Get ready, the 2012 Vision Awards celebration is right around the corner! The fourth annual event will take place on Sept. 27 and will honor individuals in Minnesota's hospitality industry who have gone above and beyond in the past year. From your nominations, the editors of Meetings: Minnesota's Hospitality Journalhave selected professionals that demonstrated best practices in the following categories:
+ Customer Service: A planner or vendor who showed excellent customer service skills during an event.
+ Stewardship: An individual or company that has made a positive impact in their community through an event or initiative.
+ Event of the Year (Planners Only): A planner whose event accomplished its goals to the fullest.
+ Planners Choice—My Favorite Vendor: A vendor who went above and beyond for an event.
+ Leadership: A leader who has called others to action and has impacted a business, association or event.
+ Innovation: An individual or company who has demonstrated innovation by implementing a new product or enhancing a process that has advanced the industry or their company, association or event.
+ Inspiration: An individual whose ongoing dedication to the industry inspires his/her peers.
The celebration will take place at 514 Studios with cocktails and networking at 5:30 p.m., followed by the awards at 7 p.m. 514 Studios is located at 512 N. Third Street in Minneapolis. Find specific directions here.
Don't forget to RSVP! You can do so here. Bring a guest to help cheer on the nominees!
It's that time of year again, when summer sadly comes to an end, but luckily it never leaves us without an over the top send-off: the Minnesota State Fair. Today is the first day of the get-together, which happens to be the largest 12-day event in North America and the second largest state fair in the country. Each year, nearly 1.8 million people make their way to the grounds to eat food on a stick, people watch, see touring acts on the Grandstand stage and take part in the countless other entertainment options offered. To me, one of the best things about the fair is being able to mix these old traditions with new ones. Here's the scoop on some of the new things to expect this year.
+ The Mighty Midway has seven new rides this year. So whether you want to rotate 360 degrees vertically and horizontally, be flung in a revolving gondala or suspended in a spinning car, there are plenty of new options for adrenaline junkies. For the younger crowd, kids can choose to take a ride on a tractor or be led by a mouse through a parade of flying elephants on the two new rides at Kidway.
+ Also at the Mighty Midway, you can be blasted back to the days of sideshow entertainment at the World of Wonders Palace of Illusions. See sword swallowers, fire breathers, escape artists and more.
+ Explore the state's brewing past and present at the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild. There will be sample flights made up from more than 15 craft beers, as well as presentations by the brewers themselves.
+ Watch colorful, high-powered aerial laser beams move above you to the beat of classic rock and pop hits. Lasertainment's Laser Hitz Show takes place outside nightly.
+ Let's face it, does it get any better then fair food? With more than 450 foods to choose from (including more than 60 on a stick), there's no shortage of options. In addition to favorites like corn on the cobb, Sweet Martha's cookies and cheese curds, here are just some of the many new options to try.
Bacon ice cream
Beef tongue caramelos (tacos)
Breakfast sliders
Camel burger sliders
Cereal killer ice cream
Cheeseburger sticks
Chicken nachos on a stick
Cranberry wontons
Duke's Poutine
Eggplant fries
Grilled wild Alaskan salmon sandwich
Lamb chop on a stick
Ole's Cannoli
Red velvet funnel cake
Risotto poppers (gluten-free)
Spaghetti sticks
So put on your walking shoes, come well rested and with an empty stomach and say goodbye to summer in an only-in-Minnesota way.
This Saturday, June 30, the Nelson Cultural Center will open in Minneapolis. The cultural center is an extension of the American Swedish Institute (ASI), which first opened in 1929 in the historic Turnblad mansion. Today, we were able to tour both the historic mansion and the new cultural center and learn more about the new additions.
Last fall, the ASI debuted its own renovations, which added accessibility to the 104-year-old, 33-room building. The renovations also added classrooms and community meeting spaces, and opened up spaces previously used for the cafe, shop and storage. More of the historic rooms can now be restored and finally become open to the public.
The adjacent Nelson Cultural Center, a 34,000-square-foot, two-story addition, allows the ASI to expand on its programming and provides new space for the cafe and gift shop. The cultural center includes exhibit space and event space, a courtyard and offices. The Folke Bernadotte Conference Room on the main level has a capacity of 66 people. The second level's Larson Hall has a capacity of 300 with plenty of nearby pre-function space. The courtyard and terrace are also available for events. The courtyard's first event was Northern Spark and held a crowd of 500. The Fika Cafe (pronounced fee-ka), earned its name from Swedish slang for coffee (FYI: Fika caters).
The Nelson Cultural Center, designed by HGA Architects and Engineers, was created with Swedish design in mind. Many details call to mind Swedish style, from the designer furniture in the conference room and the single Guardian Tree in the courtyard to the leather handrails on the stairs and the nautical detail on ceiling of Larson Hall (reminiscent of Stockholm's City Hall). The modern building's design flows directly into the historic mansion, even using the same slate tile as the ASI's roof. The cultural center also includes large windows that frame views of the mansions impressive turrets and historic details. A covered link connects the two buildings. The Nelson Cultural Center was designed to be green. The building features green roofs, natural materials and many other environmentally friendly details, which they hope will help it earn LEED Gold certification.
The grand opening for the Nelson Cultural Center will include many activities, such as an ABBA sing-along, the opening of the Helena Hernmarck tapestry exhibit (June 30-Oct. 14), live music, glass blowing and woodcarving demonstrations, a jumpy castle, story time and more. Swedish Ambassador H.E. Jonas Hafstrom, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and others will be on hand to open the cultural center. The celebration runs from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on June 30.
Welcome to the weekend. Here's what's happening around town:
+ We're wishing the best to everyone affected by the flooding in Duluth. "Visit Duluth, the city's convention and visitor's bureau, wants to make it clear that Duluth is open for business," says a MinnPost article about the flooding and tourism. Como Zoo has come to the aid of several Lake Superior Zoo animals.
+ Did you hear that the American Swedish Institute asked Stephen Colbert to take over its Twitter account? The comedian has been trying for chance to take over the country of Sweden's account, which rotates between Swedish citizens. "You can tweet in English, Swedish, or in some hilarious, fakey mix of the two. We leave the comedy up to you, sir," reads the ASI's invitation. The ASI will celebrate the grand opening of its Nelson Cultural Center June 30.
+ Remember to nominate someone you admire for a Vision Award. Nominations are open through July 20.
In a world of tweets, podcasts, links, hashtags and other technological tools, it’s hard to know the best way to get the word out about events. One promotional trend growing in popularity is the use of video, which Corbin Ball, events and tradeshow technology analyst, calls “the most compelling language of the internet.” In fact, he listed it No. 8 on his list of “12+ Meetings Technology Trends to Watch for 2012,” calling YouTube "potentially one of the most promising event promotion tools around." Here are two examples of how some meeting professionals are using (free) video publishing to promote their events.
ISES Eventworld
In order to publicize International Special Events Society (ISES) Eventworld 2012, the special events association is showcasing a video that gives viewers an inside look into last year’s event, using footage of past speakers and attendees as a way to increase this year’s attendance. Eventworld will be held August 2-4 in Dallas, Texas.
Which do you think is the more effective approach? What do you want to see in a video promoting an event? Have you used video to promote your own events?
Think back on the past year (July 2011-June 2012). Who amazed you with their leadership and guidance? Who wowed you with an innovative idea or by giving back to the community? What event stood out as amazingly successful? Meetings: Minnesota's Hospitality Journal's Vision Awards reward best practices in the local hospitality industry and we're looking for your nominations. Tell us all about your collegues, fellow association members and trusted partners, and what they contribute to this industry. If you're particularly proud of your own accomplishments, go ahead an nominate yourself. This is our fourth year presenting these awards and we've heard some great stories and met many amazing hospitality professionals.
5 Things to Know:
The AwardsGet to know all seven awards: Event of the Year, Inspiration, Innovation, Leadership, Planner's Choice--My Favorite Vendor, Customer Service and Stewardship.
Online Nomination Forms Click on over and fill out the nomination forms. There's room to go into detail (Hint: we want more than just "He's great" or "That was a cool event."). You can attach pictures and other supporting documents.
Deadline You have until July 20 to nominate!
Past Winners Wondering just what these awards are all about? Meet past Vision Awards recipients and read stories of their success.
Stay Tuned We'll be keeping you updated on the Vision Awards here on the blog, on Twitter (#mnvisionawards) and in the magazine. We'll announce the date and location of this year's awards celebration soon!
If you have questions or any issues with the nomination forms, please contact us and we'll help you out. Reminder: Deadline is July 20.
MPI MN What: An Afternoon at the Races When: June 14 from 4:30-9:30 p.m. Where: Canterbury Park, Shakopee Why: Enjoy an education session followed by tours of the grounds and an evening of fun (games, drawings, giveaways and more). First race begins at 7 p.m. Cost: $40 supplier, $30 planner, $60 supplier that brings planner, $45 guest and $20 student (-$5 with guest, +$15 after June 8). Photos from last year's event Register online
ISES MSP What: I Can’t Eat That! Managing Dietary Needs of Guests When: June 14 from 11:15 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Where: The Pourhouse, Minneapolis (a new Prohibition-themed restaurant) Speaker: Tracy Stuckrath, CSEP, CMM, CHC, of Thrive! Meetings and Events Why: Learn about how to approach menus with attendees' dietary restrictions--such as food allergies, celiac disease, heart disease and obesity--in mind. Cost: $35 Members, $40 Associates, $50 Guests and $20 Students (+$10 after June 11). Register online
For about a week now, I've been hearing rumors of a big event coming our way. Here in the office we speculated that we'd finally hear about the Major League Baseball All Star Game for 2014 (fingers still crossed on that one). Instead, today Meet Minneapolis held a press conference to announce the 2014 USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships (ages 12-18), to be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center June 25-July 2, 2014. This event will be the biggest one for our area since the Republican National Convention.
Pictured left: Meet Minneapolis President and CEO Melvin Tennant, Kristy Cox of USA Volleyball and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak.
Here's what we learned about the impact of USA Volleyball's eight-day event:
Economic impact of more than $60 million
Support for 10,200 jobs
$2,252,000 in local taxes generated
Pre-booked lodging in more than 65 hotels, with 54,200 room nights
9,500 athletes and more than 20,000 spectators
"This is a major score for Meet Minneapolis," said Meet Minneapolis President and CEO Melvin Tennant. "Our team worked on this bid for over a year. The competition to land an event of this magnitude is fierce." At the event, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak entered playing volleyball with five teen volleyball players. "Hospitality is one of our most important industries," he said. He called this is critical get for the city and this region.
Meet Minneapolis will be working with 13 other metro cities on booking rooms for the event. Mayors from those cities (Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Eden Prairie, Edina, Maple Grove, Mendota Heights, Minnetonka, New Brighton, Plymouth, Roseville and St. Louis Park) joined to create the video below.
--Ellie M. Bayrd Associate Editor
[Photo by Amanda Fretheim Gates, video courtesy of Meet Minneapolis]
Led by speakers Robert Sivek and Deborah Borsum, both CSEP, of Chicago-based The Meetinghouse Companies, this session on April 12 at the Sofitel in Bloomington (from 11:15 a.m.-1:30 p.m.) will help inspire better communication strategies for planning teams.
"This session focuses on four industry recognized communication tools that when utilized, will help you communicate valuable information to your strategic event partners, giving them a better understanding of your event operations. Using effective event communication practices helps insure a successful and effective production plan and eliminates the potential for costly misunderstandings, unnecessary stress and their resulting headaches."
Cost: $35 members, $40 associates, $50 guests, $20 students (+ $10 after April 9). Register here.
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