March 29, 2018: How Much It Will Cost For Guests to Attend Weddings This Year, Emmys Board Expands Membership Eligibility, Coachella Heightens Security Efforts to Prevent a Mass Shooting

1. HOW MUCH IT WILL COST FOR GUESTS TO ATTEND WEDDINGS THIS YEAR: As wedding season approaches, guests attending ceremonies this year could spend upward of $1,000. Bloomberg: “A nationally representative survey of more than 2,000 people by website Bankrate.com found that members of the wedding party spend an average of $728 on gifts, travel, attire and everything else associated with someone else’s happiness. Attendees in the Northeast spend even more: an average of $1,070 for the shower, the bachelor or bachelorette party and, finally, the main event. ‘It is a big expense,’ said Robert Barba, an analyst at Bankrate. ‘It is something that people do have to plan for, or risk going into debt.’ Weddings these days require much more of guests, which can lead to higher costs, said Kristen Maxwell Cooper, the editor-in-chief of the Knot. The wedding website’s 2016 survey found that the average guest in a wedding party should budget around $1,150 per event. ‘Wedding attendees are spending more and more money,’ she said. ‘The bachelorette party is no longer just a night out on the town—it’s a weekend in Nashville or New Orleans. We’ve also seen an increase in destination weddings that are happening domestically.’ Costs vary, depending on how far the guest has to travel and the relationship with the couple. Those attending events for more distant friends or family members report spending, on average, $372, BankRate’s survey found, with from $63 to $153 of that on gifts alone. Add the cost of a ride-hailing service to the venue, a new outfit and an Airbnb for out-of-towners, and the costs start to add up.” https://bloom.bg/2IdSlbX

2. EMMYS BOARD EXPANDS MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY: The Television Academy has expanded its membership eligibility six months ahead of the Emmys. Variety: “Under the new membership guidelines, approved by the Board of Governors, on-air promo producers and directors can join the commercials peer group, and commercial performers and narrators may join the performers peer group. ‘We are pleased to expand our membership with these talented groups of professionals working in the television industry,’ said Hayma Washington, chairman and CEO of the TV Academy. ‘These membership changes are aligned with our ongoing efforts to be inclusive and recognize the many unique professionals who play vital roles in the television landscape.’ In December, the Academy also expanded its membership to include personal publicists, writers of short form content, post supervisors and colorists. Per the rules changes, active status membership for the commercials peer group now includes producers or directors employed on at least 20 national on-air promos with each promo having more than 50 percent original content.” https://bit.ly/2GdqrQR

3. COACHELLA HEIGHTENS SECURITY EFFORTS TO PREVENT A MASS SHOOTING: In the wake of numerous recent mass shootings in the U.S.—including one that killed 58 festivalgoers at a Las Vegas country music festival last October—Coachella is heightening its security measures. International Business Times: "The enhanced security did not come in the wake of a specific, targeted threat, but rather seemingly in response to the increased fear of mass shootings in recent months. An outdoor music festival in Las Vegas was hit by gunman Stephen Paddock in October, leaving dozens dead. It was the deadliest mass shooting in United States history. In order to prevent and manage such an attack at Coachella, security has been beefed up by the addition of surveillance drones and medical equipment, like tourniquets. The drones will watch over the festival to make sure nothing out of sorts is going on, while the medical equipment will be there to help anyone who is injured in a hypothetical attack. Heavy security at Coachella and similar events is not new, with police and medical personnel always on hand alongside security contractors. Hundreds of attendees are arrested each year, but mostly for drug or alcohol-related offenses. That number pales in comparison to the daily attendance at Coachella, which peaked at 125,000 people last year." https://bit.ly/2GCAmyJ


* INDUSTRY NEWS *

Lance Fensterman has been named president of Global ReedPop, the pop culture division of Reed Exhibitions that he helped launch. ReedPop produces 38 events annually, including New York Comic Con.

AMC Institute has appointed Monica Robinson vice president of communications and learning. Robinson has more than 25 years of experience in hotel, tourism, entertainment, event, and association management. 

* LOCAL NEWS *

ATLANTA:  Atlanta Marriott Marquis has launched VTX, an interactive virtual tour experience that shows off the property’s 164,000 square feet of meeting and event space and 150 points of interest. 

CHICAGO:  The eighth annual James Beard Foundation Leadership Awards will take place May 5 at the Hyatt corporate headquarters. The event will present awards to Dara Cooper, Ferd Hoefner, Doug Rauch, Shirley Sherrod, and Ramon Torres. 

LOS ANGELES:  To celebrate the season 2 premiere of Legion, FX will host an immersive art experience at Goya Studios. Featuring exhibits by Marco Brambilla Studio, the Legion Chamber will be open to the public on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Werther's Original will celebrate National Caramel Day with a life-size Candy Land game on April 5 at the Santa Monica Pier. 

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Miami Beach Gay Pride will pay tribute to the victims of the Pulse Nightclub at its second annual “Pride Lights the Night” event, which will light buildings in the greater Miami area with colors of the Pride flag. The lighting ceremony will take place April 2 on the Lincoln Road stage. 

NEW YORK:  The fifth annual Picture Farm Film Festival will take place April 13-14 at the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn. 

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

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  Clarion UX announced that the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show will take place September 6-8, at the Orange County Convention Center. The show is co-located with the Healthy Food Expo.

SAN DIEGO:  Grandesign, an out-of-home media solutions company, has partnered with Petco Park to launch "Experience at Comic-Con," an area at the former Petco Park Interactive Zone that will feature fan activations, lounges, entertainment, and food trucks. Press release: https://prn.to/2E4Jw1u

TORONTO:  The 12th edition of the Luminato arts festival will take place June 6-12 at venues throughout the city. The festival will have 29 events, including eight that are collaborations between the Luminato and Toronto-based arts companies; seven that are presentations by local artists; four world premieres of festival-commissioned projects; and two large-scale, free dance and music events. 

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (C.E.I.R.) will host its annual Exhibition Industry Conference September 13-14 at MGM National Harbor. 

YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected]. 

JOB BOARD: Post a job or find a job: http://jobs.bizbash.com

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

BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.

Feed the Sheet: [email protected]

Subscribe: www.bizbash.com/bizbashdaily

Advertise with BizBash: [email protected]