BizBash

From a London piazza to Miami art museums, BMF founding partner and CEO Bruce Starr shares the locations that help shape his creative perspective.

Michele Laufik,Senior Contributing Editor August 21, 2026 Rockstar Energy Open returned to Portland’s Waterfront Park August 14–16.Photo: Courtesy of Platfrm PORTLAND, ORE.—Rockstar Energy Open returned to Portland’s Waterfront Park Aug. 14–16 with 40 national, regional, local, and nonprofit partners and three days of skateboarding, live music, and community-driven experiences.

The daytime gathering blended fashion and food.Photo: Courtesy of Well Dunn Catering WASHINGTON, D.C.—Well Dunn Catering recently teamed up with Design Foundry to host a four-course luncheon for industry pros. Staged inside a Washington, D.C., venue that was formerly an Urban Outfitters store, THE SPACE, the July 29 daytime gathering, called “Beauty & Botanicals,” blended fashion and food and featured design concepts by Annie Senatore, CEO of Design Foundry.

Photo: Courtesy of Interactive Entertainment Group The rest of 2026 is packed with sporting moments that will shape social feeds, office conversations, hospitality plans, and local culture. For marketers, that makes the calendar more than a list of dates. It is a map of where audience attention is headed, with clear implications for the kinds of brand experiences Interactive Entertainment Group brings to life. The game is not to attach a logo to whatever happens to be trending.

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced this week that the brand has made its debut in Thailand, with the opening of Fairmont Bangkok Sukhumvit. Floral themes are interwoven throughout the property, including with a spectacular lobby chandelier inspired by the golden ratchaphruek blossom—Thailand's national flower—comprising 4,166 glass pieces and over 35,000 crystal balls.

Ahead of the new Ryan Murphy-produced series, FX transformed Los Angeles’ iconic Sherman Oaks Galleria with retro brand collaborations, arcade games, custom merch, and other nostalgia-fueled experiences. Alice Dubin,Contributing Writer August 19, 2026 For one weekend, FX took over the Sherman Oaks Galleria in LA and turned back the clock.Photo: Courtesy of FX LOS ANGELES—For anyone familiar with Los Angeles in the 1980s, the Sherman Oaks Galleria wasn’t just a mall.

Event organizers are entering a new sourcing era, where AI and GEO are reshaping how programs are researched, how destinations and venues are discovered, and how sourcing decisions begin taking shape before a shortlist is finalized. In this session, we’ll explore what that shift means for the industry, where sourcing behavior is headed next, and how Cvent’s product vision supports a more connected path from discovery to shortlist to RFP.

On the heels of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and forthcoming LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the U.S. is in the spotlight on the global sports tourism stage. A major power player in the U.S. economy, sports tourism has evolved into a $274.5 billion industry, according to an April report by Sports ETA. The sector is divided between spectator and participatory sports, and the uptick has undoubtedly influenced the meetings and event space at the corporate level.

To introduce Kayali’s new fragrance, Boujee Kitty, the brand hosted a pink-drenched experience with plenty of photo moments. Michele Laufik,Senior Contributing Editor August 17, 2026 Showgirls pose inside a Cadillac on the pink carpet during the Boujee Kitty launch event.Photo: Courtesy of CNC DALLAS—To celebrate the launch of its newest fragrance, Boujee Kitty, Kayali partnered with CNC to create an immersive experience that treated the guests like stars.

Developed in partnership with BEAUTYSTREAMS, CosmoTrends returned to Cosmoprof with a curated exhibition showcasing the products, ingredients, formulations, and consumer trends shaping the future of beauty, helping buyers identify what's next across key categories.Photo: Courtesy of Cosmoprof North America LAS VEGAS—Cosmoprof North America (CPNA) Las Vegas recently wrapped its 23rd edition, with more than 26,500 attendees from 88 countries and over 950 exhibitors from 39 countries.