Pinnacle Awards

International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) and Haas & Wilkerson Insurance Announce the 2024 Pinnacle Award Winners

Boise, Idaho - The International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) and Haas & Wilkerson Insurance recognized the outstanding accomplishments and top-quality creative, promotional, operational and community outreach programs and materials produced by Festivals and Events around the world* on Sunday, September 29, 2024 at the IFEA Annual Convention & Expo presented by atVenu in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., as the winners of the 2024 IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards were announced.

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 Alaska State Fair in Palmer, AK; Cherry Creek Arts Festival in Denver, CO; the Dublin Irish Festival in Dublin, OH; the Lubbock Arts Festival in Lubbock, TX; the Saint Louis Art Fair in St. Louis, MO; the MusikFest in Bethlehem, PA; the Pasadena Tournament of Roses in Pasadena, CA; the Parker County Peach Festival in Weatherford, TX; the Coconut Grove Arts Festival in Coconut Grove, FL; the Iceman Cometh Challenge in Traverse City, MI; the Philadelphia Flower Show in Philadelphia, PA; Seafair Festival in Seattle, WA; the Stockton Lantern Festival in Stockton, CA; Celebrations of Traditions Pow Wow in San Antonio, TX; Canada Together in Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vivid Sydney in Sydney, Australia; Festival Lent in Maribor, Slovenia; Chiang Mai Blooms in Bangkok, Thailand; Fáilte Ireland in Dublin, Ireland; Rome Future Week® in Roma, Italy; Huangling Shaiqiu Cultural Festival in Shangrao, China; and Cheonan World Dance Festival in Cheonan, Republic of Korea.

Honoring the exceptional achievements and high-quality creative, promotional, operational, and community outreach efforts of festivals and events worldwide, awards* were presented across 62 diverse categories. These included TV/Radio, Social and Multimedia, Print, Merchandise, and Festival and Event programs such as Sponsorship, Education, Accessibility, Children’s, Emergency Preparedness, and Entertainment. The prestigious Grand Pinnacle award, IFEA’s highest accolade, was also given, recognizing festivals and events* that excel in balancing all key elements essential for a successful event.

"We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all of our Pinnacle Award winners for their exceptional contributions to this year’s competition,” said Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE, President & CEO of the IFEA. “The IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards recognize the outstanding achievements and top-tier creativity, promotional efforts, operational excellence, and community outreach demonstrated by festivals and events worldwide. By striving for the highest standards across all budget levels and regions, this competition not only elevates the quality of festivals and events globally 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.

View the 2024 IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Award Winners

View Photos of 2024 IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Recipients

*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.

2024 IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Budget Categories Include:

All Pinnacle entries are not only separated in to 62 individual categories, but also into four individual budget categories within each category. This is to ensure that like size festivals & events compete against like sized festivals and events. A Gold, Silver and Bronze winner is then awarded within each budget category within each specific entry category. Therefore, there could ultimately be four Gold winners, four Silver winners and four Bronze winners within an individual Pinnacle Category. Judges may combine budget categories within a specific category, if the number of entries warrants it.

The specific budget category you enter is based on your organization's event expense budget. Budget categories are as follows:

Budget #1: Under $100,000
Budget #2: $100,000 to $500,000

Budget #3: $500,000 to $1 Million
Budget #4: Over $1 Million

2024 IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Entry Categories Include:

Complete descriptions for each category along with requirements, judging criteria and instructions on how to submit your entry for each category can be found in the 2024 IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards Brochure.

DOWNLOAD PINNACLE ENTRY BROCHURE HERE

We are working on updating the IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Award Entry Brochure for 2025. Stay tuned as we make those updates. Estimated release date, January 2025. If you have recommendations for new elements to add to the program, please share them with Nia Hovde, CFEE, Vice President/Director of Marketing & Communications at nia@ifea.com.

1. Grand Pinnacle
2. Best TV Promotion
3. Best Full-Length TV Program
4. Best Video Promotion
5. Best Radio Promotion
6. Best Single Social Video
7. Best Multimedia Component
8. Best Event Website
9. Best Organization Website
10. Best Facebook Site
11. Best Instagram Site
12. Best Single Digital/Social Ad
13. Best Digital/Social Ad Series
14. Best Event / Organization E-Newsletter
15. Best Event Program
16. Best Newspaper Insert / Supplement
17. Best Promotional Brochure
18. Best Printed Materials (Multiple Page)
19. Best Printed Materials (Single Page)
20. Best Cover Design

21. Best Single Newspaper Display Ad
22. Best Single Magazine Display Ad
23. Best Ad Series
24. Best Promotional Poster
25. Best Commemorative Poster
26. Best Promotional Photograph
27. Best Outdoor Billboard
28. Best Invitation
29. Best Street Banner
30. Best On-Site Décor
31. Best T-Shirt Design
32. Best Pin or Button
33. Best Hat
34. Best Festival / Event Merchandise
35. Best Sponsor Gift
36. Best Give-Away Item
37. Best Overall Merchandising Program
38. Best Targeted Sponsor Solicitation Proposal
39. Best Individual Sponsor Follow-Up Report
40. Best Sponsor Partner
41. Best Sponsor Activation
42. Best Sponsorship Program for Individual Sponsor
43. Best Overall Sponsorship Program

44. Best Volunteer Program
45. Best Green Program
46. Best Parade
47. Best Educational Program
48. Best Accessibility Program
49. Best Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Plan
50. Best Children’s Programming
51. Best Overall Entertainment Program
52. Best Community Outreach Program
53. Best Event / Program Within an Event to
Benefit A Cause
54. Best Event (Within an Existing Festival)
55. Best Emergency Preparedness & Risk Management Plan
56. Best New Festival or Event
57. Best New Promotion Activity
58. Most Creative / Effective News Stunt
59. Best Overall Media Relations Campaign
60. Best Event Management Bachelor’s Degree
61. Best Festival & Event Management Master’s Degree
62. Best Festival & Event Management PhD Program

About the Winners

For all entries, each winning festival/event receiving a Gold, Silver or Bronze award is selected from those festivals and events who enter the IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards Competition and are judged on the overall excellence of a festival / event based on the specific criteria and requirements of the specific category(ies) being entered, within each of the four separate budget categories. Festivals / Events recognized as an “IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Award Winner”, are entitled to use that specific language in sharing the news about a Pinnacle win, for the specific category(ies) won. Language declaring a Festival / Event / Parade / Program etc., as the “Best in the World by the IFEA”, is not correct or in line with the nature of the competition and will not be supported or endorsed by the IFEA.

Sponsor of the IFEA Pinnacle Awards

Haas & Wilkerson Insurance has proudly supported the IFEA and festivals and events industry for nearly three decades. As the presenting sponsor of the Annual IFEA Convention, Expo & Retreat, and the title sponsor of the IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards Program, they have helped to raise the quality and standards of excellence for festivals and events around the globe.

With over 80 years of entertainment industry experience behind them, they provide insurance programs designed for each event’s specific needs and have a long list of clients that includes festivals, fairs, parades, carnivals and more. Learn more about them at www.hwins.com.