The Top 100 Events in Canada 2019, Plus the Importance of Embracing Local Culture and Other Insights From a Global Event Producer

1. CLIMATE ACTIVIST GRETA THUNBERG CRITICIZES WORLD LEADERS AT U.N. SUMMIT: Young climate activist Greta Thunberg on Monday spoke at the United Nations Climate Action Summit, criticizing world leaders for failing to address climate change. "This is all wrong. I shouldn't be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you have come to us young people for hope. How dare you,” said Thunberg. CBS News: “Thunberg recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of the start of her climate change movement. Last August, she began striking by herself outside the Swedish parliament, and soon, students around the world began walking out of school, demanding action from their governments.”

2. MARINE CORPS DROPS ANNIVERSARY EVENT AT MAR-A-LAGO: The West Palm Beach Marine Corps has canceled its 244th birthday event at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. The 4th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, also called the 4th Anglico, will instead host the annual gala at its gymnasium-style headquarters. No discounts were given, no money would have been raised, and no tax dollars would have been spent at the president’s private club. The Palm Beach Post: “‘We went from dinner tables at Mar-a-Lago to picnic tables in a gymnasium,’ said a senior officer with the 4th Anglico and former member of the planning committee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The unit already had advertised tickets online and hired shuttle buses to ensure ball goers got home safely. ‘We can’t plan another ball now.’”

3. EMMY RATINGS HIT NEW LOW: Ratings for the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards hit a record low, drawing 6.9 million viewers. The hostless ceremony, which aired on Fox, saw a 32 percent drop in viewers compared to the 2018 ceremony on NBC. Deadline: "In addition, the decline this year from the last time Fox had the Emmys in 2015 is a hard-to-swallow 42 percent. In terms of the key demo of adults 18-49 …well, they’ve tuned out it seems, even with big wins by the much-watched Game of Thrones for its final season. Pulling in a 1.6 rating among the 18-49s, the metric was also an Emmy low."

INDUSTRY NEWS: David Ellis has been appointed senior vice president, digital and social media, at Sharp Communications. Ellis was most recently vice president, digital, at Edelman, working with brands including Samsung, CVS, and Comcast.

HOLLYWOOD, FLA.: Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood’s Rock Spa & Salon is set to open October 24, with reservations beginning October 1. The 42,000-square-foot luxury spa, salon, and fitness center offers 21 individual treatment rooms, as well as a co-ed lap pool, hot and cold plunge pools, and sauna.

LOS ANGELES: Vanity Fair’s New Establishment Summit will take place October 21-23 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and will bring together entrepreneurs, politicians, intellectuals, and cultural icons for in-depth discussions. Speakers include Gwyneth Paltrow, Ted Sarandos of Netflix, Bob Bakish of Viacom, and more.

MIAMI: Virgin Hotels announced plans to open and operate a new hotel, Virgin Hotels Miami. It will be managed by Virgin Hotels, developed by Blue Jay Capital with Blur Workshop as the architect, and is slated to open in 2023. The 40-story hotel, which will be located in the Brickell neighborhood, will feature over 15,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The hotel is slated to break ground in 2020.

NEW YORK: Vegandale Festival will take place September 28 at Randall’s Island Park from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The event will feature vendors such as Snackrilege from Oregon, Eat Love from California, and local favorites such as Berben and Wolff’s.