Awards ceremonies, must-see trade shows and festivals are among the annual highlights on the American calendar. The upcoming gatherings attract thousands of attendees and millions on television that celebrate the best of last year and showcase the best to come.
International CES
January 10-13,
Las Vegas Convention Center/Las Vegas Hilton
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is one of the world's largest consumer technology trade shows. Exhibitors include high-profile tech companies with the launches of groundbreaking gadgets and state-of-the-art products. Begun in 1967, this event has grown into an annual "must-see" event attracting 127,000 for technology enthusiasts. Similar to SINOCES in China, GITEX in Dubai, and others.
http://www.cesweb.org/
106th North American International Auto Show
January 9-22
Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan
NAIAS is the biggest auto event in the US and one of the key shows in the industry, located in the hometown of the Big Three US automakers. It draws 800,000 visitors and exhibitors from around the world with vehicle unveilings, concept cars and Design Awards with an increasing focus on showcasing green innovations. Annual shows also occur in NYC and Los Angeles, and worldwide from Frankfort to Shanghai.
http://www.naias.com
69th Golden Globe Awards
January 15, 5 pm PT/8 pm ET
Beverly Hills, California
The Golden Globes, presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, recognizes outstanding achievements in film and television. The show is telecast live to 150 countries from the Beverly Hills Hotel. The voting body consists of journalists, similar to the Broadcast Critics Awards, and not industry peers like the Academy Awards. Also, instead of formal seats like the Oscars, the ceremony is a dinner party for nominees.
http://www.goldenglobes.org
27th Sundance Film Festival
January 19-29
Park City, Utah
Founded by Robert Redford, Sundance is a premier showcase for US and international independent films. Up to 200 dramatic and documentary films by international filmmakers are screened in competitive and non-competitive sections. Attracting 40,000 attendees it draws Hollywood stars and execs seeking tomorrow's Oscar wins. Tribeca and SXSW also focus on indie films, unlike major fests at Berlin, Cannes and Toronto.
http://www.sundance.org/festival
46th Super Bowl XLVI
February 5
Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, Indiana
The championship game of the major American football leagues is the most watched program on US television. With 106.5 million viewers Super Bowl Sunday is a de facto holiday. Custom-made commercials are as anticipated as the halftime show, which Madonna will perform in 2012. On Fox-TV in the US, Sky in the UK, ESPN in Brazil and Italy and other local networks around the world. The US equivalent to the FIFA World Cup for ‘soccer' and Rose Bowl for US college football teams.
http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/46
54th Grammy Awards
February 12
Los Angeles, California
This celebrated award for music artists is voted on by members of the recording industry, covering a wide range of genres, including classical, jazz, pop, rock, hip-hop, country and Latin. The Grammy's televised live event from the downtown Staples Center features performances by nominees. The top award crossing all genres are Album of the Year, Record of the Year for the best song, Song of the Year to the writer/composer and Best New Artist. Other music awards include the AMA and People's Choice which fans vote for. The UK presents the Brit Awards and Canadians have the Juno.
www.grammy.com
84th Academy Awards
February 26, 5:30 pm PT
Hollywood, California
Also known as the Oscars, the iconic ceremony is presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to honor excellence in films and its professionals. The oldest and most revered film awards show is televised live from the Kodak Theatre in more than 200 countries and viewed by up to 55 million. Voting consists of industry peers for categories from acting to documentaries, and the ultimate prize is Best Picture. The 2011 event will be hosted by Eddie Murphy. The BAFTAs are Britain's equivalent. The Spirit Independent Awards are an alternative to honor less mainstream Hollywood fare.
www.oscars.org
TED2012
February 27-March 2
Long Beach, California
TED, an acronym for Technology Entertainment Design, brings together scientific pioneers, visionaries, musicians and provocateurs from around the world for its renowned 18-minute talks to ‘spread ideas.' Presentations feature dazzling technology, and leading-edge science, innovative creativity and interconnection. There are 900 talks online for free and viewed by millions. Gatherings continue to grow, extending to TEDGlobal in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer. The main event simulcasts worldwide at ‘x' sites.
http://www.TED.com
26th SXSW Conference & Festival
March 9-18
Austin, Texas
By day, SXSW is a media extravaganza with three overlapping events focused on music, indie films and emerging digital technologies. The conference features speakers, workshops and a trade show. By night, the festival features film screenings and premieres and 2,000 bands from around the world perform at venues across the city for 16,000 entertainment fans, industry players and artists. The CMJ fest in New York holds a similar event in the fall and Winter Music Conference in Miami for electronica.
http://www.sxsw.com
43rd New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
April 27-May 6
New Orleans, Louisiana
A 10-day cultural feast filled with thousands of musicians and an audience of 400,000 enjoying music on 12 stages, spanning genres from blues to R&B and African to Latin. Artists have included Senegal's Youssou N'Dour to Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Connick Jr. and B.B. King. Arts, crafts and cuisine are also features of this hybrid fair combining the Mardi Gras spirit and summer jazz fests around the world.
http://www.nojazzfest.com
111th BookExpo America
June 5-7
Javits Center, New York, NY
BookExpo America is the premier book fair in North America and the world's largest English-language book event. More than 1,500 exhibitors, 500 authors and 30,000 visitors are expected to attend. In 1902, Mark Twain was the featured author and this year digital books will be in the spotlight. Other major North American book fairs occur in Los Angeles, Miami, Washington DC, and Guadalajara, Mexico.
http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/
42nd Comic-Con International
July 12-15
San Diego, California
The Comic-Con conference of comic books, science fiction and fantasy is one of the world's largest comic events, attracting 130,000 attendees. Sessions feature well-known artists and writers from Marvel, DC Comics and graphic novelists, and stars of film and television with directors previewing superhero and fantasy movies and shows. Highlights of this otherworldly event includ exclusive collectibles on the exhibit floor and the masquerade. New York hosts a fall Comic-Con event and WonderCon happens in April.
http://www.comic-con.org
37th Toronto International Film Festival
September dates TBA
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
A premiere North American cinema event, timed prior to awards season, the 10-day Toronto Festival has launched the best of international, Hollywood and Canadian cinema. The event in located at its new home in the Entertainment District, drawing a half-million attendees to screen 336 films from 65 countries, along with panel discussions and workshops. It joins Berlin, Cannes, Venice, and Shanghai as one of the top accredited film festivals in the world.
http://www.tiff.net
10th Open House New York
Mid-October dates TBA
New York, New York
OHNY offers tours of 350 buildings across New York City, normally closed to the public. The viewing and guided walks include landmarks including Grand Central Station and the Chrysler Building lobby, artists' studios, and peeks inside historic famous homes, such as Mark Twain and Louis Armstrong. Access is free, attracting 200,000 visitors. Inspired by Open House in London, the events spread to Australia, Canada, and Israel.
http://www.ohny.org/
106th Los Angeles Auto Show 2011
November TBA
Los Angeles, California
The LA Auto Show traditionally focuses on green vehicles which are rapidly becoming more commonplace on the streets of Los Angeles. Expect a host of forward-thinking debuts from the world's manufacturers, along with some wacky concepts from the manufacturers LA-based auto design studios. Also the results of the Green Car of the Year award is normally announced at the show's Press Preview Days. The west coast version of shows in Detroit and New York, and worldwide.
http://www.laautoshow.com
Black Friday and Green Monday
4th Friday in November and 2nd Monday in December
The day after the Thanksgiving holiday in the US marks the biggest shopping day of the year for retailers. The name refers to stores going "in the black" and earning profits. The long weekend gives consumers a jump on Christmas shopping with stores open as early as 3 am and offering super sales. The following Monday, named ‘Cyber Monday' for the amount of business on e-commerce sites, has extended to Green Monday on the day when online shopping peaks, often the second week in December when free shipping deals guarantee package arrival before Christmas.
11th Art Basel Miami Beach
Early December TBA
Miami Beach, Florida
As the sister event of Switzerland's famed art show, Art Basel Miami Beach is North America's premier art show, attracting more than 40,000 visitors. The fair hosts over 250 leading art galleries and showcases artwork from more than 2,000 international artists in the contemporary art scene. There are seminars, tours, public art installations and parties. Other events include Design Miami, Photo Miami and Scope Art Fair featuring cutting-edge art works in the Wynwood Arts District.
http://www.artbaselmiamibeach.com
RC