1. IS THIS VR APP THE FUTURE OF MUSIC FESTIVALS?: TheWaveVR, a virtual-reality music app, launched a beta version on Wednesday that lets users participate, view, host, and socialize at concerts and EDM festivals—anytime, anywhere. Techcrunch: "In addition to wandering the virtual desert and socializing, you can also dive behind the turntables and craft tracks with a surprisingly finessed VR DJ setup, spinning tracks while also doing things that just aren’t possible in the real world thanks to pesky gravity." http://tcrn.ch/2ozo151
2. STUBHUB HOPES TO BE MORE SOCIAL WITH FACEBOOK INTEGRATION: Stubhub, the eBay-owned online ticket-exchange site, is aiming to be more social by incorporating users' Facebook friends into their Stubhub profiles. The new tab option, which is voluntary, pulls users' friend information (e.g. mutual interests like favorite music) from the social networking site. Stubhub also launched iMessage integration and a Facebook Messenger chatbot, allowing users to find tickets without leaving the messaging app. Mashable: "StubHub saw and understood that people weren't always going to sports games and concerts by themselves. 'You go with your friends, your family, your wife. You have a lot of people out there who don't get off their couch unless you have a friend,' [Mats Nilsson, StubHub's head of product] said. 'It's not just that we want to drive you to a special event,' he continued, 'It's what has my network done or is doing.'" http://on.mash.to/2opQhoq
3. RACEWALKING EVENT MAY BE CUT FROM FUTURE OLYMPIC GAMES: In its efforts to increase gender equity at the upcoming games and attract a younger audience, the International Olympic Committee may revamp the sport of racewalking by eliminating the 50-kilometer event, which only includes male participants and lasts several hours. There are also separate 20-kilometer races for men and women. A petition to keep the race through the Tokyo Olympics has been started. The New York Times: "With skateboarding, climbing and surfing having been approved for the Tokyo Olympics, racewalkers understand that their sport 'must continually evolve to remain relevant,' the petition said. It acknowledges that having two Olympic racewalks for men and only one for women is 'based on an outdated and heinously wrong assumption' about female endurance." http://nyti.ms/2pvxMhB
* LOCAL NEWS *
BOSTON: The Global Business Travel Association has partnered with travel industry research authority Phocuswright to launch the Innovation Series. The program will bring innovators in the business travel industry to the GBTA Convention, which takes place July 15-19 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
LAS VEGAS: Sustainable lifestyle website Belsandia.com will host its sixth annual Health, Healing & Happiness conference June 9-11 at Tuscany Suites & Casino.
LOS ANGELES: This year's LA Food Fest will take place June 10 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The event will offer samples from more than 100 food vendors.
For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: The fourth annual Global LGBTQI Human Rights Conference will take place May 26-29, as part of the 10-day World OutGames Miami. The conference will be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa has appointed Andrew Neubauer director of sales and marketing.
NEW YORK: City Harvest will host its 23rd annual gala, “An Evening of Practical Magic,” on April 25 at Cipriani 42nd Street. The event, hosted by Zac Posen, will honor Lise and Michael Evans, Chelsea Clinton, and chef Geoffrey Zakarian.
LeAnn Rimes will headline NYC Pride's annual PrideFest on June 25 on Hudson Street in the West Village.
The Empire Hotel will open its rooftop pool deck for the summer on May 5. The space will be available for small private events.
For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork
ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA: Disney's Night of Joy event is September 8 and 9 at ESPN Wide World of Sports. This is the 35th anniversary of the event that celebrates contemporary Christian music and will include more than a dozen performers.
TORONTO: The inaugural Brunch Fest will take place May 26-28 at 99 Sudbury. BlogTO: http://bit.ly/2otnm4r
WASHINGTON, D.C.: L.G.B.T. activist Edith Windsor will be the grand marshal of the Capital Pride Parade presented by Marriott International, which takes place June 10.
YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected].
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With contributions from Alesandra Dubin and Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, and Ian Zelaya in New York.
BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.
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