1. MORE COMPANIES HOSTING HOLIDAY PARTIES: Businesses are feeling festive again, with more companies hosting holiday parties this year. Industry vets have noted, however, that the bashes aren’t as large or elaborate as pre-recession events. New York Post: “Heightened economic confidence accounts for much of the bash’s return. Last year, employers were just starting to feel festive again. A survey from Challenger, Gray & Christmas found 89 percent of companies were planning holiday parties at the end of last year, up from 82 percent in 2012 and 68 percent in 2011. But [venue owner Ric] Addison said today’s corporate parties are not the kind your father attended. Groups tend to be smaller, with a department of 40 paying between $100 and $250 per head instead of a company of 300 forking over $50,000 for a single all-hands-on-deck blowout.” http://bit.ly/1WYGLXz
2. BUSINESSES CANCELLING EVENTS IN PARIS: From a New York Times luxury conference to an Aribnb property owners meeting, events scheduled to take place in Paris are being cancelled, cut short, or postponed. Foreign companies are also restricting business travel to France out of concerns over security following the deadly terrorist attacks last week. But some experts think the actions will be short-lived. Bloomberg: “In terms of companies curtailing trips to Paris my guess is that the business imperative to grow the business means that in six months they’ll be rowing back to France,” said Charlie Burbridge, head of risk consulting at security advisory firm G4S Plc. “Advising against traveling to France is probably a knee- jerk reaction.” http://bit.ly/1HY8RG5
3. PARIS MAINTAINS BID FOR SUMMER OLYMPICS: Paris will continue its quest to host the 2024 Summer Olympics as it recovers from the devastating terrorist attacks. A delegation will participate in a workshop at the International Olympic Committee in Switzerland this week. Los Angeles Times: “The IOC is meeting individually with all five bid cities. A Los Angeles contingent is scheduled for its workshop later in the week. Paris has been considered an early front-runner in the competition that includes Rome; Hamburg, Germany; and Budapest, Hungary.” http://lat.ms/1kElPnD
* INDUSTRY NEWS *
Reed Travel Exhibitions announced a new agreement designating Oneworld as its exclusive airline alliance partner for 2016.
* LOCAL NEWS *
ATLANTA: The 80th annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival will take place in Piedmont Park April 8-10. The event will include a juried artist market, a Mimosa 5K, and entertainment from more than 200 performers on the International Stage.
AUSTIN: The fifth annual Moontower Comedy & Oddity Festival will take place April 20-23 at the Paramount Theatre. The lineup of comedians includes Martin Short, Kevin Smith, and Maria Bamford.
BOSTON: The Sinclair will host “Cocktail Wars” on November 22. The Iron Chef-style mixology challenge will feature competitors from the Hawthorne, Trade, and more.
CHICAGO: The 74-room Vib Hotel, a Best Western Property, is scheduled to open near Midway Airport in late 2016.
COLUMBUS, OHIO: The 38th annual Ohio Star Ball, a ballroom dancing competition for professionals and amateurs, runs through Sunday at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and the Hyatt Regency Columbus.
HOUSTON: The nonprofit Helping a Hero will host its National Gala on Sunday at the Bayou City Events center. The benefit will be hosted by 60 Minutes correspondent Lara Logan and will include a performance by country singer Mark Willis.
LAS VEGAS: Opportunity Village's Magical Forest holiday event will open on November 20 with a costumed Santa Claus flying in on an EC130 helicopter from Papillon Group.
The Motley Brews 2016 Great Vegas Festival of Beer will take place April 9. The craft beer event will offer samples of around 400 brews from more than 100 breweries.
LOS ANGELES: Organizers of the annual Los Angeles Burning Man event Decompression, which was scheduled for Saturday, blame its cancellation on government hostility toward electronic dance music events. LA Weekly: http://bit.ly/1Qt3erA
Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: The 56th annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, held earlier this month, reported an attendance decrease of 2.7 percent, which organizers chalked up to unseasonably warm weather. A new V.I.P. experience produced in partnership with QuintEvents was deemed a success.
NEW YORK: Country singer Loretta Lynn will receive the inaugural "Legend" award at Billboard's 2015 Women in Music event on December 11 at Cipriani 42nd Street.
Eli's Night Shift, a new craft beer bar and tasting kitchen from Eli Zabar, opens today in the Upper East Side. The 50-seat space will offer comfort bar food and New York and Long Island-made craft beers.
Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork
ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA: The 16th annual Taste of Orlando will take place Saturday at Waterford Lakes Town Center. Participating restaurants in the restaurant industry showcase include Bahama Breeze, Mellow Mushroom, and Pollo Tropical.
Future development plans for a section of International Drive include more than a dozen new hotels, restaurants, retail space, lakes, and more. Orlando Business Journal: http://bit.ly/1YfukDV
PHILADELPHIA: The Philadelphia Marathon will take place on Sunday.
TORONTO: The Native Canadian Centre's Cedar Basket gift shop will host its Christmas Craft Show on December 5. The event will have more than 30 artisans selling handmade products and food including Indian tacos.
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Mockingbird Hill, a sherry and ham bar, will change its concept to become the holiday-theme Miracle on Seventh Street from December 1-24. The Shaw venue will redecorate with kitschy Christmas decor and a list of holiday cocktails. Activities will include Christmas classic movie nights and Manischewitz Pong competitions.
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 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.
BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.
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