The International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) paid tribute to Solar Eclipse Hopkinsville with its highest honor Monday night in San Diego during the 63rd Annual IFEA Convention, Expo & Retreat.
The highly-coveted Grand Pinnacle Award in the prestigious IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards Competition has four winners in four different levels. Hopkinsville was recognized as a Level 2 winner, operating within a budget range of $250,000 to $1 million.
Winners of the Grand Pinnacle Award, chosen among 1,250 submitted entries, are selected based on excellence in creativity, execution, logistics, marketing, emergency management, community outreach and more.
Eclipse Marketing and Events Consultant Brooke Jung and Christian County Emergency Management Director Randy Graham were on hand to accept the award.
“We are so excited and honored to receive the International Grand Pinnacle Award recognizing our community’s Eclipse preparation and execution,” said Hopkinsville Mayor, Carter Hendricks. “It was a total team effort as our community rolled out the red carpet and provided awesome Hopkinsville hospitality. Thanks to Brooke Jung and the incredible team of volunteers, stakeholders, sponsors, and employees that helped Hopkinsville-Christian County shine during the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse. We look forward to continuing to Eclipse all expectations!”
Sponsored by industry leader Haas & Wilkerson Insurance, the professional competition draws entries from some of the world’s top festivals and events*.
Winning entries came from organizations as diverse as the Cherry Creek Arts Festival in Denver, CO; 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 Kentucky Derby Festival in Louisville, KY; the Pigeon Forge Office of Special Events in Pigeon Forge, TN; The Parade Company in Detroit, MI; the Philadelphia Flower Show, Philadelphia, PA; the City of Richardson, Richardson, TX; the Fiesta Bowl, Scottsdale, AZ and Canada Day at Canada Place, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
International winners included such diverse event organizations as RedFilo Events, Abu Dhabi, UAE; Destination NSW, Sydney, Australia; Guangdong Chimelong Group, Gaungzhou, China; Cuckoo Events, Dublin, Ireland; Rotterdam Festivals, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Festival Lent, Maribor, Slovenia and the Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival, Songpa-gu, South Korea.
“To simply be mentioned and honored in the same breath as some of these incredible events, destinations and entities is remarkable in itself. But to also be awarded with the highest honor given by IFEA is amazing and a testament to our community,” Jung said. “It was a privilege to represent Hopkinsville and Christian County, accepting the award on behalf of our tremendous citizens.”
Awards* were handed out in 69 different categories in total including Best TV Promotion; Social Media Site; Commemorative Poster; Sponsorship Program; Parade; Educational Program, Accessibility Program; Children’s Program; Social Media Campaign; Merchandising Program in addition to 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 – the Grand Pinnacle.
“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. “The IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards Competition recognizes the outstanding accomplishments and top quality creative, promotional, operational and community outreach programs and materials produced by festivals and events around the world. Striving for the highest degree of excellence in festival and event promotions and operations in every budget level and every corner of the globe, this competition has not only raised the standards and quality of the festivals and events industry to new levels, but also shows how event producers can use innovation and creativity to achieve a higher level of success.”
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.
For a complete list of Pinnacle winners go to: www.ifea.com/p/industryawards/pinnacleawards/pastpinnaclewinners
For more information on the IFEA, go to www.ifea.com
