June 17, 2015: White House Manages Secrecy for 500-Person Party, Disney Trains Moms at Social Media Event, the Quirky Scene at Toronto’s Bestival

1. WHITE HOUSE MANAGES SECRECY FOR 500-PERSON PARTY: White House insiders marveled at how the Obamas managed to keep a 500-person party that featured performances from Prince and Stevie Wonder largely secret. The administration did not list the event on the president’s official schedule—drawing criticism for the lack of transparency—and its social media presence was surprisingly meager. The New York Times: “‘I think it’s remarkable that they kept it this quiet,’ said Bess Abell, a White House social secretary during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration. ‘I don’t know of another party this size that was kept that quiet.’ Anita McBride, who was chief of staff to Laura Bush when she was first lady, said she was similarly impressed by the secrecy. ‘It’s hard to do anything privately these days,' Ms. McBride said. 'And with this kind of talent, that’s remarkable that they managed to keep it this quiet.’” http://nyti.ms/1KYM55h

2. DISNEY TRAINS MOMS AT SOCIAL MEDIA EVENT: Disney has cultivated an exclusive group it calls Disney Social Media Moms, with bloggers and other influencers vying for perks such as deeply discounted admission to its theme parks as well as an invitation to attend the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, which took place in May at Walt Disney World in Orlando. Business Report: “At the day-long conference, the moms attend motivational sessions and receive social media tips and Disney updates. This year, they learned how to use Pinterest data, heard from 11-year-old lemonade stand entrepreneur Vivienne Harr and listened to a Pixar producer talk about the Disney-owned animation studio. Disney reminds attendees of government requirements that they disclose the benefits they received when writing about the event. The company declined to disclose how much it spends on the programme. Disney was the first major company to tap the influence of moms across a wide spectrum of social media, but the approach is now being used to promote a range of products, including Hewlett-Packard printers and Cottonelle toilet paper.” http://bit.ly/1MKIs1d

3. THE QUIRKY SCENE AT TORONTO’S BESTIVAL: Bestival, a music festival that started on the Isle of Wight in 2004, made its Toronto debut last weekend and imported a quirky scene. Toronto Star: “Yes, this was a proper festival with solid headliners (Nas and Florence & The Machine) but also a quirky one at which you could run into a marching band on stilts, a Falun Dafa lion dance, a life-sized Jenga match and bubble battle flash mobs while running around just trying to keep up with the music acts on various stages.” http://on.thestar.com/1MEq622

* LOCAL NEWS *

AUSTIN:  Delores Crum of Premiere Events will be inducted into of the Austin Chapter of the International Special Events Society’s Hall of Fame at the organization’s gala Sunday at the Hyatt Regency Austin.

BOSTON:  The Boston Business Journal peeks inside the soon-to-open Hilton Garden Inn in East Boston. The hotel will have 178 rooms and an event space that can hold 100 guests. http://bit.ly/1feBR4M

CHICAGO:  Animal Planet will host “Woofstock: Road to Puppy Bowl” at Soldier Field on June 27. The event will include entertainment, beer, and food trucks, and organizers aim to break the Guinness World Record for the “largest gathering of adopted pets.”

LAS VEGAS:  The fourth annual EDMbiz Conference & Expo, which runs through Friday at the Cosmopolitan, is a gathering for the electronic dance music industry. The event is timed just before the Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas, which runs Friday-Sunday at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and is headlined by artists including Calvin Harris, Avicii, and Krewella.

Alizé at the top of the Palms Casino Resort is debuting a new coffee and tea program. Beverages will be served from a Cona Vacuum coffee maker that is assembled and presented at the table, creating a private spectacle.

LOS ANGELES:  The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority is encouraging the nearly half-million attendees of the upcoming Special Olympics to choose mass transit to get to the event's 27 venues. Olympic gold medalist Rafer Johnson is one of the faces of the official partnership between the MTA and the international sporting event, which runs July 25-August 2. Los Angeles Daily News: http://bit.ly/1KWRwBS

Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Hyatt Centric South Beach, a new hotel brand from Hyatt, will host a grand-opening celebration on Thursday. The hotel's Mediterranean restaurant Deck Sixteen is catering the event, and local band Xperimento is slated to perform.

The Carillon Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach has named Lester L. Scott as managing director.

PHILADELPHIA:  The Biotechnology Industry Organization convention kicked off at the Philadelphia Convention Center on Monday and is expected to have hosted some 15,000 people and generated more than $43.3 million in economic impact when it concludes tonight. Last held in the city in 2005, the annual convention also marks a windfall for city event planners including the Reading Terminal Market Merchants Catering Company, which was hired to plan the closing event that will attract some 3,000 attendees. Philadelphia Business Journal: http://bit.ly/1J2xvdG

NEW YORK:  The Ellen Hermanson Foundation's summer gala "Veinte" is Saturday at Steven Klein's West Kill Farm. Celebrating 20 years of the foundation's focus on women's health, the event will feature Tito Puente Jr. and his 10-piece band, as well as dinner stations by chef Peter Ambrose.

Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  The sports fandom site SportsManias announced the launch of City Summit Series, which kicks off in Orlando June 30 at at the Amway Center. The event will explore the future of sports in the city with stakeholders from the world of sports, media, politics, and business.

SAN FRANCISCO:  More than 25 local businesses sold marijuana-laced treats at the first Get Baked Sale at SOMAStreat Food Park on June 13. The event featured cooking demonstrations and vendors selling fare such as ice cream sandwiches, pancakes, Chilean empanadas, and cannabis sugar to those with medical marijuana cards. SFGate: http://bit.ly/1IWZ4oI

TORONTO:  Comic Vision 2015 will take place on June 25 at Palais Royale. The evening will include performances by comedians and live and silent auctions.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  Tysons Men of Style, a fashion event at Tysons Galleria, will take place June 25. The event will have complimentary grooming services from the Grooming Lounge, wardrobe advice, and wine tastings.

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With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, Anna Sekula, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

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