BOISE, IDAHO – The International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) paid tribute to the North Carolina Azalea Festival in Tucson, Arizona on September 27, 2016 during the IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards Ceremony held at the IFEA’s 61st Annual Convention, Expo & Retreat, presented by Haas & Wilkerson Insurance in Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A. The North Carolina Azalea Festival was presented with five awards in the prestigious IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards competition. Awards were won in the following categories:
Silver, Best New Attendee service
Silver, Best Press/Media Kit
Bronze, Best targeted sponsor solicitation proposal
Bronze, Best Single New Sponsorship Opportunity
Bronze, Best Children’s Programming
The North Carolina Azalea Festival has entered the IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards competition since 2013. Past awards include Gold for Best Social Media Site (Instagram), Silver for Best Organization Website, and Bronze for Best Event Invitation (Airlie Luncheon Garden Party), among others.
“We are proud to see that the North Carolina Azalea Festival continues to receive awards alongside other top events in our nation,” says Jean A. Lawler, President of the 2017 North Carolina Azalea Festival. “We would not be where we are today without the incredible work of our volunteers. I can’t say thank you enough to those that give their time and energy to make this Festival a culmination of the love we have for our city.”
Sponsored by industry leader Haas & Wilkerson Insurance, the professional competition draws entries from among the world’s top festivals and events. Winning entries came from organizations as diverse as the Kentucky Derby, Louisville, KY; Saint Louis Art Fair, St. Louis, MO; the Fiesta Bowl, Scottsdale, AZ; the International Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington, DC; the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, Pasadena, CA; and Memphis in May International Festival, Memphis, TN.
International contenders included such diverse event organizations as Destination NSW in Sydney, Australia; Ludwig Van Beethoven Easter Festival in Krakow, Poland; Cuckoo Events, Dublin, Ireland; Rotterdam Festivals, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Festival Lent, Maribor, Slovenia and the Boryeong Mud Festival in Boryeong, South Korea.
Awards were handed out in 68 different categories in total including Best TV Promotion; Social Media Site; Commemorative Poster; Overall Sponsorship Program; Green Program; Educational Program, Children’s Programming; Media Relations Campaign; Overall Merchandising Program; Festival & Event Management Degree Programs 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 Premiere 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.
For a complete list of winners and more information on the IFEA, go to www.ifea.com.
About the North Carolina Azalea Festival
Since its inception in 1948, the North Carolina Azalea Festival has blossomed into an extended weekend celebration that attracts more than 300,000 people and generates more than $51 million for the local economy. The Festival showcases our community’s rich array of artwork, gardens, history and culture through recreational, educational and family-oriented events.
About Presenting and Main Stage Sponsor, Belk, Inc.
Belk, Inc., a private department store company based in Charlotte, N.C., is the home of Modern. Southern. Style. located in 16 Southern states and a growing digital presence. Belk is a portfolio company of Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm based in New York. Belk and www.belk.com offer a wide assortment of national brands and private label fashion apparel, shoes and accessories for the entire family along with top name cosmetics, a wedding registry and a large selection of quality merchandise for the home.
Belk offers many ways to connect via digital and social media, including Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Google Plus, and provides exclusive offers, fashion updates, sales notifications and coupons via email or mobile phone text messages. Customers can also download the latest Belk mobile apps for the iPad, iPhone or Android.
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The North Carolina Azalea Festival Thanks Its Sponsors
Belk
Miller Lite
Hilton Wilmington Riverside
Wells Fargo
Duke Energy
LM Restaurants
Bud Light
New Hanover Regional Medical Center
UNC Wilmington
BB & T
Lowes Foods
PPD
Wilmington Health
BlueCross and BlueShield of NC
Coastal Carolina Neonatology/Coastal Children’s Services
Coca-Cola
Corning
MassMutual Financial Group
NewBridge Bank
North Carolina Ports
ONEHOPE Wine
Parkway of Wilmington
PNC
SEPI Engineering & Construction
