The ILEA New York Metro Chapter’s Big Apple Celebration on June 19 reflected on its 30 years as a chapter and also looked to the future. Held at the Bank at Manhattan Center, the newest event space at The New Yorker, A Wyndham Hotel, chapter awards and the Hall of Legends Award were handed out as well as the installation of the 2018-19 officers.
At the end of 2017, the NYC & Company 17th Annual Visionaries & Voices Gala was held at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City. The annual event celebrates iconic individuals and institutions that embody the vibrancy and vitality of New York City. The 2017 event honored “The Greatest Showman,” a new film from 20th Century Fox; SPE Partners and the new National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey; and the NFL and Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group for the new NFL Experience Times Square.
Held Oct. 13, 2017, at the Museum of the American Revolution, Taste America was a four-course plated dinner held to benefit the James Beard Foundation. The event, planned by Cashman & Associates, welcomed 300 attendees who dined on food provided by Brûlée Catering in collaboration with other culinary stars.
MPI Greater New York held its 32nd Annual Auction & Mixology Madness on Nov. 7, 2017. The event was held at the PlayStation Theater in Times Square. Despite the downpour, crowds came out to sip and sample from seven vendors competing for the best cocktail as well as bid on a wide variety of silent auction items ranging from gift baskets to hotel stays. Northeast Meetings + Events was a competitor and featured a cocktail blending apple cider, vodka and Fireball for a fiery kick.
The Pennsylvania Meetings + Events second annual Best of 2017 readers’ choice awards were held at The Fuge in Warminster on Oct. 4. The event was attended by 85 industry insiders who anxiously awaited the announcement of each category’s winners, selected online by the readers of the magazine. The Fuge, home to the centrifuge where the astronauts trained to adjust to the G-force of the rockets, played up its otherworldly theme with blue-and-white lighting and space-themed accents, including a bar tucked inside the base of the centrifuge.
New Jersey Meeting + Events magazine (now Northeast M+E!) held its second annual readers’ choice awards on Aug. 16, 2017 at MetLife Stadium. The evening began with a networking cocktail hour before the awards ceremony, emceed by Matt Holt of Arena Americas, began. Editor’s Picks were announced by editor Nancy DePalma before the readers’ choice award winners were announced by category.
Spectra by Comcast Spectacor chefs competed at a Culinary Innovative Challenge on Aug. 15, 2017. Pretzel Crusted Philly Cheesesteak Croquets were the winning menu item selected by a panel of five judges. In total, eight new game-changing food offerings were created for Spectra to add to the menus at its stadiums, arenas, convention centers, and catering properties across North America, beginning as early as this fall.
Meet AC and Caesars Entertainment hosted an event for around 150 attendees at the Atlantic City Convention Center as part of the second annual Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID). The event highlighted the importance of face-to-face meetings with an industry panel of speakers. Following the panel, attendees enjoyed lunch and a series of educational sessions focusing on corporate social responsibility, tech security and more.
MPI New Jersey Chapter held its February Educational Event at Dolce Basking Ridge on Feb. 15, 2017. The event’s topic was meeting and event security and was presented by Kevin Mellott of ERASE Enterprises.
May has been FOOD BOWL month in Los Angeles, a 31-day festival of curated events produced by the Los Angeles Times to celebrate the city’s dynamic and diverse culinary scene and bring awareness to food waste and hunger through programs with chefs and food-justice activists. The charity partners include No Kid Hungry, PATH & Food Forward.
