April 24, 2018: Which Music Festival Is Worth the Cost?, Melania Trump Plans Traditional Gifts for State Dinner, Live Nation and Major Festivals Ban Plastic Straws

1. WHICH MUSIC FESTIVAL IS WORTH THE COST?: As Coachella wrapped up this past weekend, Money took a deep dive into the biggest, most popular music festivals to determine which ones were the best based on the number of musical acts versus the cost of a weekend (including general admission pass and fees, cheapest lodging available, local transportation, and food costs). The publication looked at 11 remaining events scheduled for 2018 that appeal to a broad audience as opposed to niche events. Bonnaroo, which takes place June 7-10 in Manchester, Tennessee, landed the top spot. Money: “Now in its 16th year, Bonnaroo takes over a 700-acre farm deep in the heart of Tennessee for four days. It tops the list for its winning combination of a cheap venue (a weekend here is almost $100 cheaper than Coachella) paired with a super long list of musical acts. You’re basically spending less than $4 per act. The line-up this year includes Eminem, the Killers and Muse and a weekend pass will set you back about $375 (including fees). But make sure to pack your sleeping bag, because to stay on budget, you’ll be camping for the weekend.” https://tinyurl.com/y8jqe9sr

2. MELANIA TRUMP PLANS TRADITIONAL GIFTS FOR STATE DINNER: Tonight, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will host a state dinner for French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife. In addition to receiving a photo album with pictures of their visit to the U.S., along with a Tiffany & Co. silver bowl engraved with the presidential seal and the signatures of both Trumps, Macron will also be given a framed section of upholstery from one of the chairs in the White House Blue Room. CNN: “Featuring a golden eagle surrounded by laurels, the chair was part of the furniture suite inspired by Pierre-Antoine Bellangé, who designed royal palaces in France and created the 53 carved and gilded pieces for the Blue Room, which he was commissioned to create by President James Monroe. Monroe had previously served as a diplomat in France and had taken a shine to French décor. Though President James Buchanan got rid of the set in a redecoration decades later, it was first lady Jackie Kennedy who found the spare pieces and brought them back during her quest to restore the White House. Kennedy worked with a French designer to reproduce missing items, including recreating the fabric through French textile firm Tassinari and Châtel.” https://tinyurl.com/yb9qxpn5

3. LIVE NATION AND MAJOR FESTIVALS BAN PLASTIC STRAWS: Live Nation, Coachella, and Stagecoach have partnered with ocean protection group Lonely Whale to ban plastic straws at future concerts and festival editions. Billboard: "Live Nation now is an official Global Stakeholder of Lonely Whale's 'For A Strawless Ocean' campaign and has committed to removing all single-use plastic straws in favor of a marine-friendly paper alternative at the company's 45 owned and operated amphitheaters across the U.S. Meanwhile, Goldenvoice—organizers of this weekend's Coachella festival and next weekend's Stagecoach festival—have also phased out plastic straws from their events and will be the first festivals in North America to go 100 percent straw-free. 'Plastic pollution is a huge problem around the world, and it’s exciting to pioneer change by phasing out the use of single-use plastics from our festivals,' says Mapi Moran, director of festival marketing for Goldenvoice. 'Our new straw policy is estimated to eliminate about 300,000 plastic straws from Coachella and Stagecoach. We look forward to announcing similar initiatives later that go beyond just plastic straws.' 'For a Strawless Ocean' is an open-source guide to reducing the nearly 500 million plastic straws trashed each day, amounting to approximately 12 million pounds of plastic waste year. Vendors throughout both Coachella and Stagecoach are replacing plastic straws with marine-degradable paper straws, as part of each festival’s sustainability efforts which include waste and recycling programs." https://bit.ly/2HDrF7H


* INDUSTRY NEWS *

International media company Diversified Communications announced that it has agreed to sell Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong, Natural & Organic Products Asia, and Retail Asia Expo to UBM Asia Limited.

* LOCAL NEWS *

CHICAGO:  The 173-room Hotel Zachary has opened in the Lakeview neighborhood, directly across from Wrigley Field.

DALLAS/FORT WORTH:  Chef José Andrés will be the keynote speaker at the MUFSO conference, presented by Nation’s Restaurant News, October 2 at the Hyatt Regency Reunion.

LOS ANGELES:  SCI-Arc’s Main Event gala will take place April 28 starting at 7 p.m.

For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Jazz Bands and Coral Springs Middle School Jazz Band will perform with Herbie Hancock, Wycliffe Gordon, and Paquito D'Rivera May 22 at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts. Proceeds will benefit the Alex Schachter Scholarship Foundation and the CSMS and MSD band programs.

Palm Beach Post: "On the heels of a record-breaking year for the once-fledgling Palm Beach County Convention Center, local tourism leaders are weighing expansion of the 365,000-square-foot building to accommodate larger conventions and meetings. The county’s Tourist Development Council voted this month to spend up to $50,000 to study expanding the convention center." https://bit.ly/2qUVN4f

NEW YORK:  The 6th annual Edible Schoolyard NYC spring benefit, which was held April 16 at 180 Maiden Lane, raised over $1 million for the nonprofit, which integrates gardens and kitchen classrooms into public schools. For the first time, Brooklyn-based event designers Tinsel were tasked with designing the event; Bronson van Wyck had handled the design in previous years.

Lambda Legal will host the 2018 National Liberty Awards, honoring Evan Wolfson, April 30 at Pier Sixty.

The 72nd annual Tony Awards nominations will be announced May 1 at 8:30 a.m. from the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. This year, Chita Rivera and Andrew Lloyd Webber will be the recipients of the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.

KCD in the U.S. has named Lauren Paris as senior PR events director and department manager. Paris previously served as publicity director and department manager at the agency.

For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  Universal Orlando Resort’s new attraction, Fast & Furious–Supercharged, is now open at Universal Studios Florida. 

SAN FRANCISCO:  The WeWork San Francisco Creator Awards will take place May 10 at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre. WeWork will reward more than $600,000 in funding during the event, and Tan France and Kelly Wearstler will host a master class about designing with purpose. Wiz Khalifa will headline the show.

TORONTO:  The National Ballet of Canada’s Mad Hot Ballet: Disco gala takes place June 13 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  Eater DC: "Now José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup announced this week that Ovations by America Eats will open soon as the onsite restaurant at Wolf Trap National Park. Showgoers can dine al fresco pre-show, or choose from a selection of prepared picnics. Expect dishes inspired by historic dishes and drinks with local ingredients." https://bit.ly/2qUmjLa

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With contributions from Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

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