September 16, 2014: Have Fashion Week Sponsors Reached the Tipping Point?, the Quirky Way Miss America Enlivened Its Broadcast, Popular Toronto Food Event to End

1. HAVE FASHION WEEK SPONSORS REACHED THE TIPPING POINT?: There’s the New York Fashion Week happening on the runways inside the tents at Lincoln Center, and then there’s the Fashion Week of sponsored spaces and events—of which there are many. Adweek: “This year’s showgoers could try on virtual reality headsets at the Samsung lounge, browse street-style looks at Ebay’s ‘inspiration hub’ get primped at TRESemmé’s salon, and, of course, check out the Mercedes in the lobby. While a boon for brands looking to align themselves with the glamour of Fashion Week, the increase in sponsorships has created some backlash. ’It’s hard to walk through the tents without tripping over someone hawking a makeup brand, asking you to demo a phone or offering hair spray touch-ups,’ said one top fashion editor. ‘It distracts from the Fashion Week experience and clutters the entire venue.’” http://bit.ly/1ybcmJk

2. THE QUIRKY WAY MISS AMERICA ENLIVENED ITS BROADCAST: As the popularity of the country’s preeminent beauty pageant fades, producers continue to tweak the broadcast. During the talent portion of Sunday’s show, viewers saw an odd assortment of pop-up facts about the competitors. Samples included: “Enjoys street hot dogs” for eventual winner Kira Kazantsev and “Attacked by a cheetah in Zambia” for another. Mashable: “It was an evening of swimwear, sparkly evening gowns and bizarre things you never knew you wanted to know about beauty queens.” http://on.mash.to/1AR27WC

3. POPULAR TORONTO FOOD EVENT TO END: The trailblazing food event Toronto Underground Market will end—a casualty of the now-crowded roster of food events—but organizers are saying they could bring it back in a new incarnation. Toronto Life: “When it started back in 2011, the Toronto Underground helped revitalize the city’s culinary-events scene by luring food lovers to the Evergreen Brick Works to sample dishes prepped by aspiring chefs—several of whom went on to make big names for themselves. Naturally, the formula’s success gave rise to copycats, and, three years later, here we are—in a post pop-up city where it’s impossible to walk a block without tripping over an Asian street-food festival, and where TUM’s quarterly pig-outs no longer attract the hungry throngs they used to.” http://bit.ly/1nZSAGK

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON:  Local juice truck Mother Juice has opened a brick-and-mortar store in Cambridge. With bell-jar lights and mint-green stools, the shop serves cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and vegan snacks.

CHICAGO:  Redmoon’s “Boneshaker” is October 31 in the theater’s Pilsen headquarters. The evening will feature attractions such as a UFO carousel, a larger-than-life "fly-swatting event,” and a food-service device called the "pastry wheel.”

LAS VEGAS:  Public relations firm Langdon Flynn Communications has promoted Michelle St. Angelo to the role of vice president.

The Deck is a new outdoor venue located at Chateau Nightclub & Rooftop at Paris Las Vegas. It has a more casual vibe and a relaxed dress code and offers views of the Strip.

LOS ANGELES:  George Clooney will be honored with the 2015 Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 72nd annual Golden Globe awards on January 11 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Windridge Yacht Charters is offering a new "yacht-share" program in which multiple small groups can split the 170-foot Lady Windridge for a three-hour dinner cruise from the Fort Lauderdale port. Dates include September 26, October 17, and November 29.

NEW YORK:  Tonight, the sailboat-turned-oyster-bar Grand Banks will host AHOYsters, a benefit for the Maritime Foundation and Billion Oyster Project. Proceeds will go toward maritime conservation and education initiatives.

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

TORONTO:  Toronto Beer Week runs through Saturday. The week’s events include brewery tours, tastings, tap takeovers, a music festival, and more. http://bit.ly/1lhIzbP

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The 26th annual Congressional Gala is tonight at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium to raise money for the Children’s Inn at NIH. The gala theme is “From Every State, for Every Child,” and baskets representing all of the regions of the United States will be included in an auction.

Georgetown Piano Bar, with a circular sunken bar and a cherry-red piano, opened on Friday. Pianists Hunter Lang and Spencer Bates perform, and lyric books are available for sing-alongs.

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, and Anna Sekula in New York.

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

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