Customized runners at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre

The CityEvents team took to the CSE Tradeshow floor, fresh after our CEO, Deborah Lewis, won the Independent Event Planner Award at the CSE Reader’s Choice Awards Gala, the night before.

Some of our favourite highlights included:

ABSOLUTE EVENTS & MANAGEMENT: specializing in interactive entertainment, they focus on brand engagement through customized activations. Touchscreens that include games and photo booth applications means your guests will likely be more involved at your event and will recognize branding and logos quicker. Other event materials that Absolute provides include; signage, custom tents, promo gear, photo backdrops and swag for giveaways

ABBEY ROAD ENTERTAINMENT: From their humble beginning of renting poker tables and karaoke machines for small parties Abbey Road is now a full-fledged entertainment management company working with fortune 500 companies. Each year their inventory and services expand as they position themselves to become the go-to for event rentals. Along with their classic casino and karaoke rentals, Abbey Road also offers photo and video booths, arcade games, giant games, carnival games, promotional material, virtual reality experiences, performance and talent, and custom branding on almost all of their wares.  

Catch The Light Arcade table game, one of the many arcade options ABBEY ROAD has to offer to rent

WILSONS: Toronto’s favourite mobile ice cream bar! Showing off some of the most delicious ice cream flavours with equally satisfying names (Hello Handsome, Bombshell, Can’t Get Enough), Monsieur Wilson specializes in building your own desired ice cream cup with a choice of over 50 premium toppings. With their rentable Airstream, clients can customize the mobile vehicle and use it for a variety of purposes like creating a mobile meeting room, dressing room, showroom, photo booth or Ice Cream Bar.

Some many toppings to choose from to customize our Wilson’s ice cream cups.

After we visited all the vendors we stepped into the Canadian Society of Professional Event Planners (CanSPEP) “Ask a Planner” booth. We sat down for an informal interview with members of the Society Dustin Rivers, Executive Director of Verney Conference Management, and Meagan Rockett, Association Ambassador of CanSPEP. They gave us some advice to pass along to novices and beginners in the business.

• Time management is the most important thing, always stay on top of your schedule.

• Venues make or break you. They are your biggest expense, they need to be your biggest partner, so build close relationships with the front desk, they have all the emergency contacts (especially if you are working in an unfamiliar city).

• There are always going to be risks associated with your events, it’s best to have a contingency plan written up in case any problems do occur. Always be six steps ahead of the problem.

Meagan Rockett, Association Ambassador of CanSPEP, poses for a photo during our interview.

Although some of their advice sounds dire, they wanted to let us know that mostly all event planners began in the business because of the continuous creativity, challenges, and amazing people they get to meet and work with.

Visit our Facebook page for all of our photos from the events: https://goo.gl/XYQcHT

We want to give special thanks to Canadian Special Events for inviting CityEvents to the tradeshow. To find out about all the vendors and suppliers that were at the tradeshow visit Canadian Special Events.

Contributing writers:

Ashleigh Alexander

Aprile Gonzalez

Paula McDines

The conference room at The Westin Prince was full of engaged listeners as Paul Hunt, President of Pricing Solutions, delivered a useful and informative talk about the issues business owners face.

Paul Hunt discussed the different ways a business can structure pricing to keep costs low and profits high, all while maintaining customer and client satisfaction. “Customers don’t always want the best price, they want the best value.

Paul Hunt shaking hands at the latest Managing For Growth Seminar

Paul gave an insightful look at different pricing strategies. He encourages every business owner to find their “lakefront property”. A “lakefront property” in business terms is an object or service that can be leveraged because of its value. A busy Saturday for sales, versus a slower weekday, means Saturday is the “lakefront property”, and can sustain a fair price increase.

The Managing for Growth Series will be back in June. Strategist Robert Murray will be the guest speaker on June 6, to discuss leadership and getting your team members on board with your vision and plan. Tickets are available now, register here for their June seminar.

Check out Hogg, Shain & Scheck’s photo album on Facebook for more pictures from their breakfast seminar. Highlights from this seminar can be found on HSS website.

Hogg, Shain & Scheck will welcome Pricing Solutions President, Paul Hunt to their Managing for Growth series on Wednesday, March 8th, 2017. With expert knowledge in strategic pricing, Paul Hunt has had the chance to be an adviser to a wide range of companies and industries.  

Effective pricing plays an enormous factor in how much profit a company makes throughout the year and yet many businesses aren’t paying enough attention to how their pricing habits may be affecting their profits.

By attending this seminar, it’s guaranteed that all attendees will leave with helpful knowledge on how to transform profitability through improved pricing. So be sure to join HSS and Paul Hunt as they explain the importance of pricing, the most common pricing mistakes and how to avoid them as well as how to get your sales-force on your side and selling value, not price.

For more information on the upcoming event, visit the event page: Managing for Growth: How to Transform Profitability Through Improved Pricing

Your business is in need of learning! You can participate in this year “Donate & Learn Business Expo 2015” and learn all about cutting-edge branding, search engine, and social media marketing strategies, among Toronto’s top entrepreneurs.

You’ll have the possibility to work on advanced workshops covering differents topics : SEO, PPC, Email Marketing and more! Be sure to attend so you’ll know all those clues to operate a successful business!

100% of donations will go to Enactus-Ryerson Project Growing North

Date: June 30th, 2015

Time: 12pm –  5pm

Location: Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada

Limited spots are available – Register now to reserve yours: http://greenlotus.ca/expo.

• Festival of Fashion
  Discover the latest fashions from daytime outfit to evening glam, sparkling jewelry, chic eyewear, and luxurious lingerie. Take a look at the exhibitors’ fashion collections and watch the models presenting the newest trends for the season!

• Beauty & Wellness
  Get a healthy new outlook on life! Explore alternative medicine, vitamin supplements, cosmetic procedures, diet and nutrition assessments, and massage therapy.

• Travel and Adventure
  You like fun and relaxation?  Discover everything from golfing, fitness clubs, adventure sports and spa retreats. Be part of a quick and easy fitness workout or discover the deep breathing of yoga to cleanse your mind. Or make plans for your next holidays with the help of travel pros!

• World of Taste
  Taste great food at the gourmet fare like decadent treats and sweets, savory snacks and revitalizing refreshments. Discover new food and beverage products, entertainment ideas and wholesome recipes! What also awaits you: Organic Orchard, Specialty Square, Wine & Spirits, Gluten Free Garden, Sweet Treats,Tropical cuisine

• Business and Career Centre
  Get help for starting your own business or making a career move. Identify the services which will help you to transition into a new beginning. Choose training programs, continuing education, money management, franchise opportunities and investment strategies.

• House, Home & Design
  Use simple tips and tricks to freshen up a room or renovate the entire home. Find all the resources you need to rejuvenate your surroundings from custom organization and closets, expert advice, and the perfect accessories! Moreover, there is a special section for pets.
  You can also ask interior designers how to refresh your interior design. Are you sick and tired of the design of a key feature in your house? Join interior designers and decorators at Designer’s Corner at the Social Media Contest Hub all weekend.

Further highlights of the event include shopping, free samples, free makeovers, fashion shows, informative workshops, cooking stage demos, food and wine sampling, decorating and ideas, celebrity appearances, health advice, great prizes, and a lot more! It’s an incredible girl’s day out! For more information, visit www.nationalwomenshow.com.

Green Lotus Presents The Donate & Learn Online Marketing Expo

On the 10th of June, Green Lotus was hosting the Donate & Learn Marketing Expo from 5:00 to 8:30 pm. at Ryerson University.  The event was an opportunity to unite with 600 of Toronto’s best entrepreneurs, business owners and online marketing expert to gain innovative search engine and social media marketing programs for your business!

The CityEvents team attended the Facebook workshop animated by Brian McNeil-Smith from EasyPromos. For an hour we discussed contests and promotions on facebook and how we could manage them with a low budget. When you are a small business, he advised to create a contest over a longer time frame. Regarding Brian McNeil-Smith, “Strategy is only limited to imagination”.

At 7pm, the main event began with a presentation from Procter and Gamble, LinkedIn and Green Lotus. What matters the most when you are a brand is to tell your brand a story and have a BIG Idea. What is a BIG idea? For Maria Shibaeva, Sr. Assistant Brand Manager at Procter and Gamble it has to be true in your business and also should be :

– disruptive to the market

– heart and mind opening

– immediately understood

– recognizable

– easy to execute

Here is an example : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V-20Qe4M8Y

This year, Green Lotus worked with Enactus Ryerson and Project Pathways.

For more information visit: http://greenlotus.ca

Tuesday, April 29^th, Located. An evening in Support of Fogo Island Arts was hosted at The Wychwood Barns. Over 100 guests- more than we excepted- came to this evening filled with rich culture, inspiring art and locally crafted award-winning food. Located. An evening in Support of Fogo Island Arts is a fundraising event showcasing the diversity and rich heritage of Fogo Island. Proceeds raised will benefit the Shorefast Foundation – a charity rooted in the cultural and economic development of the island.

This event featured presentations by Zita Cobb about the Fogo Island project, Nicolaus Schafhausen and Zin Taylor discussing artist residencies with Fogo Island Arts and a talk from Kitty Scott, Art Gallery of Ontario Curator regarding “Residencies Matter”.

Thanks to the floral decorations of Iris Fraser-Gudrunas and the vintage plates, the Newfoundland atmosphere was all over the Artscape Wychwood Barns. Moreover, the attendees could have enjoyed a Newfoundland Boil Up prepared by Chef Murray Mac Donald – Top 10 “Best New Restaurants in Canada” – enRoute magazine; as well as a Newfoundland Blueberry Lemonade.

Auction turned out very well as every items were sold which enable Shorefast Foundation to collect over $50,000.

If you want more information on Fogo Island Arts : http://fogoislandarts.ca

The photos of the event can be found at : www.flickr.com/photos/cityeventstoronto

Lose yourself in the creative atmosphere provided at the House of Moments. Being one of Toronto’s only art oriented venue, it provides guests time to relax and unwind in the cultured Moments Lounge and enjoy the creativity that is celebrated within the walls of moments.

This unique event venue is a creative space that serves a sensational and delicate Eastern Fusion Cuisine and showcases thriving global artists in the House of Moments Art Gallery at the same time.

House of Moments shows off various settings for large cocktail soirees of about 500 while they can fit 250 guests for seated dining. More intimate affairs can be organized with their private dining options.

Through the creation of this imaginative space, House of Moments cordially invites you to host your own moment at their inspiring venue. If you can imagine it, they can create it!

The atmosphere that awaits is a harmonious far away land that can be the ultimate escape. So drop by 386 Carlaw Avenue Toronto and taste excellent cuisine, enjoy beautiful artwork and engage in a night of relaxation and fine dining in the House of Moments – Where Moments Really Happen.

For more information go to: http://houseofmoments.com/

Hosted by Toronto Special Event Network and CityEvents, this 4th event of the year will focus on inspiration and the unstoppable drive every successful event professional possess.

Where: STORYS BUILDING, 11 Duncan St, Toronto, Ontario M5H 3G6, Canada

When: Monday, Sept 23, 2013, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Costs:

$15 per person (Pay Online: www.eventbrite.com  $20 per person at the door. (Please RSVP here first: Toronto Special Events Network Website)

For more information:

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/TorontoSpecialEventsNetwork

Twitter : @TSENevents

The Toronto Stock Exchange offers event facilities for rental within the heart of Toronto’s financial district with accessibility to PATH, and Toronto public transit.

You will have the possibility to rent the Gallery and/or the Studio which is more for intimate events such as small luncheons.  These spaces are popular for listed companies or other business to business events.

The TMX Broadcast Centre Gallery has a capacity of 100 theatre style, 72 in full rounds, 64 classroom or 200 reception.  The room rental rate has all-inclusive technology which means you will enjoy in-house screens, projectors, mics, risers, podium, audio recording and more available at no additional charge. A technician from the TSX will work with your company throughout the event and a security guard is mandatory for event rentals.  Many use the space as a perfect location for broadcasting.

Besides, the upper level mezzanine is also available for use at no extra cost, and this can be set up as a satellite kitchen, if the caterers are doing hot passed hors d’oeuvres, or as a lounge, with a bar and furniture.

Get more information on their website, like their Facebook page and follow them @TMXGroup