BIZBASH CALL SHEET — #63 — Friday, 07.22.11
Compiled today by Chad Kaydo in New York
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* INCOMING *
1. M.L.K. BIG IN D.C.: From BizBash news editor Courtney Thompson: Washington is gearing up for what some are saying is the biggest event since Obama's inauguration, the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial August 28 (the 48th anniversary of King's "Dream" speech). A roster of eight official events, all sanctioned by the Washington D.C. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, are taking place in the days leading up to the dedication, along with a slew of unofficial celebratory events around the city.
For the official events, the foundation tapped Hargrove as general contractor, with Susan Davis International and GEP handling public relations and event management. Vendor contracts are still being handed out, but here's a look at the week's major events:
* The Global Leaders for Peace gala is August 24 at the National Building Museum. Design Cuisine is catering and Andre Wells is handling decor for some 1,200 guests.
* The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity will host "MLK: A Monumental Life," a celebrity-filled tribute presentation and cocktail reception at DAR Constitution Hall August 26, followed by an after-party for 3,000 at the Mayflower Hotel. Wells is producing. Confirmed presenters/performers include Ruby Dee, Felicia Rashad, Jasmine Guy, Nancy Wilson, and Tyrese Gibson.
* More A-list entertainers are slated to attend and perform at the Celebration Dream gala August 27 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, with some 6,000 attendees and Wells (again!) handling decor.
* Kicking off the morning of August 28, the dedication will include appearances by President Obama, Tom Brokaw, Tommy Hillfiger, Aretha Franklin, Nikki Giovani, and others. Immediately following will be a concert. Some 150,000 guests are expected to attend. Media credentials are due August 1.
* Other events include a luncheon for 1,200 at the convention center August 24; the Message in the Music concert at the convention center August 25; the four-day Partners in Dream public expo at the convention center starting August 25; the Women Who Dare to Dream luncheon for 1,200 August 26; and the Dream Keepers youth symposium at the convention center August 27.
2. CALM AT COMIC-CON: Fans of the science fiction and fantasy genres are swarming the San Diego Convention Center, but unlike in previous years, prime advertising spots are empty. The New York Times: "Movie studios, video game companies and toy makers have long blanketed the streets and buildings around the convention center with ads, and this year is no different; Universal Pictures covered the entire side of a skyscraper with an image from 'Cowboys & Aliens,' for instance. But the marketing onslaught is notably less noisy, perhaps reflecting the diverting of promotional dollars online or a recognition that bigger outdoor ads aren’t always better."
http://nyti.ms/rmMQBn
3. YOUTUBE-A-PALOOZA: After a successful livestream of an Alicia Keys program in 2009 and Bonnarroo and Coachella festivals earlier this year, YouTube marketers have decided to do it again. The technology company is partnering up with Dell and AMD to deliver two more festivals via webcast, Lollapalooza in August and Austin City Limits in September. Leslie Sobon, vice president of product marketing at AMD, tells Adweek: "The classic, half-billion dollar ad budget for traditional media are very difficult to break through, especially for the crowd that’s under thirty. They don’t watch commercials, they DVR or stream everything. You have to reach them in different ways.”
http://bit.ly/qcW2za
4. TUNE IN TO OUT: Out magazine and Stoli unveiled Night Hawks, an online channel highlighting gay events happening across the country. FV Events will host events in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco. The channel will follow five party promoters who will post pictures, music playlists, and stories about nightlife activity. The Sidetrack Nightclub in Chicago will host the first event in the series July 27.
http://bit.ly/jGciiR
* FRIDAY BLOG ROLL *
Highlights of this week's event-related blog posts:
5 Ways to Take Advantage of the iPad for Business [Christina Warren/Mashable]
http://on.mash.to/nRbGKm
The 5 W's for Inviting Media to Your Event [Cece Salomon-Lee/PR Meets Marketing]
http://bit.ly/q6Bodn
What Should a Speaker Wear? [Nick Morgan/Forbes]
http://onforb.es/pQcyG8
Top 11 Reasons You Need a Blog for Your Event or Business [Jenise Fryatt/Icon Presentations AV]
http://bit.ly/nVfjmK
* LOCAL NEWS *
ATLANTA: Oprah Winfrey will appear at the O You! event October 15. Tickets for the interactive day of panels and workshops are $125.
http://bit.ly/qOGnhE
BOSTON: For the third consecutive year, Boston and Cambridge have been named Top Destinations in the U.S. for International Association Meetings by the International Congress and Convention Association.
CHICAGO: The city is close to reaching a deal that will help the National Restaurant Association trade show return to Chicago next year. The show will be held earlier so as to not overlap with the NATO and G8 meetings, and the city will offer financial support to help cover any losses that occur due to the date change. The Chicago Tribune:
http://trib.in/nqdc0B
LAS VEGAS: Silverton Casino Hotel named Daniel Pfeiffer as its new executive chef. He was previously executive chef at the University of Southern California.
Las Vegas Weekly: "Now in its fourth year, the Las Vegas Film Festival seems like it’s forever trying to play catch-up, whether with the defunct CineVegas, more impressive film festivals in other cities, or fancier events here in town."
http://bit.ly/pDuHAv
LOS ANGELES: A proposed downtown football stadium and expanded convention center would generate about $41 million annually in net tax revenue, according to a report by an L.A. consulting firm hired by Anschutz Entertainment Group, the would-be developer.
http://bit.ly/oSBoJj
Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills named Sara Roderick to the newly created position of social media and marketing coordinator. Previously, Roderick was managing editor of Your Daily Thread.
http://bit.ly/oYVApf
Michael McCarty's Santa Monica restaurant, Michael’s, has named John-Carlos Kuramoto as its new executive chef. Kuramoto has worked in kitchens at Michael Mina, Providence and Animal, and Campanile.
MIAMI: So Cool Events acquired Orlando's Unique Option 15,000-piece furniture inventory.
Morton's will host an evening with Maker's Mark August 2. The event will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from a silent auction to Birdies for the Brave, a military outreach initiative.
NEW YORK: Top tennis players and chefs will kick off the U.S. Open with the 12th annual BNP Paribas Taste of Tennis at the W New York August 25. The event, produced by AVS Sports Marketing, will benefit the New York Junior Tennis League.
http://bit.ly/r6I9Sh
ORLANDO: Festival Republic, the British company that produces European music festivals, is creating its first U.S. music festival in Orlando. Slated for November 12-13 at the Citrus Bowl, Orlando Calling will have four stages with performances from more than three dozen acts, such as Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, Kid Rock, and the Doobie Brothers.
http://bit.ly/kZGOPK
SAN DIEGO: Night Vision Entertainment is producing a Comic-Con event for Playboy tonight in a 40,000-square-foot parking lot outside the convention center. Known as Camp Playboy, the event will have a summer camp theme, with fully custom elements like a lake, campfire, mess hall, and flag pole.
Local company Cork & Platter catered Wired magazine's Comic-Con event at the Lacoste store in Fashion Valley mall Tuesday. The menu included chipotle rock shrimp, filet crostini, and bacon-wrapped dates on illuminated serving trays.
TORONTO: Last night marked the beginning of the T&T Waterfront Night Market, which took over Cherry Street. The Asian night market will have two entertainment stages and feature 160 exhibitors offering clothing, crafts, and xiaochi, or snack food. The event runs through Sunday.
http://bit.ly/bI76Nk
StreetFest will feature bands playing swing, soul, Afro-Cuban, and funk on Queen East this weekend, as part of the Beaches International Jazz Festival. Woodbine Avenue to Beech Avenue will be closed for the event, running Thursday to Saturday.
http://bit.ly/SFtjT
WASHINGTON: Preliminary rounds for the Washington International Piano Artists Competition and Festival and Music continue today with a semifinal and final round Saturday and Sunday. The event will be held at Phillips Hall.
http://bit.ly/oIbgeR
YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected].
With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, Carla Warrilow in Toronto, and Erica Petri, Jana Schiowitz, Anna Sekula, and Courtney Thompson in New York.
BizBash Call Sheet is the must-read daily digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.
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