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Azalea Festival Wins International Festivals and Events Pinnacle Awards

For Immediate Release

North Carolina Azalea Festival Wins
Two International Festivals and Events Pinnacle Awards

Boise, Idaho- The International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) paid tribute to the North Carolina Azalea Festival in Wilmington, North Carolina on October 1, 2018 during the IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards Ceremony held at the 63rd Annual IFEA Convention, Expo & Retreat, presented by Haas & Wilkerson Insurance, in San Diego, California, U.S.A., October 1-3, 2018, where they were presented with two awards in the prestigious IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards Competition. Awards were won in the following categories:

Gold – Best New Event – Chefs’ Showcase

Silver – Best Sponsorship Program for Individual Sponsor – #SpreadingFestivalSmiles; Sarah E. Pless, DDS: Renaissance Dental Studio

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.

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.”

*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

About the International Festivals & Events Association

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.

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