Author: Emma Hubbard
ABCey’s Weekend Lineup: 3.20.14 – 3.23.14
It’s the first day of Spring and we can’t wait to celebrate by attending some great events this weekend! As usual, there are tons of awesome things going on in the Bay Area. At ABCey, we did some digging and are bringing you our top picks!
FEATURED EVENT: 7th Annual Disposable Film Festival | Thursday, March 20th | Castro Theatre | 10pm | Opening Night kicks off with a festival favorite, our Competitive Shorts Premiere! The evening showcases a curated selection of the best of thousands of disposable films made on a variety of devices from around the world. All films are rated by an expert panel of judges. Fans get to vote for their favorite films for the Audience Choice Award! Be the first to see this year’s collection of the best disposable films made on everyday devices like cell phones, pocket cameras, and webcams.
1. Magnolia Cocktails | Thursday, March 20th | San Francisco Botanical Garden | 5:30pm | Celebrate the first day of Spring by coming out to enjoy evening cocktails garnished with magnolia petals in a relaxing secluded garden! Wander through the lovely, hidden nooks of the Exhibition Garden, and learn more from the docents about the Garden’s magnificent magnolias.
2. BOOKSWAP: Farm Fresh Edition with Novella Carpenter | Friday, March 21st | The Booksmith | 6:30pm | Join the first Bookswap of 2014! Never been to one before? Here’s how it works: You pick a book you love. The Booksmith closes the store early, opens the wine, serves some dinner, hands you a coupon, and turn you loose inside the bookstore with 30 of your new friends. At the end, there will be a big, rowdy, white elephant-style swap. You’ll part with your book, and leave with a book someone else adores! You will be joined by Novella Carpenter, who’s memoir Farm City has been chosen for One Book and One Marin. Get the chance to ask her any questions you’d like, and about her new book Gone Feral coming out in June.
3. Jemima Kirke: New Paintings | Friday, March 21st | Fouladi Projects | 6pm | Fouladi Projects Gallery is pleased to present new portraits of women by painter and RISD alumni, Jemima Kirke. Jemima has by now become widely known for her role as “Jessa” on HBO’s series “Girls”, but her intrinsic identity is as the artist in her studio, painting idiosyncratic oil on canvas portraits of friends and family. She was recently named one of Forbe Magazine’s “30 under 30” for Art and Style! You don’t want to miss out on her inspirational work!
4. DASH | Saturday, March 22nd | Un-scripted Theater Company | 10pm | DASH is a brand-new late night improv comedy show from the San Francisco improv veterans Un-Scripted Theater Company. It’s a hour-long madcap romp, incorporating your suggestions into a fast-paced, no-holds-barred, completely original show each week! Come early and enjoy a wide variety of microbrews, sodas, and snacks in the Salon across the hall. This event will take continue to take place every Saturday!
5. Aca-West A Cappella Festival | Sunday, March 23rd | University of San Francisco | 9am | This awesome festival is hosted by ASUSF Voices and features Deke Sharon, Vocal Producer for Universal’s hit film, “Pitch Perfect” and NBC’s “The Sing Off.” Workshops will be held earlier in the day covering a broad range of topics like vocal percussion, song writing, vocal arranging, and behind the scenes of Pitch Perfect and the Sing-Off. The festival will also feature a concert in the evening with performances by Vocal Rush (from “The Sing Off”), The Riveters, and The House Jacks.
How will you choose how to celebrate the beginning of Spring?! Which picks were your favorite? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
Tech Tuesday: Maptiv8
Tech Tuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming companies for their innovative ideas and ability to think outside the box!
In today’s events world, we are always looking for ways to engage event attendees. Maptiv8, founded by Seth Familian of Familian&1, is a new private directory visualization platform for students, alumni, event attendees, and supporters.
The Map Admin sets branding and adds the member list, which enables you to visualize the list in an appealing and simple way. Maptiv8 will then invite members via email, and reveal affinities within the community. Once members sign in with Facebook, LinkedIn, or email, the map will automatically take shape! This ignites connections and actions among the Map members.
Some of Maptiv8’s powerful features are an easy 30-second profile setup, activity feeds and profile notes, up to three custom affinity groups which can be based off of cities, industries, or companies, campaigns and events, and volunteer tools to drive engagement.
What’s great about this platform is there are three different options that can be used based on the type of groups you are involved with. GradMap is designed for students, alumni, faculty and staff. OrgMap is for members and supporters of both non-profits and for-profits. RSVPeeps is for attendees of events and conferences to utilize, which will enable event networking!
The pricing is straightforward and aligned with the number of Map members. Mini is used for up to 100 members, Midsize is up to 500 members, and Mega is up to 5,000 members. We love Maptiv8 because it has so much versatility and adheres to audiences made up of different groups and sizes!
Would you use Maptiv8 to engage your attendees?! Which features do you like best? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
Top 10 Event Tech Trends in 2014
The incredible advances in technology bring value and versatility to the event industry. At ABCey, we love keeping up on the latest in the tech world! While 2013 was filled with innovation, we can expect even more in 2014. Here are the top event tech trends to keep an eye on in the year ahead. This blog post has been adapted from George P. Johnson’s Kevin Jackson, Adding Value’s Randle Stonier, and TFI Group’s Simon Maier.
1. Event Apps: These innovative platforms cover everything from event itineraries to delegates being able to download files relevant to presenters, and attendees having the ability to directly interact with event speakers!
2. Connected Technology: Clients used to base their budget off of the number of guests they wanted to attend their event. In today’s world, advances in technology allow events to reach so many more people beyond the guest list.
3. Google Glass: Wearable technology, specifically Google Glass, is going to make a big impact on events this year. It will encourage planners to make event experiences more personal.
4. Tailored Social Networks: Public social networks will continue to be used to generate buzz for events. There is a growing number of tailored social networks that have features to connect people before, during, and after an event!
5. E-Posters: With the reduction of costs and advances in e-poster technology, the interactivity and versatility will be a hit for 2014 events!
6. Live Audience Engagement: Mobile apps and SMS texting can now enable guest conversations to be linked directly through to the podium, allowing the speaker to respond to inquiries. This can continue even after the session is over!
7. IPS and Geofencing: Indoor positioning systems lend themselves to plotting where you are in an indoor environment. Geofencing creates a virtual boundary of space so delegates can be given a route to various stands or booths in a venue.
8. Advanced Digital Display: In the events space, we can expect to see various monitors – one could display real-time news and another with content from the event, tied together with software that allows you to change over at the flick of a switch.
9. Spread of Content: It is common for organizers to set up portals such as live streaming and webcasting of live event content for larger audiences to have access to the valuable material. This will continue to be a trend in 2014.
10. Mobile App Integration: A key trend in 2014 will be incorporating more features into mobile apps, such as scientific abstracts, social networking, and interactive content!
What do you think of the top event tech trends for 2014?! Which do you hope to see at events? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
Startup Monday: Kickstarter
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events.
As many of you know, Kickstarter is the world’s largest funding platform for creative projects. Every week, tens of thousands of people pledge millions of dollars to projects from the worlds of music, art, design, technology, film, publishing, games, fashion, food, and other creative fields. Since its launch in 2009, 5.8 million people have pledged $1 billion, funding 57,000 creative projects! They also recently won the most coveted award at the 7th Annual Tech Crunch Crunchies for Best Overall Startup of 2013!
What’s so great about Kickstarter is that each project is independently created. The unique creators have complete control over and responsibility for their projects. Creators are able to keep 100% ownership of their work, and backers support projects to help them come to life. Together, creators and backers make projects happen.
Kickstarter believes that creative projects make for a better world, and are thrilled to help support new ones. Anyone can launch a project on Kickstarter as long as it meets their deadlines. The startup is based in Brooklyn, New York and will support any creative minds! The Bay Area is filled with innovation and creativity, so if you have a project or idea you want to see come to life, Kickstarter is the right platform! Take a look at the thousands of projects launched from the San Francisco Bay Area or highlights from 2013, or the best projected Kickstarter projects of 2014.
What do you think of the Best Overall Startup of 2013?! Would you use it to launch a project? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
ABCey’s Weekend Lineup: 3.6.14 – 3.9.14
We can’t believe it’s already time to figure out our weekend plans! There are tons of unique events taking place in the Bay area, from Mardi Gras celebrations to music festivals and much more! Here are our top picks for the days ahead.
FEATURED EVENT | French Quarter Jack Daniels Mardi Gras Party | Supperclub | Friday, March 6th | 10pm| Become part of our Mardi Gras Mystic SOCIETY and celebrate! Dress up, eat, drink, and dance! There will be complimentary Jack Daniels tasting, a food tasting station, Jack Daniels VIP Bottle Service & Bar Specials, and Jack Daniels party favors. SF Club Hits will be playing all night long, and there will also be an aerial performance! The dress code is cocktail dresses for ladies, and men must be in collared shirts. No flip flops, hats, athletic attire, sweats, baggy jeans or shorts will be allowed.
1. The Time is Now – 20Mission Bitcoin Art Show & Meetup | 20Mission | Thursday, March 6th | 7pm Bitcoin inspires individuals around the world and certainly can spark creativity. On Thursday, March 6, 20Mission will host the first ever Bitcoin Inspired Art Show entitled, “The Time is Now”. As Bitcoin truly prompts individuals to rethink finances and the future of our financial system, now this innovative technology has also inspired artists. Bitcoin Magazine was pleased to learn of this event.
2. YMCA of San Francisco’s Third Annual Y for Youth Luncheon: Fire Up the Startups| Yerba Buena Center for the Arts | Friday, March 7th | 12pm |Because no start-up has more potential than our youth, the YMCA of San Francisco is pleased to offer opportunities to be a part of the next big thing at the 3rd annual Y For Youth Luncheon: Fire Up the StartUps, on Friday, March 7 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Join more than 400 corporate, philanthropic and community leaders who are investing in the community through their support of the YMCA of San Francisco, which serves 10,000 youth in SF, San Mateo and Marin counties every day.
3. The Art of Graffiti: “Letter Stylez” Workshop | 1AM Gallery | Saturday, March 8th | 12:30pm | Taught by the one and only Opaque, this class will cover a slideshow on various styles of graffiti lettering, a drawing lesson, and finally, piecing together your own letter style to go home with. In addition, the class comes with a complimentary KRINK paint marker. Get your ticket for the workshop here!
4. Nick Waterhouse, Boogaloo Assasins | Great American Music Hall | Saturday, March 8th | 8pm| Nick Waterhouse at just 25 is the New Breed – An R&B fanatic who combines an uncanny old-school sensibility with a charged, contemporary style. For Waterhouse, his muse is the over-modulated sound of vintage R&B, and his take on such a time-honored tradition evokes the back-alley thrill of New Orleans, Detroit and Memphis in their heyday. He combines an astute attention to detail with an honest desire to match the emotional impact of the music that inspires him.
5. Wes Anderson in 35mm | Roxie Theater | Saturday, March 8th | In anticipation for The Grand Budapest Hotel, the latest film from classic rock aficionado and saviour of Latin, Wes Anderson, San Francisco’s Roxie Theater will be hosting a retrospective of his filmography. Not only will every film be screened in 35mm — fitting for the retro-inspired director — but every ticket buyer for any screening is automatically enrolled in the Zissou Society Members which affords each member a ticket to a sneak preview of a new film on March 13th.
With so many great events to choose from, which ones stood out?! How do you plan to spend the weekend? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
Tech Tuesday: 5 Event Startups to Engage your Audience
The world of technology is constantly changing and is adding value to the event industry! Here at ABCey, we love to keep up on current startups and trends that can enhance the event experience for attendees. We did some digging to find 5 event startups that will engage your audience and make them active participants throughout your event.
1. Postano: Put your attendees in the spotlight and make them feel like social media rockstars through this unique platform! Bring your conversation to life at your next event by showcasing your attendees’ social content, tweets and Instagrams on social media displays. Attendees can actively participate rather than simply listen and this will enrich their experience and create visibility for your event.
2. Catchbox: The world’s first throwable microphone was created for audience engagement. It is a great way to get participants talking! Catchbox lowers the barrier for people to comment and present questions. The box comes in different bright colors and is easy to throw or pass from one audience member to the next, making participation easy and fun!
3. PowerVote: Maximize the value of your event by engaging your audience, encouraging your participants, and encouraging their feedback. If you want your to gather information about your audience’s opinion, PowerVote can instantly display voting results in an graphical format. Presentations can be directly streamed to the audience’s mobile devices and people can vote or provide feedback in the moment.
4. Sopreso: Through this unique platform, your audience can ask, comment, and like your presentation live. Once you develop a presentation and run Sopreso on your laptop, the audience can connect to the presentation with their smart devices. Additionally, this platform extends the lifetime of your presentation! You can easily follow up on your leads, answer all questions, and keep the community alive.
5. TweetWall Pro: A TweetWall offers a great opportunity to interact with audiences. Rather than asking a few audience members questions, inspire all attendees to share their thoughts. People can ask questions on Twitter and get live responses. Interesting topics can quietly be discussed, and interaction is highly encouraged. Onlookers of TweetWalls find it difficult not to participate, inspiring engagement from all viewers. Post event reports allow you to follow up with attendees directly!
With so many advances in technology, passive audience participation is coming to an end. We love each of these startups, and Postano really stands out to us because you can see what people are saying about your event and what popular topics of interest are, as well as create visibility for your event! Which of these unique event startups would you use to engage your audience members? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
RSA Conference: Find out what the Mobile App can do!
Today marks the first day of the RSA Conference! This yearly event began in 1991 and has become as a forum for cryptographers to gather and share the latest knowledge and advancements in the area of Internet security. The conference is taking place at the Moscone Center and the week will be filled with live keynote sessions, seminars, tutorials, networking and more! Here at ABCey, we are so excited to be producing FireEye’s Guardians of the Galaxy themed event this Wednesday in conjunction with RSA.
With so many opportunities to take advantage of this week, how will you build your schedule? The RSA Conference Mobile App is a great solution! This mobile app allows you to:
- View agenda items and explore sessions
- Build your personal schedule and manage meetings with fellow attendees
- Access speaker profiles, sponsor information, and find networking opportunities
- View interactive maps of the Moscone Center and of the expo floor
- Participate in the conversation on Twitter through the #RSAC stream
- Update – a quick way to share photos, comments, where you are, and which session you’re attending
- Activity – see what other people are doing, view photos of the event, find trending sessions and topics, and “like” and comment on other attendee check-ins
- Agenda – view the full agenda and related information (session time, room number, etc.)
- Attendees – see who is at the event and connect with them through the app
- Sponsors – find sponsors, check-in to leave comments and feedback
- Profile – you have an official app profile which highlights your name, profile photo, title, and company
ABCey’s Weekend Lineup 2.20.14 – 2.23.2014
With the weekend quickly approaching, we did some digging to find out how to spend our time! As usual, there are tons of events going on in the Bay Area! Let’s take a look at our favorites.
FEATURED EVENT| The San Francisco Bay Guardian Goldies Party |The Goldies stand for Guardians Outstanding Local Discovery Awards and it represents the Bay’s annual celebration of local filmmakers, dancers, choreographers, musicians, theater and visual artists who have made their mark on the Bay Area’s diverse art scene. There will be a late night happy hour and fundraiser following a private ceremony for the winners. Come support local arts and raise money for CounterPULSE, a non-profit that offers rehearsal and rental spaces for artists!
1. Integrated Marketing Communications | Thursday, February 20th – Friday, February 21st |Courtyard San Francisco Downtown | The American Marketing Association brings the Bay Area a workshop that will provide you with the essential building blocks for effective integration of traditional and inbound marketing approaches. Through case studies, exercises, and best practices, you will learn how to create an integrated marketing communications strategy and deliver an engaging brand experience that contributes to revenue generation and brand value. You will leave the workshop with an understanding of the building blocks that fuel the consumer experience path!
2. 2014 Pacific Orchid Exposition |Fort Mason Center’s Festival Pavillion | Friday, February 21st – Sunday, February 23rd | The San Francisco Orchid Society invites everyone to paint the town with “Orchids and All that Jazz” at its 62nd annual Pacific Orchid Exposition. The society’s mission is to foster the culture and cultivation of orchids and to promote orchid education to its members and the public. Exhibits and displays will incorporate musical creative concepts while accompanying music is playing throughout the show. The show boasts over 150,000 beautiful orchids from across the globe.
3. That 80’s Show |Madrone Art Bar | Friday, February 21st | 9 pm | Come check out DJ Dave Paul as he breaks down the 80s and reconstructs the decade! Cabbage Patch Kids, Rubik’s Cube, leggings, and shoulder pads are just a few things that come to mind. Whether your reliving your decade or experiencing what you missed, you’re sure to have a good time!
4. Wild Quest Kick off Event | Sports Basement | Saturday, February 22nd | 10 am | The Wild Quest Institute invites you to join the Wild Quest to save the endangered species in the Bay Area! Get outside, have fun, and save the national treasures around us. Wild Quest is a yearly competition made up of 10 “quests”. To complete each quest, you must see and help save the endangered species of the month. You have the chance to win prizes and collect points towards the end of the year $1000 award. This kick off event is a great way to start your quest and learn more about the yearly competition!
5. Bach’s Hercules | St. Mark’s Lutheran Church | Sunday, February 23rd | 4pm | American Bach Soloists’s 25th Season Bach Celebration continues with the composer’s Missa Brevis in G Major, the Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C Major, and Herkules auf dem Scheidewege (“Hercules at the Crossroads”), a delightful cantata about the mythic Hercules. Jeffrey Thomas lead’s a virtuoso orchestra, the American Bach Choir, and four sensational vocal soloists in this program celebrating Bach’s mastery of sacred, secular, and orchestral genres. Wind down the weekend with a truly unique performance!
With lots of different events to choose from, which ones stood out to you?! Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
Startup Monday: Education
Silicon Valley’s biggest event of the year is finally here! Tonight, we find out which companies will win Tech Crunchies Awards. Here at ABCey, we decided to dive into those nominated for Best Education Startup. We think each company in this category has made valuable contributions to changing the face of education. Let’s take a look at the nominees!
1. Code.org: This non-profit organization is committed to growing computer programming education. This startup believes every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science, and the subject should be included in the core curriculum of U.S. education. Code.org’s mission is to spread the word that there is a worldwide shortage of computer programmers, and that it is much easier to learn to program than you think. Online courses, brick + mortar schools, and summer camps can provide students with computer programming education!
2. CreativeLIVE: The world’s leading live, online classroom is designed for creative entrepreneurs. This startup is transforming the $100 billion continuing education market by offering complete access to the brightest teachers in the world via a social and interactive video platform. Anyone in the world can watch the live-streamed classes for free. Copies of the courses are available to purchase at any time. Since the company was founded in 2010, more than one million students from over 200 countries have utilized the platform, and popular classes have attracted more than 150,000 students!
3. Duolingo: This free language learning service is fun and user-friendly! While you are learning a new language, the users help translate the web, completing sentences, and rating other users’ translations. This startup offers courses in Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Portuguese! An independent study was conducted that proves Duolingo trumps university-level language learning. The app is also available for iPhones and Androids so you can be productive on the go!
4. Khan Academy: A free world-class education is available for anyone anywhere. This educational non-profit produces a collection of free online micro lectures on various subjects such as mathematics, finance, physics, computer science, history, astronomy, economics, chemistry, and biology. Game mechanics are also incorporated to reward students with badges for reaching certain skill levels. Khan Academy’s resources and materials are available to anyone and it is free of charge. Stats are available to track what you’ve been learning and whether or not you are hitting your goals.
5. Treehouse: Affordable technology education is available for people everywhere! In order to help subscribers learn web design, development, and iOS development, Treehouse uses short videos, quizzes, and badges. The service comes at a cost of $29 to $49 dollars per month. You are guided each step of the way. To start, just hop onto a track. Tracks offer guided pathways through the content. Content is structured in a way that makes it quite simple for you to learn skills within a specific role.
Technology is truly changing the dynamic of education and educational resources are readily available for professors and students with access to the web. Each of these startups are helping people achieve their dreams. Which one do you think should win an award? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
ABCey’s Weekend Lineup 2.6.14 – 2.9.14
Don’t let the rain stand in the way of getting out this weekend! There are tons of awesome events going on, and we can’t wait to share our favorite picks! Our Weekend Lineup features a great mix of activities including tech mixers, a Film Festival, a Valentine’s themed 5k dash, and more.
FEATURED EVENT | Startup & Tech Mixer| 181 Third Street |Friday, February 7th| 5pm | San Francisco is a city filled with startups and tech companies! The Startup & Tech organization creates opportunities for learning, inspiration, and creation. The platform fosters an environment where participants can have interactions with the best and brightest of today’s innovators. This fun experience will include music, interactive exhibits, art displays, a speaker series with 4 dynamic panels and more! Get your tickets for this can’t miss event.
1. CrowdFunding Movement Extravaganza| 111 Minna|Thursday, February 6th |6-10 pm| The CrowdFunding Movement is throwing a party to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Come enjoy delicious sweets and drink specials at the city’s premier entrepreneurship event made possible by Crowdfunders for Crowdfunders. Product designers and developers will participate in a Keynote Speaker Series to showcase how they are using crowdfunding and technologies to startup. Entry is free, so get your tickets now!
2. SF Independent Film Fest | Roxie and Brava Theaters |Ongoing from February 6th|One of the cities biggest film festivals, also known as SF Indie, celebrates its “Sweet 16th” and kicks off this weekend! This annual festival showcases the best in independent, alternative, and subversive cinema from all around the globe. Screenings will be held at the Roxie and Brava Theaters in SF and at the New Parkway in Oakland. Don’t forget to attend the awesome parties such as the annual Disco costume party and The Big Lebowski party! Check out the full lineup and ticket information.
3. Food from The Heart| Ferry Plaza |Friday, February 7th |5-7:30 pm|Come out to stroll the candlelit Grand Nave where the Marketplace merchants and restaurateurs will be offering seasonal hors d’oeuvres ($2-4 each) and Slow Food will pour wine from different wine bars($6-8 per glass). The proceeds of these purchases benefit Slow Food San Francisco. Additionally, you can take advantage of the marketplace shops open until 8pm for Valentine shopping!
4. Salted featuring DJ Spinna|Mighty|Saturday, February 8th |6-10 pm|Best known around these parts for his Wonderfull Stevie Wonder tribute nights and Michael Jackson vs. Prince “soul slam” events, DJ Spinna makes his way back to the Bay from Brooklyn. He will debut at the soulful house haven Salted. As both a producer and DJ, Spinna has deep roots in house, soul, funk, and hip-hop. We can definitely expect to hear an eclectic mix from him!
5. San Francisco Valentine’s Day Dash 5K|Music Concourse, Golden Gate Park|Sunday, February 9th |9am|Come out for this Valentine’s day themed run/walk where people can participate individually or as a two-person team! There will be a costume contest, participant shirts, Tunnel of Love sign making area, free food and drink, and a finish-line festival beer garden! There is also a free kids dash for children 10 & under.
Let us know which one’s you will be attending in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter! Stay warm & dry kids!