What a year it’s been for the event industry. The release of BizBash's spring 2021 issue marks just a little over a year since live events, meetings and experiences came to a surreal, screeching stop. But with each passing week, the light at the end of the tunnel seems to get a little brighter—which is exactly why we’re naming this The Comeback Issue.
2020 was the year when some event and meeting professionals were pushed to pivot or risk losing their jobs, while others were left completely without work despite their best efforts. 
Photo: Caleb Phillips
But 2021 is the year we bounce back—the year the industry finds its groove producing engaging virtual events, the year planners can begin safely gathering groups on a smaller scale for live and hybrid events, the year we take back what was unexpectedly stripped away. This is your year to shine, event pros, and BizBash is here to support, encourage and inspire you every step of the way—starting with this issue that’s brimming with over 300 newly opened and renovated event venues across North America (starting on pg. 41) ready to welcome eventgoers once again with new health safety measures in place. We’re also equipping planners with the low-down on the latest event tech tools, expert tips for hosting live events safely, venues for livestreaming virtual events and so much more.
This issue is also overflowing with special features highlighting event and meeting professionals across the United States and Canada, giving each one their own well-deserved spotlight. To start, the 2020 edition of our annual “Most Innovative People in Events” feature (pg. 209), powered by Pathable, highlights a handful of the industry’s finest who not only survived, but thrived in 2020 by pushing creative boundaries. Similarly, 2020’s “Most Innovative Brands in Events” (pg. 198), sponsored by Metavent by Anna Marie Events, brings attention to 10 national and global brands alike that thought outside the box and embraced going virtual to reach and engage with their target audiences sans in-person activations.
Our Canadian readership will be eager to flip to 2021’s “The BizBash 250” (pg. 188). We’re dedicated to expanding our footprint to feature Canada’s powerhouses in meetings and events, which is why our third annual list of the top rising stars and noteworthy names in Canada’s event industry is one of my personal favorite features in this issue. Congratulations to all who made it! To close out this issue celebrating the industry’s many movers and shakers is the “2020 BizBash Event Style Awards, Powered by MeetingPlay” (pg. 220). With more than 15 new categories added to our annual award program to include submissions from virtual events for the first time ever—plus a special Best Events of the Decade category—this year’s list of winners and finalists includes reimagined events and inspiring activations from brands such as Google, Nike, HBO, Nissan, FILA, Dell and Heineken, just to name a few.
Enjoy the issue, and don't be a stranger! I'd love to hear about all the innovative, inspiring projects you're producing that continue to push our industry forward: [email protected].
