The Most Powerful CSEME Conference Ever

On April 1-3, 2008 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, CEP Magazine, Canada’s leading marketing source for the events and meetings industry, will present the Canadian Special Events & Meetings Expo (CSEME) 2008. Now in its 9th year in Toronto, CSEME features over 100 unique vendors, 33 speakers and 3 days of powerful educational sessions, keynotes, workshops, displays, social events, networking opportunities and more.

Headlining at CSEME 2008 and for the first time ever, on April 2nd at 12:30 PM CEP presents HGTV's Designer Guys, who will share their views on how the world of cutting edge interior design can influence the landscape of special events.

On Thursday April 3rd. CEP presents Morning With the Masters featuring 3 of North America's most successful and awarded planners, followed by an Open Mic luncheon and then that evening all the STARS come out for the 11th Annual Canadian Event Industry Awards Gala to be held at CIRCA.

A special package rate for the April 3rd – which includes the Masters Morning, Creativity Breakfast, Open Mic Luncheon, all 3 masters, full trade show access for April 2nd and a ticket to the Star Awards Gala is available online.

Canada: Calgary Takes Top Honors Calgary ROCKED the Gala Awards in Atlanta as 2 Canadian companies came home with hot hardware. Friday January 18th in Atlanta, Georgia at the International Special Event Awards, 2 Canadian companies grabbed top honors their outstanding work. First on the stage was experiential events, with offices in Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria, who were presented with a GALA Award by Special Events Magazine for Best Wedding in the World under $1000 per guest. For the first time in history the Best Wedding Category was awarded to a same-sex wedding. Kenneth Kristoffersen CSEP, President and Creative Director of experiential events, and Hanan Chebib, Senior Calgary Event Architect accepted the award on behalf of the company. "This is the most prestigious award in the special event industry and to be recognized in this way is an honor for our entire team," he said. Calgary firm e=mc² Event Management took home 2 awards, the first for Best Event Staged In Multiple Locations for a 6 week long road show which was celebrating an acquisition and company transition. e=mc² Event Management also won for Best Fundraising Event for and event called - You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet, an event which raised over 3 million dollars for prostate cancer with no sponsorships. Jocelyn Flanagan, President e=mc² Event Management states "I'm ecstatic to be on stage with some of the finest event leaders in the world, in a industry that changes people lives and I also can't go without mentioning my fabulous team as they are an extraordinary group of professionals". Also nominated for Gala Awards from Canada were Carter Mcrae from Calgary, Hala Events & Communications, Toronto, Regal Tent Productions, Stoney Creek, Ontario and Fulford-Brown Inc., Toronto, Ontario. Congratulations to all the winners! Look for all these companies and more Canadians when we announce the Canadian Event Industry Awards Nominees on March 2nd 2008, and the winners on April 3rd 2008. Ontario: Chefs of Steel Stirs Things Up at Deerhurst Resort "Allez cuisine!" Let the gourmet "food fight" begin. Paradigm Events in Muskoka & Deerhurst Resort have turned the tables on the Japanese TV classic Iron Chef, bringing competition and kitchen camaraderie to Canada’s finest meetings. During this cutting-edge adaptation of the sizzling show, dinner guests watch two talented, young chefs from different food cultures do battle during a stylish [three-course] dinner showcasing the famed secret ingredient. Under more appealing lighting than the original Kitchen Stadium, this truly interactive event recreates every bit of the original’s excitement: from the chairman’s and food expert host’s spicy commentary, to questions from the audience, filming and, of course, the pressure cooker countdown clock. Take-home treats can include [company/event]-branded aprons and recipe cards. And in the best live-action-only twist, attendees get to smell and savour the fruits of each chef's labours. The first episode of Chefs of Steel aired from Deerhurst’s Peninsula Room in mid-October. For action shots and a full Iron Chef shopping list, or to explore what’s cooking in all our themed events call Paradigm Events at 416-760-0360. We guarantee great ideas to chew on, and flawless presentation.

North America: 2008 IACEP Conference, Showcase & Trade Show The Fourth Annual International Association of Corporate Entertainment Producers (IACEP) Conference returns to the Green Valley Ranch Resort, Spa and Casino in Las Vegas, September 3-5. Building on their sellout success in 2007, this year’s Conference offers first-class corporate entertainment showcases and topical educational sessions on issues relevant to entertainment production and technology. There are also opportunities to network with the people who define and surpass the mark of excellence in corporate entertainment production. www.iacep.com Canada: Introducing Pop Noggins Green screen technology is the secret to Pop Noggins – Seat from one to six of your guests on stools in front of a green screen and cover them in a green cape, making their bodies completely disappear from the neck down. Technicians will adjust the video screens for viewing the group, each with a new, clever, cartoon body that has animated, action packed dance moves. Choose the music, signal the performers, the song and filming will start and your guests will groove to the sounds, wiggle their heads and get down to the beat. After its all done, every guest performer will receive a keepsake DVD with a special message commemorating the occasion running across the screen. Try POP NOGGINS today, its fun, affordable and your guests will love it long after the event is over. www.superiorevents.ca Canada: CEP Magazine Introduces WWW.RENTCHARLIE.COM Rentcharlie.com is Canada’s only dedicated online rental search engine. Quickly find event planning and party rental needs from tents to conference rooms to audio-visual equipment anywhere in Canada. Our unique and smart search engine lets you geo-locate your specific event rental items down to the nearest kilometer of your event. Party rental and Event Planning companies from across the country have listed their rental items on rentcharlie.com giving planners a fast and easy resource to find what they need. List your company’s rentals and be part of the fastest growing rental community on the internet! Rentcharlie.com - Find Stuff to Rent. Toronto: MTCC Strikes Up Strategic Partnership with PCMA Toronto is proud to be the first Canadian city to be named a Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Strategic Partner. This is PCMA’s highest partnership level and a very prestigious designation that will ensure the Centre remains in front of the most influential leaders in North America’s meetings industry. A joint collaboration between the MTCC and Tourism Toronto, the three-year PCMA partnership commenced in January 2008. It will see the MTCC and Tourism Toronto investing in the PCMA Annual Meeting in 2008-2010 as well as in PCMA’s International Meetings Think Tank. The Toronto partners will also support the PCMA Leadership Conference and industry research.

Decor:
Anime - Funimation, Bandai, Adv, Haree & Guu, Miami Guns.... Make sense to you? No, it doesn't make much sense to us either, but its HUGE right now. Japanese Anime is the latest rage in everything from wallpaper to dishware and yes even event themes. Its bold, bright and feautres luminescent color palettes. Instead of filling in with props and sets, use color and images and Block huge sections of walls brilliant hues- use solid linens in separate sections, and minimal items around the room. Have large sections of anime characters printed and mask the bars and wall sections.

Speaker:
Azim Jamal is a leading inspirational speaker, management consultant & executive coach. He was born in Tanzania and educated in Kenya, the U.K. and Canada. Overcome by the plight of homeless refugees in war-torn areas of the world, he vowed to make a difference in people's lives. Since then, Azim has been spreading his unique, thought-provoking message in becoming a Corporate Sufi - one who can achieve material abundance through spiritual abundance. Azim is the author of several books including # 1 Amazon Bestselling Author of The Power of Giving. Over one million people worldwide have heard his inspiring words and his work has received accolades from leading thinkers including Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Jack Canfield, Brian Tracy, and Dr. Ken Blanchard. www.azimjamal.com

Music:
Fiddlers 3

"The band plays with more spirit than many traditional folk outfits..."
Graham Rockingham, The Hamilton Spectator

"...Fiddlers 3 is the poster child of blended culture!"
Dr. Sandy Thorburn, Associate Professor of Music, University of Waterloo

These are some of the statements made which describe the High-Energy Celtic - Folk band Fiddlers 3 - their motto - "We dare you to keep your feet still!". Party-rocking grooves and heavy downbeats, Fiddlers 3 jump-start the atmosphere wherever they are. The sounds of Ireland, Scotland, the East Coast, French-Canadian and Old Time are combined into a unique style and sound that is truly their own. www.fiddlers3.com

Planning Tools:
Cvent - A remarkable online tool that provides event planners with a complete solution to increase event attendance and decrease event cost. By simplifying the event planning and management processes, their software enables you to focus your time on strategic decisions rather than repetitive tasks. Easy to use online tools include modules such as event registration email marketing for events, housing and travel management, fee collection, budget management, live webinars, contact management and more.

Entertainer:
Yakudo - Yakudo mesmerizes audiences with its inspired stage performance and style unlike any other Taiko group. Yakudo is a performing ensemble, which combines the spiritual rhythms of the Taiko with martial arts and contemporary music. Founded in 1992, Yakudo is a non-profit organization, made up of passionate individuals dedicated to the culture and art unique to the Japanese Taiko.

A performance can range from the dark and mysterious to light and upbeat -- a visual and musical journey that thrills the senses. Yakudo performs with one of the largest collections of authentic Taiko, outside of Japan. This includes their signature and very popular Odaiko - possibly the largest Taiko drum in Canada. www.yakudo.com

Venue:
CiRCA is a one-of-a-kind nightclub and entertainment venue. Located at 126 John Street, in the heart of Toronto’s Entertainment District, the four-storey, 55,000 square foot state-of-the-art space is an arts, music, entertainment, and fashion event-space unlike anything else in the world.

With an overall venue capacity of 2,800 guests, CiRCA's main floor features a large dance floor and grand stage, backed by a DJ booth and DJ VIP area. Towering above the dance floor are three more floors, featuring undulating balconies that provide a clear view of the action below. CiRCA can easily accommodate multiple events, with each floor offering a number of highly distinct areas.

CiRCA will function as an entertainment venue and nightclub on weekends and host a rich itinerary of corporate and cultural events throughout the week. www.circatoronto.com