AUSTIN, Texas -- The Big Communications Event isn't the largest event in telecoms. But it's the best. We've got great presentations. Excellent opportunities to connect with peers. And parties featuring otherwise respectable journalists wearing 70s costumes and fright wigs.
We've already published reams of articles and video covering the serious content of the conference. Read it all here: Big Communications Event
And we played hard at the conference too. Here's some of that:
Leading Lights Awards
The conference kicked off with the annual Leading Lights awards, honoring the best accomplishments and most distinguished leaders of the industry. This year's awards ceremony had a 70s theme. Here in their disco finest are Ray Le Maistre, Light Reading international group editor; Julie Muroff, our senior vice president of operations; Mobile Editor Dan Jones, and CEO and Founder Steve Saunders. (Photo by Carol Wilson.)
Steve, Julie, Dan and Ray.
That's a good look for you, Ray. You should wear that all the time. (Photo by Mari Silbey)
Dan in his Andy Warhol Factory years. (Silbey)
Ray and Dan at the cocktail reception prior to Leading Lights (Photo by Craig Matsumoto.)
Despite the light touch in the presentation, the awards themselves are a serious business. Find out the companies and individuals we honored this year:
Around Austin
We stopped in at a bar after Leading Lights, which had the nicest (and only) collection of bumper stickers in the men's room that we've ever seen. Also: Taking photos inside a bar men's room isn't a bit weird. (Photo by Mitch Wagner.)
Gratuitous photo of an Austin streetscape. (Wagner.)
Best taxi ever. I hung my head outside with my tongue dangling like a dog. (Wagner)
Kelsey Kusterer Ziser, editor of Light Reading's Upskill U, is very happy about Austin's bikeshare program.
The BCE kickoff party...
Stephanie Walkenshaw, Level 3 Communications media relations manager (left), and Roz Roseboro, Heavy Reading senior analyst, look like they're enjoying those drinks at the BCE kickoff party Tuesday evening. (Wilson)
The BCE kickoff party is warming up. (Wilson)
Steve, our CEO, is guitarist for the band Wartoad. No kidding. That's Steve on the left with the white T-shirt and guitar, entertaining guests at the BCE kickoff party. (Photo by Ziser).
And at work
Craig Matsumoto, Light Reading editor in chief, works backstage while Steve delivers the opening keynote. (Wilson.)
See:
Carol Wilson, Light Reading editor at large, interviews John Donovan, AT&T chief strategy officer and group president of Technology & Operations. The Q&A ended with Donovan thanking Carol for the integrity and depth of her tech coverage: "I think you're the best there is," he said. (Photo by Elizabeth Coyne.)
See:
One vendor had a miniature city at their BCE booth, demonstrating features of smart cities. Extremely detailed! (Coyne)
By the way, we're not being cute leaving off the name of the vendor. We don't have it in our notes. Anybody know?
Carol (r) talks with Yvette Kanouff, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco's service provider business, backstage. (Matsumoto)
And one more from Leading Lights....
There's Julie again. That's all. (Coyne)
— Mitch Wagner 
Editor, Enterprise Cloud News
> Congratulations to all the category winners and to the event folks for pulling off what looks like a great event, wigs, bright colorful duds and all! Going to be hard to beat for the next year!