUÉBEC CITY: Travel + Leisure has named Québec City the “Best Destination in Canada” for the seventh time. Readers praised the city for its European feel and well-loved hotels, such as the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac—which appeared at No. 10 on the magazine's list of the 10 Best City Hotels in Canada this year—and Auberge Saint-Antoine, which claimed the magazine's top spot of all city hotels in the country. This year, the city scored an 87.04 on Travel + Leisure's list, its best score ever.
TORONTO: The Ontario chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS), Canada’s only national sommelier association, has announced the return of the province’s largest and most diverse wine and food event of its kind, the Best Ontario Sommelier Competition. The event—which will challenge sommeliers in a series of skill-testing scenarios including blind tasting and service components—takes place Oct. 3 at the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex. Tickets will go on sale in September.
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