GLOBAL: TAIT, a global group of designers, fabricators, engineers, and innovators for live and location-based experiences, announced changes to its leadership. Gemma Hodgson, who first joined TAIT in 2006, has been promoted to chief commercial officer. Additionally, Jess Chalifoux has joined TAIT as the vice president of global business development, bringing with her 20 years of experience as a lead agency partner to clients all over the globe.
BRITISH COLUMBIA: Minister of tourism arts, culture, and sport Lana Popham has announced a one-time, $30 million fund to support festivals and events in British Columbia over the next two years as the Canadian industry continues to recover from COVID-19. She noted that organizers have had difficulties hiring staff, plus supply chain issues and increased costs. Thanks to the fund, festival and event organizers will have until March 3 to apply for financial relief. If eligible, up to 20% of an applicant's event budget will be covered—up to a maximum of $250,000—which could increase even further depending on the number of applications. In order to be eligible, an event must be pre-existing and scheduled sometime between April 1, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2024.
CALGARY: Garneau Block is hosting a four-course dinner pop-up at Our Daily Brett on Feb. 25. The event—called "The Great Spaghetti Western"—will feature Italian creations courtesy of the neighborhood cafe, and bites will be paired with dynamic wines. Tickets for the multi-course meal are available via OpenTable for $55, plus an additional $45 for a wine pairing option.
EDMONTON: The Calgary-based event series Blue Jay Sessions is putting on a pop-up from March 9-12 at two Edmonton venues. At one venue—OTTO Food & Drink—there will be two songwriters’ sessions each evening, featuring notable Canadian acts from March 9-11. The OTTO series is $15 for one session or $25 for two sessions. The second event will take place on the 16th floor of EPCOR Tower, from March 11-12, in partnership with MilkCrate and its chef and owner Steve Brochu, who will be offering cocktail and dinner experiences, as well as a Sunday brunch.
TORONTO: Hotel X Toronto has launched The Retro Arcade, which boasts classic video games from the golden era of gaming, including Street Fighter II, NFL Blitz, Nascar, Galaga, Ms. Pac-Man, and more. Guests can also expect other iconic games like air hockey, foosball, and pinball games. The Retro Arcade is open open through March 19 from 9 a.m.-10 p.m. every day. The player with the highest score by March 19 will win a weekend stay at Hotel X Toronto. Players can submit their scores to win by tagging a picture of their score on Instagram and tagging @HotelXToronto for a chance to win.
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