The International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) paid tribute to the 124th Washington’s Birthday Celebration– produced by Washington’s Birthday Celebration Association in Laredo, TX on Monday, September 19, 2022 during the IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards Ceremony held at the 65th Annual IFEA Convention, Expo & Retreat, presented by Haas & Wilkerson Insurance, in McAllen, Texas, U.S.A., where they were presented with 17 awards in the prestigious IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards Competition. Awards were won in the following categories:
GOLD – Best Newspaper Insert
GOLD – Best Emergency Preparedness & Risk Management Plan
SILVER – Best Organization Website
SILVER – Best Single Digital/Social Ad
SILVER – Best Printed Materials (Multiple Page)
SILVER – Best Printed Materials (Single Page)
SILVER – Best Single Magazine Display Ad
SILVER – Best Ad Series
SILVER – Best Education Program
SILVER – Best Children’s Programming
SILVER – Best Event (Within an Existing Festival)
SILVER – Most Creative/Effective News Stunt
BRONZE – Best TV Promotion
BRONZE – Best Multimedia Component
BRONZE – Best Single Newspaper Display Ad
BRONZE – Best Promotional Photograph
BRONZE – Best Invitation
“I could not be more proud of Washington’s Birthday Celebration Association’s achievements at this year’s IFEA conference,” said WBCA President D. Matthew Gibson. “The 17 awards, including two gold medals, are a testament to the hard work of numerous volunteers, our hard-working board, sponsors, and community partners; and of course, our staff who work year-round to ensure a first-class celebration every year.”
Sponsored by industry leader Haas & Wilkerson Insurance, the professional competition drew entries from some of the world’s top festivals and events*. Winning entries came from organizations as diverse as the Lubbock Arts Alliance in Lubbock, TX; the OC Fair in Costa Mesa, CA; the Des Moines Arts Festival, Des Moines, IA; the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC; the City of West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, FL; the Pasadena Tournament of Roses in Pasadena, CA; the City of McAllen in McAllen, TX; the Macon, Georgia’s International Cherry Blossom Festival in Macon, GA; The Parade Company in Detroit, MI; the Philadelphia Flower Show, Philadelphia, PA; High Point University in High Point, NC; and Folklorama in Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Destination NSW, Sydney, Australia; Festival Lent, Maribor, Slovenia; Hadong Wild Tea Cultural Festival in Hadong-gun, South Korea; and the Bangkok Music City in Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand.
Recognizing the outstanding accomplishments and top-quality creative, promotional, operational and community outreach programs and materials produced by Festivals and Events around the world, awards* were handed out in 73 different categories including TV/Radio, Social and Multi-Media; Print, and Merchandise, in addition to Festival and Event programs such as Sponsorship; Education, Accessibility; Children’s; Emergency Preparedness and Entertainment. The Grand Pinnacle, the highest award given by the IFEA in recognition of those Festivals and Events* who have a balance of all the elements necessary to ensure a successful event was also awarded.
“We would like to congratulate all of our Pinnacle winners for their outstanding entries into this year’s competition,” said IFEA President & CEO, Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE. “Especially facing the challenges of the pandemic years that we have all been through, while maintaining the highest degree of excellence in festival and event promotions and operations in every budget level and every corner of the globe, this competition continues to raise the standards and quality of the festivals and events industry to new levels, and also shows how event producers can use innovation and creativity to achieve the highest level of success under all circumstances.
Headquartered in Boise, Idaho, the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) is The Premier Association Supporting and Enabling Festival & Event Professionals Worldwide. In partnership with global affiliates under the umbrellas of IFEA Africa, IFEA Asia, IFEA Australia, IFEA Europe, IFEA Latin America, IFEA Middle East (MENASA), and IFEA North America, the organization’s common vision is for “A Globally United Industry that Touches Lives in a Positive Way through Celebration.” The Association offers the most complete source of ideas, resources, information, education and networking for festival and event professionals worldwide.
*All winners are selected from those Festivals and Events who specifically enter the competition. Each category is separated into four separate budget categories. Each entry is judged within those budget categories, against the criteria and requirements of the specific category.
1. For a complete list of 2022 Pinnacle Winners go to: www.ifea.com/p/industryawards/pinnacleawards/pastpinnaclewinners
