Cityplace Winnipeg is opening its brand new outdoor dining terrace this week, with sunny skies and warm weather to help things along. But those sunny skies were just the icing on the cake—the center prepared a big bash to open up its doors in style.

Every day this week from noon until 1pm, the center is inviting shoppers outside to dine. In that time, they’re giving away all sorts of great prizes, including $50 and $100 gift cards. Shoppers who take their lunches, purchased in the center, of course, up to the rooftop to dine have a chance to win. The grand prize? A private party for the winner and 20 of his or her closest friends, right there on the terrace.

The Party on the Patio event is a pretty good preview of what that private party will be like. Intimate events with a maximum of 60 people, the weekday parties include some great live music from acts like Sweet Alibi, the Tim Butler Duo, Sol James and more. Sounds like the perfect summer afternoon break to us.

Queensbay Mall has gone a little Italian. The Malaysian shopping center is sending a pair of shoppers on an amazing Italian holiday, and that’s just part of its Mediterranean charm.

“It’s All About Italy” is Queensbay Mall’s contribution to the 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival, roughly analogous to Dubai’s many annual shopping festivals. One component is the giveaways—a purchase of RM100 or more means an entry to win a 10 day tour around Italy, including flights and accommodation. Folks shopping on Mastercard get an extra perk: an elegant, Italian-style evening handbag with any purchase of RM350 across up to two same-day receipts.

Beyond the giveaways, though, there have been some fantastic trips of imagination. Last month it was the Little Venetian Princess competition, which let girls and women dress up in their masquerade finest. Then there was the fashion show: Roman goddesses, gladiators, warriors and masked Venetian dancers took to the runway interspersed with the fashion models.

And a few things for the kiddies round things out, including pasta decorating event and a Mona Lisa coloring contest.

Could it be? Are we in the midst of grad season already, with Father’s Day mere days away? Hope you’re ready for the weekend madness.

General Growth Properties and Simon Malls are both taking the big day head on with a pair of giveaways sure to please any guy. Simon’s going for the direct approach: a Facebook draw with a dad-friendly prize. One lucky winner will get both a top-of-the-line grill and accessories worth a combined $2000. Simon is also taking the opportunity to share some of its best grilling recipes and tips.

Meanwhile, shoppers that text to join up with The Club Mobile, GGP’s text messaging program, will be entered to win a particularly impressive collection of prizes. Every day they text they’ll have a chance to win things like an Arizona golf trip for two, Dell Ultrabooks or gaming laptops, XBox 360s, high-tech remotes and more. It wouldn’t be fair to limit this one to dads—last we checked, grads love tech too. This contest is being promoted to both groups, so there are sure to be a lot of happy faces at GGP centers in the next few days.

What’s on your Father’s Day itinerary? Let us know in the comments.

Everything is better when it’s a little more exclusive. Stockland Merrylands upped the ante of its most recent VIP evening by making it the center’s first ever Facebook Party.

Customers were invited attend the party – a three hour sales event – through Facebook. Two hours before the event commenced, secret sales and special hours started to show up on the center’s Facebook page. Shoppers who used their mobile devices to check in at the center got the inside scoop on the proceedings.

42 secret Facebook retailer sales were held from national and independent retailers, including Angus & Coote, Best & Less Kids, Betts Shoes, Cotton On, Crossroads, Crust Pizza, Forcast, Jay Jays, Jeanswest, Katies, Prouds, Tarocash, Yd and many more.

A paparazzi photographer roamed Stockland Merrylands throughout the night, capturing photos of customers in stores and walking the red carpet. A DJ playing the event brought the atmosphere to a new level.

Shoppers who weren’t able to make it to the party weren’t left out in the cold, either. Prizes and giveaways were given to Facebook fans via the page all night. In-mall, promotional staff roamed the center, assisting customers and handing out special prizes.

Center manager Craig Piper said the captivating event was a distinctive and successful introduction into the digital realm.

“The Facebook Party was executed well and created a buzz in the Centre. The event combined the marketing elements that our team is focused on – targeted marketing, digitally focused, retailer centric, and experience driven – all in a highly measurable format.”

“Our customers were engaged on a new level, requesting that more of these events are held in the future,” he added.

With summer is on its last legs in the northern hemisphere, Australian centers are getting ready to launch their spring and summer fashion lines. Bayside Shopping Centre is getting ready for sunny days ahead with its In Season campaign, featuring High Voltage Fashion.

Shoppers that are ready for summer can take part in three weeks of great fashion events. At the News Ltd. Fashion Workshop, shoppers can check out a showcase of this summer’s brand new styles curated by Australia’s top fashion editors. Jackie Shaw and Carlie Oats will share their tips and tricks for flawless spring-summer styling and help shoppers make the transition from drab winter clothing to the colors of summer. Then, armed with plans for a new summer wardrobe, shoppers can drop off their pre-loved accessories at the Great Accessory Trade-in. The accessories will be donated to Fitted For Work, a charity that helps disadvantaged women dress for work, and those who donate will receive a $10 Bayside Shopping Centre Gift Card.

Of course, there’s no such thing as a fashion event without gifts, giveaways and prizes. For every $200 shoppers spend on fashion and beauty products, they’ll get a chance to win a High Voltage Summer Wardrobe valued at $4,900. They’ll also receive a special gift picked out for each week of the event, including High Voltage sunglasses, a High Voltage Diva necklace, and the High Voltage Summer Sounds CD, an exclusive DJ Set by Ruby Rose.

Finally, the campaign will culminate with an Iced Tea Fashion Party. For $10, shoppers can attend a summer fashion show, be treated to a cocktail and stop by the bar, which will be laid out with sumptuous food by Ed Dixon Food Design.