Anna Sekula

What was the most innovative event concept this year? Who came up with the smartest integration of social media? Which new venue is the best option for meetings and events? For the second year, BizBash is honoring the best ideas, strategies, products, and venues across North America with the 2014 National Event Style Awards.

With a headliner like Kanye West and sponsor Cartier helping to underwrite the event, the Museum of Modern Art had no trouble drawing a big crowd for its annual Party in the Garden: Some 700 guests turned out for dinner, while the after-party attracted 1,500 patrons. But this year, as in years past, the institution's planning team sought to widen its base of supporters even further and find new ways to keep the spring fund-raiser fresh.

There is, apparently, an event for everything. Want to race while being chased by zombies? Baltimore-based Reed Street Productions created Run for Your Lives, a 5K obstacle course where participants are hunted by the living dead. Big fan of LOLcats or other famous felines on YouTube? On August 30, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis will host its first Internet Cat Video Festival and already has more than 7,000 submissions.