On October 27th the BC event industry turned out in style at the 15th Annual CSEME West Expo and Awards. The stunning Rocky Mountaineer Station was once again a lead partner and home to the action packed event which drew over 700 planners and suppliers for a one day event extravaganza.
World class speakers & bestselling authors Azim Jamal and Alanna Fero took to the stage to share their wisdom on life and balance, while local event stars including Rachel Johns, Mike Granek CSEP, Eileen Bistrisky CSEP, Tania Newman, Christopher Jodoin, Darren Dreger, Karran Finlay, Brock Lumsden, David Clark, Michelle McGillivray, Joanne Burns Miller, Nicole Steeves, Corwin Heibert and Stacy Wyatt engaged, enlightened and educated delegates on the finer points of planning and design. A highlight of the event was the interactive painting session by Vancouver’s Raw Canvas.
The gorgeous CSEME event tent, which housed both the conference and evening party portion of CSEME was sponsored along with all of its interior fittings, flooring and heating by BC’s leading tent & rental firm the Rental Network, led by owner and partner Dan Barry. Hats off to Dan and his team went way beyond to ensure the CSEME venues were inviting, safe, warm and of course beautifully designed.
Dan’s team also provided the catering tents and the ISES Bistro tent where delegates could grab a quick bite throughout the 2 days of the show. ISES Vancouver did a stellar job organizing the eatery as their contribution to the show and Gourmet Cuisine shined with their delicious and trendy food service. Delegates raved it was the best and most “gourmet” food they had ever had at a “work conference”
Inside the tents and the Rocky Mountaineer Station Christopher Jodoin, of Christopher J Designs created a beautiful and functional interior using stunning white and chrome furniture provided by Fireworks Event Furniture. SW Audio Visual along with Showtime Rentals provided the AV, Sound, Lighting, Show Services and rentals for the entire 2 day event inside the tents and the venue itself and did an incredibly impressive job of ensuring a smooth and seamless production. SW and Showtime are without a doubt the ones to watch to 2011! They are the most progressive and adaptable company CSEME has ever worked with in 15 years. Their quality and customer service was outstanding and their team amazing to work with.
On the 27th, conference activities continued throughout the morning and at 11:00 AM the Trade Show opened to an eager crowd. The show floor was beautifully done with exhibitors sparing no expense to create one of a kind, stunning displays.
Delegates were commenting all afternoon on how creative the booths were and how so much effort went into the event from an exhibitor stand point. It’s a testament to the show that everyone brought their A Game, knowing the audience would be filled with buyers and end user clients looking for ideas, suppliers and new products. In the Tent, Travis Bernhardt, Vancouver Theatre Sports and the highly entertaining Vaudeville act Flying not Falling entertained from the Main Stage.
Highlights of the CSEME West 2010 Show floor included the Creatix Booth which opened the show with its impressive walk through fog screens; the Table Top Theme Challenge (both pro and delegate) which were spectacular and the center of attention all day, the casino tables and adult bouncy castle provided by BC Event Makers which were busy all day. The fun and relaxing Oxygen Bar from Second Wind was also a big hit; Steam works had their signature beers on hand and Gourmet Cuisine brought out the tasty treats while MPI, CSES and ISES All brought some super creative accents to their exhibits
At 6:00 the Tent, re opened for the 2nd Annual BC Event Awards Celebration & Industry Party with a new sultry evening lounge look thanks to Christopher J and Eric Doucet (SW AV) and the team of volunteers for their lightning speed 60 minute turnover. Hosted by Alan Smithson and his new EMULATOR touch screen DJ Booth, the party featured fabulous gourmet food stations and designer beverages provided by Steamworks and Rogue Kitchen, interactive entertainment by Party Impressions, Bright Ideas and Cruelty Free Cartoon along with massage and pampering stations by Simply Relaxing.
The city’s top planners turned out for the event including Martin Van Keken, MVKA, John Donnelly, John Donnelly & Associates, Brock Lumsden, BLD Décor & Scenery, Emily Edwards, Destination Planners, Paul Runnells BrandLive, Jonathon Buchwold, Prime, David Clark, BCEM, Tom Stulberg, Fireworks along with power players from Cantrav, Culinary Capers, Debut Event Design, Patrick Roberge Productions, GLOBE and many more.
It was an exciting night as top honors were given out and the competition got fierce as some of the biggest events in the world were up for awards including the Opening Ceremonies of the Paralympic Games. Thank you again to all the sponsors, staff and volunteers who helped make the CSEME West and the BCEA a very special experience and a true success. A special thank you to Vancouver Art Institute for the Volunteers, and the incredible teams at Rental Network (Dan Barry) SW Audio Visual (Eric Doucet) and Showtime (David Hay) for their tremendous support and commitment to make the event successful.
Next up, CSEME2011 National and the Star Awards, Canada’s only National Industry Conference & Awards March 23-25, Toronto ON. Registration opens Nov 30th and the Call for Entries for the Star Awards is available now
  
 
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