October 20, 2015: How Fall Festivals Keep Apple Farms in Business, 400-Foot-Long Baguette at Milan Expo Breaks World Record, U.K. Dance Music Festivals Soar in Popularity

1. HOW FALL FESTIVALS KEEP APPLE FARMS IN BUSINESS: Consumers are demanding more of apple farms these days, and operators have responded with fall festivals replete with hay rides, apple-cider doughnuts, and unusual attractions such as a Shania Twain impersonator. The New York Times: “The onslaught of people who crave apple-themed entertainment is something farms count on in the fall, when they draw large crowds to buy the fruit they have spent the year meticulously growing. With just a few weekends to sell their crop, many of these second- and third-generation growers have essentially invented a frenetic harvest season to get people in and their apples out. Along with apple picking and cider doughnuts, farmers offer bounce houses and pony rides, wines and crafts, as well as weekend events that bear little connection to their agricultural heritage.” http://nyti.ms/1LI1Tdq

2. 400-FOOT-LONG BAGUETTE AT MILAN EXPO BREAKS WORLD RECORD: It took some 60 French and Italian bakers about seven hours to bake a 400-foot-long baguette at the Milan Expo 2015 World’s Fair. But the effort earned their loaf the title of longest baguette in the world by Guinness World Records. Associated Press: “The Italian maker of Nutella, Ferrero, backed the enterprise to beat the 111-meter (364-foot) record held by a French supermarket chain. Once certified as a record-breaker, the baguette was cut and smeared with Nutella to share with the hundreds of Expo goers who celebrated the record. It was at least the fourth world record declared during the six-month Expo, which closes Oct. 31, including the longest pizza at 1.5954 kilometers, or nearly a mile long.” http://apne.ws/1PwCQww

3. U.K. DANCE MUSIC FESTIVALS SOAR IN POPULARITY: According to the new Ticketmaster's State of Play: Dance Music Report, the United Kingdom has seen a surge in the number of dance festivals (a 500 percent increase since 2000), and more than half of people surveyed had attended a festival. Fans also reported being willing to spend more on a festival than they would to hear music at a club. Mix Mag: “James Barton, Live Nation's president of electronic music, pointed to the higher production value of EDM festivals as one reason for this trend: ‘First and foremost these festivals are just much more exciting. As a young person there is just so much more on offer at a major electronic show.’” http://bit.ly/1MzWnpH

4. NEW EVENT SERIES PAIRS 'NEW YORK TIMES' WITH PARK HYATT: A new partnership between The New York Times and the luxury Park Hyatt hotel brand will include a live event series as part of the marketing mix. Adweek: “A trio of live events will focus on food and culture at Park Hyatt hotels in New York, Paris and Tokyo. ‘The New York Times TasteMasters, presented by Park Hyatt’ events will pair two leading figures from the worlds of art, fashion and cuisine in conversation with Times journalists. Each event will include a tasting of a locally-sourced menu curated by Park Hyatt and The Times.” http://bit.ly/1OOSTEp


* INDUSTRY NEWS *

The 2015 Green Venue Report, which will be published October 26, has found an increased environmental performance of the 30 convention centers surveyed from six countries and four continents. Findings include 70 percent of centers have dedicated sustainability managers on staff, 33 percent have green roofs, and 42 percent of the centers are producing renewable energy on site.

Dentsu Aegis Network, which acquired MKTG in 2014, is repositioning the lifestyle marketing agency as its ninth global network brand.

* LOCAL NEWS *

ATLANTA:  Phipps Plaza will showcase Porsche's Lego Showcar—made from 380,000 Lego pieces—through November 1.

AUSTIN:  Microsoft C.E.O. Satya Nadella will speak at the Dell World conference, which runs today through Thursday at the Austin Convention Center. Austin Business Journal: http://bit.ly/1Gf44Ff

CHICAGO:  Children’s Oncology Services will host “Flight: a Night in Argentina” at the Four Seasons Hotel on November 13. The night will include silent and live auctions, a cocktail reception, and dinner.

LAS VEGAS:  The D Las Vegas has unveiled an 11,000-square-foot meeting and convention space on the 12th floor of the hotel. The project includes breakout rooms, "Man Cave" party rooms, an outdoor terrace, and the renovated 6,000-square-foot Detroit Ballroom that holds groups of as many as 300.

Wynn Las Vegas’ signature seafood restaurant has been renamed Costa di Mare, with executive chef Mark LoRusso at the helm.

Newmarket will host its annual customer conference at the Linq Hotel & Casino May 17-20.

LOS ANGELES:  Bay Area-based Smitten Ice Cream is slated to open a new location in El Segundo later this year, along with a Southern California arm of its catering program, Wagoneering.

The Little Door Santa Monica now has a new bar program from mixologist Vincenzo Marianella.

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

NEW YORK:  The second annual Women's Entrepreneurship Day will take place November 19 at the United Nations headquarters. Speakers will include Leona Lewis and Marina Abramovic.

The fourth annual People en Español Festival took place Saturday and Sunday at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

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

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  Baoery, an Asian gastropub, is now open in the former Cityfish location in Thornton Park.

SAN FRANCISCO:  Meeting Professionals International’s Northern California chapter will host a breakfast meeting at the Wyndham Hotel on Wednesday. The theme of the meeting is “the Value of Meetings & Green Efforts at Genetech.”

The San Francisco Travel Association has launched the Meeting Neighborhood Network Connections, which allows hotels and venues in unique parts of the city to collaborate and offer more meeting space and guest rooms. Connections include four downtown hotels, five Nob Hill hotels, three SoMa hotels, and two of the city's largest hotels, the Westin St. Francis and Grand Hyatt San Francisco.

TORONTO:  Fashion magazine’s Toronto Fashion Week Awards ceremony will take place at the Design Exchange on Friday.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The Westin Reston Heights hosted a luncheon on Friday, World Food Day, to support the antihunger nonprofit FEED. The event took place in the private dining room of the hotel’s Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro, and guests previewed the restaurant’s new fall menu.

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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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