Kicking off the opening night of CES on Thursday, January 6, 2011, we're excited to have comedian Baratunde Thurston, The Onion's director of digital, hosting the Mashable Awards Gala at the Cirque du Soleil Zumanity theater at the New York New York Hotel. The gala will feature a special Cirque du Soleil Zumanity performance, as well as the DJ/VJ stylings of remix masters Eclectic Method.
These are just a few of the reasons to attend this year's Mashable Awards Gala.
1. The Mashable Awards Winners
After receiving nearly a million nominations, we're going to announce this year's winners at the Gala. Attendees will be the first to find out who the winners are, many of whom will be in attendance to accept their awards. Come celebrate with the winners. Check out the complete list of finalists to see who is nominated for each category.
2. Pete Cashmore & the Mashable Team
Along with the the Mashable Awards Gala, Mashable team members will be on the exhibit floor covering CES. We’ll be bringing you the latest news, interviews and live streams from all of the hottest keynotes, booths and conference sessions. Mashable's Pete Cashmore, Adam Ostrow, Adam Hirsch, Sharon Feder, Ben Parr, Vadim Lavrusik, Christina Warren, Stacy Green, Karen Hartline and special guest presenters will join Thurston and Eclectic Method in announcing and celebrating this year's winners.
3. Special Performances
The event will feature the VJ/DJ stylings of Eclectic Method, who will play a full set prior to the awards show, and it will also feature a special Cirque du Soleil Zumanity performance and the comedic stylings of our host, Baratunde Thurston. If you've ever seen Thurston perform, you know that he's someone you don't want to miss and will have you laughing all night long.
4. Antoine Dodson
The "Bed Intruder Song" from Auto-Tune the News, which featured Antoine Dodson, was the most-watched, non-major label video on YouTube this year with 47.5 million views. The auto-tuned parody of a news cast inspired hundreds of others to create their own videos as a tribute. The song even hit the Billboard Hot 100 across every single genre.
Dodson, the man who was auto-tuned, will be speaking at the gala.
5. Prizes, People, Fun
One lucky Mashable Awards attendee will win the last spot to the Focus Global Test Drive in Spain. During the Mashable Awards, at the entrance of the New York New York Hotel in Las Vegas, there will be a 2012 Ford Focus. Simply take a picture with the car and tweet the photo with the hashtag #FordCES. That's it! One lucky person will be chosen at random from all the completed tweets. The winner will be announced live during the Mashable Awards Gala by J Mays, Group Vice President of Design and Chief Creative Officer of the Ford Motor Company.
Also, BlackBerry will be giving away upgrades to the Mashable Awards VIP section. All you'll need to do is follow BlackBerry on Foursquare, check in at the BlackBerry table using #bbtweettoseat when you arrive at the Zumanity Theater for your chance to win! There are a limited number of exclusive seats and they’re going to fill up fast, so see you at the BlackBerry table on January 6!
Of course aside from the prizes, you'll have a chance to mix it up and have fun with social media and tech influencers.
6. A Not-to-Be-Missed After Party
The Mashable Awards Gala After Party, sponsored by BlackBerry, will start immediately following the show at ROK club in the New York New York Hotel and Casino, just a short walk from the Zumanity theater. Join us for dancing to a DJ mix, open bar and a dram of The Macallan.
The Mashable Awards Gala at CES (Vegas)
In partnership with Cirque du Soleil, The Mashable Awards Gala event will bring together the winners and nominees, the Mashable community, partners, media, the marketing community, consumer electronics and technology brands, and attendees from the 2011 International CES Convention to Las Vegas on Thursday, January 6, 2011.
Date: Thursday, January 6, 2011 (during International CES Convention week)
Time: 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. PT
Location: Cirque du Soleil Zumanity, New York New York Hotel, Las Vegas
Agenda: Networking, Open Bars, Acts, Surprises and the Mashable Awards Gala presentations
Socialize: Facebook, Foursquare, Meetup, Plancast, Twitter (Hashtag: #MashableAwards)
Online Ticketing for Mashable Awards Gala at Cirque du Soleil Zumanity stage (Las Vegas - 2011 International CES convention) [Ticketed Event] powered by Eventbrite
Thanks to Our Sponsors
Mashable Awards Gala Partner:
Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to nearly 100 million spectators in 300 cities on five continents. In 2010 Cirque du Soleil, will present 21 shows simultaneously throughout the world, including seven in Las Vegas.
For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.
Mashable Awards Online Partner:
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Mashable Awards Gala Premier Partner:
Mashable Awards Partner:
Mashable Awards Category Sponsor, Gala Silver Sponsor and After Party Sponsor:
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform and the new BlackBerry PlayBook. For the latest on the BlackBerry PlayBook visit the Inside BlackBerry Blog.
Wish you had VIP seats at the Mashable Awards Gala? Follow BlackBerry on Foursquare, check in at the BlackBerry table using #bbtweettoseat when you arrive at the Zumanity Theater and you may be eligible for an upgrade to our VIP section! There are a limited number of exclusive seats and they’re going to fill up fast, so see you at the BlackBerry table on Jan. 6!
Mashable Awards Category Sponsor:
Join us on Facebook to learn how to enter Dynadot’s I Can Haz iPad Giveaway!
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Mobile Future is a broad-based coalition of businesses, non-profit organizations and individuals interested in and dedicated to advocating for an environment in which innovations in wireless technology and services are enabled and encouraged. Our mission is to educate the public and key decision makers on innovations in the wireless industry that have transformed the way Americans work and play and to advocate continued investment in wireless technologies.
Our “Mobile Year in Review 2010" animation provides a glimpse into the most notable breakthroughs in the wireless industry this year.
Mashable Awards Gala Silver Sponsor:
The Aro system automatically learns what’s important in your life—the people, places, dates and organizations you care about most. In your communications, Aro automatically identifies people, places, events, dates,organizations and locations. From any recognized term, Aro offers quick action menus to speed up your day.
The unique Aro experience is powered by advanced web services: next generation natural language processing and semantic data analytics services. Aro gives you the power to see through the clutter and focus your mobile life.
Mashable Awards Gala VIP Lounge sponsor:
Influxis specializes in the deployment of creative streaming solutions. Services include large scale deployment, mobile streaming, turn-key applications, and enterprise support with custom network options. With the unique combination of a worldwide network, knowledgeable developer support and nearly a decade of streaming media experience, Influxis is an essential partner to businesses, advertisers, developers, educators, and others who seek expertise in innovative streaming.
Liquor Sponsor:
Known for single malt innovation, The Macallan® is one of the world’s most admired and sought after Scotch whiskies. Distilled on the Easter Elchies Estate above the banks of the Spey River in the Scottish Highlands since 1824, The Macallan is produced without compromise to achieve the highest standard of quality and taste. The hallmarks of The Macallan are its natural color; flavors of dried fruits, cloves, wood and toffee; subtle sweetness and unmatched richness. Join us for a dram at The 4th Annual Mashable Awards. Please savor responsibly.