Save the Date!
MPI Cascadia 2013. March 3 – 5, 2013 at Doubletree by Hilton Portland.

What is the Cascadia Educational Conference?
The Cascadia Educational Conference is a joint regional conference for the Oregon and Washington State chapters of Meeting Professionals International. Cascadia features educational breakouts, motivating keynotes and opportunities for meeting planners and suppliers to network and connect in the hosted buyer program and the tradeshow.

I am a meeting planner, how should I attend?
Meeting planners can attend as a standard attendee or in the hosted buyer program. For more information on the hosted buyer program, check out the tradeshow page.

I am a supplier, how should I attend?
Suppliers can attend as a standard attendee or by participating in the hosted buyer or tradeshow program. For more information on those programs, check out the tradeshow page.

I am not a Meeting Professionals International member, can I still attend?
Anyone can attend the conference. Find more information on the pricing and lodging page.

As your conference chairs, we are looking forward to welcoming you to the Cascadia Educational Conference. The theme for the conference this year is grow! As an attendee, you have the opportunity to grow your business by meeting new contacts and to grow yourself professionally through educational sessions. We have been working hard to bring you an unforgettable conference, We look forward to seeing you at the Doubletree by Hilton in March.

Kick off your holiday shopping at the Oregon Historical Society’s Holiday Cheer event, an annual book sale and author celebration. Over 70 authors will gather at the Oregon Historical Society (1200 SW Park Avenue, Downtown Portland) on Sunday, December 2, to sign and sell their latest books. The museum is open from noon – 5 p.m., and authors will be signing until 4 p.m. In its 45th year, Holiday Cheer is a chance to celebrate the rich literary talents in Oregon, and marks the start to the holiday season at the Oregon Historical Society.

This year, authors will be spread throughout the museum, selling everything from cookbooks, to children’s books, to fiction, and of course, history books. All featured authors have published a book in 2012, though many will also have on hand their past titles. A full list of featured authors and descriptions of their books can be found at http://ohs.org/shop/holiday‐cheer.cfm.

To add to the holiday cheer, local favorite “The Dickens Carolers” will be strolling through the museum performing lively holiday songs from 1 – 2 PM. Plus, enjoy tasty holiday dessert samples from Jane Barthelemy, author of the new cookbook Paleo Desserts. Sip on a cup of hot cider as you chat with local authors and get a jump start on your holiday shopping (or pick up a few gifts for yourself)!

Admission to Holiday Cheer is $5, and is free for OHS members, Multnomah County residents, and children 17 and under. Event admission also includes access to all of our current museum exhibits, including our latest original exhibit on the Columbus Day Storm, “The Mightiest Wind.” Visit www.ohs.org for a list of current exhibits.

Attend the 17th annual Bravo! live show October 24th, 2012
11am – 5pm at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland.

Featuring over 200 industry experts!!!

The Bravo! live show features experienced vendors of the hospitality and meeting industry. The show provides an interactive experience showcasing businesses in the industry. This applies to any event – whether you’re planning a large convention, corporate meeting, team-building, golf tournament, or any other type of event. Every necessary resource and service will be available for inquiry and consultation at the show. This event is a unique showcase where all types of event and meetings planners attend because it provides the opportunity for any planner to meet vendors of the industry and plan an event all in one afternoon!

Bravo! has Raised the Roof off the Oregon Convention Center
Experience the exclusive roof top party!
Sit in the lounge and enjoy live entertainment all day from specialty performers.

Roof Top Stage Performers:
John Ross Music & Production
Hula Halau ‘Ohana Holo’oko’a
J-FELL Presents
SugarPine
Patrick Lamb
Fred Astaire Dance Studios
Dance Hall Days

Register to attend FREE Seminars
Hire your next speaker, pick-up planning tips and more!

An Interactive and Entertaining Ballroom Makeover
Speaker: Royce Mason, Royce’s Prop Shop

How to Market Sustainability to Your Attendees
Presented by the Green Meetings Industry Council

Galvanizing Your Business with Word of Mouth Marketing
Speaker: Patrick Galvin, Galvin Communications

Geoteaming Goose Chase – A Cell Phone Photo Scavenger Hunt
Speaker: John Chen, Geoteaming

Strategies to Stretch Your Event Budget
Speaker: Misty Damico, Event Producer
and Oregon Chapter President of NACE

Register here to attend FREE seminars
For Detailed information regarding the free seminars click here

Plus… there will be opportunities to win fantastic prizes and lots of delectable samples from some of the best caterers, restaurants, and bar tenders in the area! Experience everything the vendors have to offer, have fun and plan your next event at Bravo! live!

Register Now! Admission is complimentary to anyone planning an event!

Get your FREE copy of the 2013 Bravo! Event resource Guidebook!

For more information and to register for the show visit: www.bravoliveshow.com

Local nonprofit Lake Oswego Hunt Club (LOH) turns 75 this year and will celebrate with a Family Fun Day on September 30. Proceeds from the event will go toward maintenance of LOH’s historic structure. Open to the public, the Family Fun Day will feature horse demonstrations (Dressage and Jumping); pony rides, kids’ games and crafts, 75 vintage cars from many eras, wine tasting and food. Visitors will have a chance to enter a raffle for prizes donated by area businesses.

Cost: $25 for families (three people or more), $10 for individuals.

Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. To purchase tickets in advance (recommended), email lohunt75@gmail.com and include contact information and the number of tickets sought.

(Parking at Lake Oswego Hunt Club will be available for $1. Carpooling and biking are encouraged.)

Family Fun Day

When: September 30, 2012, noon to 5 p.m.

Where: 2725 Southwest Iron Mountain Blvd., 
Lake Oswego, Oregon 97034

Wine Tasting and Historical Talk

When: September 30, 2012, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Where: 2725 Southwest Iron Mountain Blvd., 
Lake Oswego, Oregon 97034

Lake Oswego Hunt Club alums and friends will gather to share stories and photos of LOH’s rich history.  Long-time LOH member and historian Adrianne Brockman will be on hand to provide a historic overview and sell signed copies of her recently completed book on the Lake Oswego Hunt Club’s history, with proceeds benefitting LOH. (No additional charge for this event.)

About Lake Oswego Hunt Club

For seventy-five years, nonprofit Lake Oswego Hunt Club has been part of the community offering riding instruction for new and established riders.  LOH also offers horse stabling and special events for the riding community. Located on 19 acres in the beautiful Iron Mountain neighborhood of Lake Oswego, LOH has the oldest and largest wooden bow truss arena in the West. On January 4, 1987 Lake Oswego Hunt was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Over the years, Lake Oswego Hunt Club has been home to fox hunts, polo events, drill team activities, Standardbred trotters, fine harness ponies and a pony club. Hunters, Jumpers, Dressage and Three Day Eventing continue as active programs along with a thriving Riding Academy that offers lessons and summer camps.

For more information about the Lake Oswego Hunt Club Family Fun Day, please Click Here.

Bravo! Wedding & Event partners with local businesses to showcase the Willamette Valley event industry

September 19, 2012 | Salem Conference Center

Bravo! has once again partnered with local business sponsors Class Act Event Coordinators, Travel Salem and Salem Conference Center to produce the second annual Willamette Valley Event Showcase of the Hospitality & Meeting Industry. This event features top local area businesses in the event industry under one roof for qualified planners to interview for their upcoming events.

“We are so looking forward to having the BRAVO! Willamette Valley Showcase at the Salem Conference Center for the second year. The first year was such a great success and this is such a wonderful opportunity for conference, meeting and event planners to come experience what our region has to offer,” stated Debbie McCune, Vice President of Travel Salem.

Evidence has indicated that more money is being spent on hospitality. According to the State of Oregon’s Office of Economic Analysis, “leisure and hospitality, after suffering greatly throughout the recession, had a nice bounce back in 2011 and into early 2012.”

“I truly believe in this area of the state,” Mary Lou Burton, owner of Bravo! Wedding & Event said. “The Willamette Valley is a stunning backdrop and it is my goal to promote it as a destination for weddings and events. The people in this region have everything right in their backyard – vineyards, orchards, barns and nurseries all provide really unique venues for companies and brides. Plus – companies looking to maintain profitability need to motivate and inspire their employees with team building, events and incentives.”

The Willamette Valley Event Showcase is free to any person planning a meeting, fundraiser, holiday party, wedding or social event. It will feature new and creative ideas for keeping events exciting and affordable. Bravo! has invited organizations such as Meeting Professionals International and Society of Government Planners to come see all that the region offers as well.

Go to www.bravoevent.com/willamettevalleyevent for more information and free registration.

Bravo! Wedding & Event is a locally-owned company in Lake Oswego, Ore. and promotes businesses through its websites and resource guides. It also produces four shows a year – Willamette Valley Event Showcase, Bravo! Live, and the Fall and Winter Wedding Affairs.

Contact: Aimee McAuliffe, Show Manager, Bravo! Wedding & Event, 503.675.1380 or aimee@bravoportland.com.

Willamette Valley Event Showcase

WOW! Bravo! Live exceeded our expectations and that of both vendors and attendees. Not only did we see excellent attendance but we had multiple people tell us during and after the show how much fun they had and how great everything was. For some Bravo! Publication employees and attendees it was their very first show and for others, it was a welcome gathering of old colleagues and friends. It was unanimously decided that it was Bravo’s best show ever and for very good reason. With the endless help of the Oregon Convention Center we were able to produce a seamless show that drew an amazing amount of attendees. Plus with our amazing group of vendors we were simply blown away by people’s creativity, hospitality and unique products.

The theme this year was Destination Northwest and immediately as you walked into the exhibit hall you were transported to a lush, inviting entryway that directly reflected how inspiring our landscape is. Just by walking around and seeing the different array of booths you could sense that it took a tremendous amount of work, most of the vendors working late into the night before getting everything to look just right. The collection of vendors that participated put on a fantastic show and many said that Bravo! Live is their favorite event of the year.

Many vendors also commented that they saw a tremendous amount of foot traffic and emphasized that it was the right type of foot traffic, making valuable connections with event planners from all types of industries. We were thrilled to hear this feedback because that is Bravo’s number one goal for putting on this type of event.

Hybrid Moon put together a great video for us which they recorded, edited and uploaded directly from the event, right from their iPhone! Check it out below:

Bravo! Event Live 2011 Tour • Shot, Editied and Uploaded using an iPhone 4

Again, this event was spectacular and the only way it was possible was with the joint efforts of so many hardworking and creative people. For us, it’s our biggest event of the year but also a chance for people to come together and do business in a way that is fun, interactive and unique. The success of this event inspires us to make the Bravo! Wedding Affair even more of a triumph. As the year winds down the work picks up and we thrive off the positive feedback we get from vendors and attendees after our shows.

People came hungry and the caterers did not disappoint- we’d list all the amazing food but the photos from Andie Petkus Studios simply speak for themselves! Take a look at the pictures below and make sure to check out the entire gallery from the show here.

Again, thank you to everyone involved and who came and here’s to next year’s show!

Peter Corvallis Production’s amazing booth. We loved the colors and mounted deer head!

Thursday, July 21, 2011, 7am-5pm, Oregon Convention Center

Hear expert speakers, Network, Learn new growth strategies

Portland Business Journal is offering a 20% discount for people registering that are Bravo! Advertisers. Call 503.219.3423 to register and they will give you a special code to receive the discount.

Schedule of Events:

7am-8am  Registration and Continental breakfast, Exhibit hall opens

8am-9:30am Leadership Workshop from Disney Institute-Disney’s approach to quality service

10:00am-11am Breakout Sessions

1- Financing Growth

2- Growing and protecting your brand

11:30am-12:45pm  Keynote Speaker- Harvey Mackay

Boxed Lunch served during speaker

1:15pm-2:15pm Breakout Sessions

1. Technology As Tools for Growth

2. Recruit, Retain & Remove

2:30pm-4pm  Leadership Workshop from Disney Institute- Disney’s approach to Business Excellence

4pm-5pm Networking Reception- Beer & Wine Bar

The sun is finally out and the days are longer. Looking for something to do outside? Check out Portland Spirit River Cruises. They offer cruises on the Willamette River and the Columbia River departing from downtown Portland and you can do a lunch, dinner or brunch cruise with fresh Northwest cuisine. You can also step aboard the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler from Cascade Locks.

 Friday evenings are the perfect time to cruise on the river and listen to sounds from kink.fm. They have a summer concert series beginning in July. Check out the website for more information and to sign-up.

They have several different boats available for private events and weddings. You can see the options on the website or schedule a tour!

What a great way to spend a sunny day or evening.