Emmy Parties: What Are the Top Invites, Guest Lists of 2015? (Updating)

This will be updated on an ongoing basis until Emmy week. Last updated on September 16, 2015.

The Emmys are back on a Sunday, September 20, after last year’s freak Emmy Monday in late August.

(To equilibrate, the Grammys are stepping over a night instead, moving to Monday in February.)

Back on Sunday,  the party weekend is shortened by a  day. Here’s a preview of who is shaking up the template on TV’s big weekend, broken down by new events and returning favorites.

Start plotting your party prowling now.

Also Read: 'Fox NFL Sunday' to Broadcast Live From Primetime Emmy Red Carpet

What’s New

*New* Amazon Emmy Night Party

Sunday Night, September 20, After the Emmys

Location: Standard Hotel Downtown

In their first year as an Emmy contender, they have the potential for a dozen trophies. If they win, they will not have far to carry them, choosing a new Emmy night party spot downtown for their inaugural bash.

*New* Television Industry Advocacy Awards

Friday Night, September 18, 5:30 p.m.

Location: Sunset Tower

Who: Mr. Emmy weekend Jeffrey Tambor, Alan Cumming, “Unreal’s” Constance Zimmer, Beth Behrs, and Alfre Woodard.

What: Robin Bronk and the Creative Coalition are behind this new trophy handout that is like a “best-of” the other speciality awards throughout the year that pay back celebs for using their platform to shine a light on causes held dear. For the inaugural honorees, the star-cause nexus are Tambor (youth empowerment), Cumming (LGBT Issues), Behrs (The Rape Foundation), and Zimmer (Arts in Education). “Under the Dome” EP Neal Baer is a non-actor honoree.

*New* People’s “Ones To Watch” Event

Time: Wednesday, September 16, 8 p.m.

Location: Ysabel (on Fairfax, West Hollywood)

Who: “Celebrities who are having a moment or are on the cusp of stardom,” – per People mag.

What: People moved this event up in to the opening throes of Emmy weekend after previous outings in October, last year at the Line Hotel. Keeping in line with the “next big thing” theme of the event, they will take over Ysabel, the new space from the Laurel Hardware guys in the old Lola’s footprint.

Also Read: 50 Cent Ends 'Empire' Beef, Gives Emmy Nominee Taraji P. Henson Props (Video)

Broad Cultural Center Opening Gala

Time: Thursday, September 17

Location: The Broad Cultural Center

Also Read: 2015 Emmy Season Party Schedule Begins Now (Complete List)

Returning Parties

Audi Party

Thursday, September 17, 7 p.m.

Cecconi’s West Hollywood

Always popular, the Emmys’ official ride welcomes many from the regular Hollywood party circuit.

Women In Film Emmy Party

Friday, September 18, early evening

Gracias Madre

It’s the second year in a row at on the Mexican patio.

*New Location* WME 

Friday evening, September 18, 8 – 11 p.m.

Hammer Museum in Westwood

Formerly at Richard Weitz’s house, the agency’s party footprint mirrors the company’s swell – growing.

*Top Pick*  – Entertainment Weekly’s Pre-Emmy Party

Friday evening: 9pm – onwards

Fig and Olive

Inside Scoop: This is a hard ticket with a bustling bar, full couches, and a dryclean-inducing cramped smoking courtyard. With minimal press inside here, it’s more relaxed. EW goes out of its way to include new fall series’ talent too.

Also Read: 67th Emmy Awards Nominations By the Numbers

Agencies on Friday night, September 18

CAA – Bouchon (Beverly Hills)

Gersh – Bob and Linda Gersh’s home in Beverly Hills

UTA – Managing Director Jay Sures’ home (Brentwood)

 

*New Honorees* – Brunch with Viola Davis / “Women Making History”

Saturday, September 19, 10:30 a.m.

Skirball Cultural Center

Who: Viola Davis, Diane Warren, and “Walking Dead” producer Gale Anne Hurd topline this awards brunch.

What: This is the 4^th year for this event. “We are committed to integrating women’s history into the American mainstream,” host Joan Wages (National Women’s History Museum President and CEO) told TheWrap earlier this summer.

How? Get up early and go up the hill. Publicly available tickets start at $125.

*Industry Favorite* – BAFTA’s TV Tea

Saturday, September 19, 2 p.m.

SLS Hotel

Inside Scoop: Leading television executives, celebrities, BAFTA members, as well as Emmy Nominees will juggle traditional British tea, scones, and cocktails at BAFTA Los Angeles’ annual packed event.

Also Read: Emmy Streaming Throwdown: How Amazon, Netflix and Hulu Fared

*Intimate Power Players* – Showtime Emmy Eve

Saturday night, September 19

Sunset Tower Hotel

Inside Scoop: Matt Blank and David Nevins host nominees. John Legend and KT Tunstall have recently bid Showtime’s nominees good luck at the cozy gathering, with Les Moonves sitting at arms length. This year, Jakob Dylan & Jade will provide the soundtrack.

Also Read: 19 Biggest Emmy Snubs and Surprises: 'Empire,' Tatiana Maslany, and 'The Big Bang Theory' (Photos)

*Actual Nominees* – Performers Nominee Reception

Saturday, September 19, 6-9 p.m.

Pacific Design Center, West Hollywood

Inside Scoop: If you had your pick of one — and you do not — I recommend the Performers Nominee Reception. It is now on the night before the Emmys itself, September 19th. It’s where this year’s crop of nominees get together for a proverbial class photo (above and below).

QUIZ: Name every person in order. Winner gets a liquid prize. @TelevisionAcad

A video posted by Mikey Glazer (@mikeyglazer) on Aug 23, 2014 at 9:01pm PDT

*Massive Power Players* – Motion Picture Television Fund’s “Evening Before”

Saturday, September 19, 7 p.m.

Century Park

Inside Scoop: Heavyweights from across the TV industry put on a massive fundraiser with a narrowly combed guest list. The best bet for a wannabe is to be a friend of a sponsor: Delta Air Lines, Fiat, Essie, Netflix, People, and Target.

Also Read: Emmy Nominees 2015: The Complete List

Heifer International 4th Annual Beyond Hunger Gala

Friday, September 18

Montage, Beverly Hills

This is a cool cross section of nominees (Uzo Aduba), Oscar winners (Octavia Spencer), chef stars (Cat Cora), elder statesmen (Ted Danson), Burning Man alums (Susan Sarandon), and pop culture magnets (Carson Daly, and Jon Heder, who emcees.) They gather at this dinner to provide meals to others, with Heifer aiming to end hunger and poverty “while caring for the Earth.”

Emmy After Parties

Governors Ball

After the show

Convention Center

1,500 pounds of filet mignon and 10,576 litres of Fiji water will mix with 4,000 guests at the first post-show stop, the one place you are guaranteed to see everyone for a brief moment.

Update: After years of cruise-ship style musical performances in the center of the room, the TV Academy has nabbed concert-level talent: Andrea Bocelli and David Foster. The duo will perform, reprising a duo they made at the Alfred E. Mann Foundation Gala back in June.

HBO

Sunday, September 20, after the show

Pacific Design Center

HBO set a new record with 126, with 24 just for “Game of Thrones.” The Emmy champ returns to West Hollywood for an always ornate feast and dance party in a transformative tent.

*High Concentration of Trophies* – AMC, BBC America, IFC, and SundanceTV 

Sunday, September 20, after the show

Boa, West Hollywood

Great venue and always class acts. They are expecting 600 guests on the border with Beverly Hills.

*High Concentration of Trophies* – Comedy Central

Sunday, September 20, after the show

Boulevard3

The lineup around Jon Stewart‘s desk earlier this month for his final “Daily Show” is a testament to the talent factory that Doug Herzog, Michelle Ganeless, and Kent Alterman have ramped up. After a clever zag with a “Schemmy Emmy” party last year on the night of the partially televised junior varsity Creative Arts Emmys, Comedy Central returns to one of their favorite haunts for what should be a big bash in a big room.

Plans in the Works

As the telecast host, Fox will host a post party. They usually stay downtown. Their homefield Emmy host Andy Samberg will likely have his own private party to follow.

Netflix usually throws a talent-only bash at Ted Sarandos’ house the night before the show.

Suites

*Top Pick – If You Go To 1 Only*:  Extra  & On3

Bespoke, Handcrafted, Technically Correct Jargon-Fueled Name: “EXTRA presents the 1st Annual “WEEKEND OF | LOUNGE” produced by On 3 Productions – celebrating an extraordinary year in television.”

Friday & Saturday, September 18-19, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

London West Hollywood

I would be the first to shout that Dyson is the most appropriate sponsor for any gifting suite – to excavate the dust and decay from a once booming award show shoulder economy gone moribund. This one is an aberration.

Pairing with Extra, veteran Sam Haft and On3 (who usually does the Spirit Awards official suite and previously the Emmys official backstage suite as well) is putting on a big show in a ballroom that will eat up a full day, 24 hours, of Emmy weekend.  They report $1.5 million in lifetime donations to charities coming out of their suites. Post Emmys, New Balance will donate somewhere in the five or six figures to Susan G. Komen on behalf of the talent, so you can swag guilt-free in West Hollywood.

Here’s the top swag on-call at On3:

HoverTrax: Roll like Bieber with one of the it-accessories of 2015, the 2 wheel handsfree segway that does not actually float on air like Marty McFly showed us we would in 2015. Probably best to devirginize on the board after the Emmys to avoid any meet and greets with concrete. Also up for grabs, a free year of unlimited on-demand valet parking (an app called Luxe), 1 year memberships to Crunch, Simmons Beautyrest mattresses, and philanthropy-minded New Balance gifting Vazee Rush sneakers and apparel.

No word yet on when A.C. Slater has a free period to drop by the London, but I’m told he will be there.

 

Kari Feinstein Style Lounge

Thursday & Friday, September 17th-18th, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Sunset Marquis

Swag up for grabs includes:  Olivia + Joy Handbags, Modere, and Skinn cosmetics.

Nathalie Dubois’ DPA Suite

Thursday-Saturday, September 17-19

Luxe Hotel, Rodeo Drive

More fierce than Cookie, don’t even think of crossing Nathalie Dubois’ threshold without an appointment. Charity beneficiaries are Lupus LA and The Wolf Connection.

Debbie Durkin’s Pre-Emmys EcoLuxe Lounge

Saturday, September 19, 11am-6pm

Avalon Hollywood

The event benefits Shriners Hospitals for Children Los Angeles.

Alternative Sunday Funday

Hate TV? Hate Award shows? Are you invite-less and clout-free, but still want Sunday Funday?

A group reached out to let me know they’re throwing a 7 hour antidote, a day-to-night yacht party in Marina Del Rey unofficially titled “Escape the Emmys” with EDM DJ’s on every floor, including “The Chef” (Bilal Hajji).

Except where noted, all parties are private and by invitation only.

For additional bookings, updates, and to send invites, contact the columnist Mikey Glazer here.