The 21st Bluesfest Byron Bay, The Sydney World Masters Games, the 2010 Good Food and Wine Show and the Peats Ridge Festival have been named among Australia’s most innovative and outstanding events, announced at the 2010 Australian Event Awards in Sydney last night while Jessica’s Watson’s Homecoming was voted Australia’s Favourite Event.
After winning the award for Best Cultural or Arts Event, The 21st Bluesfest Byron Bay also took home the most prestigious prize of the evening, being named the 2010 Australian Event of the Year.
The 2010 winners for the Australian Event Awards were announced to a packed out event at Sydney Olympic Park’s Aquatic Centre last night (7 Oct) as the industry celebrated the best events of all types.
The judging panel of event experts, co-chaired by Johnny Allen and Sandy Hollway, was particularly impressed with the calibre and diversity of events from all across Australia, from the small-scale events in regional communities to the highly successful international event programs.
“From Australia’s expertise in major sporting events like the Sydney 2009 World Masters Games and the 2010 Santos Tour Down Under, to the community events in Warrnambool City Council, the 2010 Australian Event Awards is proud to reward excellence across all sectors of our thriving national events industry,” said Johnny Allen, foundation director of the Australian Centre for Event Management.
“In the list of winners for 2010 we are also thrilled to see so many different types of events strongly represented, from high-profile industry conferences and local government initiatives, to public festivals and sporting events. We can clearly see this Awards program is presenting opportunities for these segments of our talented events industry to strategically work together and achieve outstanding results.”
In the past 21 years Bluesfest has grown to be one of Australia’s premiere music festival events, positioning regional Byron Bay as an international cultural and arts hub. The event was recognised by the judges as the most innovative event in Australia for the last year, demonstrating an outstanding example of best practise in the events industry.
Australia’s place in the international events market was recognised in the category for Best Event Export, with David Atkins Enterprises receiving the award for delivering two of the world’s largest live events in the past year – the opening and closing ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and the Opening Ceremony of the Shanghai 2010 World Expo.
“Major events in Australia are increasingly breeding opportunities for a new export industry in events, with Australian experts and companies like David Atkins Enterprises being sought after by major events around the world,” said Sandy Hollway, formerly CEO of the Sydney Organising Committee for the 2000 Olympic Games.
Event director Iain Morrison, Humm Pty Lld was presented with the very high-profile Event Manager of the Year Award, for his outstanding work delivering over 18 successful major events in the last 12 months, including the iconic Sydney Festival.
Events South Australia once again took home the award for Best Tourism Event, winning the award for the 2010 Santos Tour Down Under, an eight-day event combining Australia’s largest ever professional road cycling race with associated free events throughout Adelaide and forty towns in regional South Australia.
Nominated as a finalist in a record three categories, The Macquarie Visions light art festival won two awards, with production team the Electric Canvas awarded Best Achievement in Technical Production and Best Achievement in Design.
Spice congratulates the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre for their win for the Spice Magazine Best Venue Award.
THE WINNERS AND GRINNERS
2010 Australian Event Awards winners included:
• Best Sporting Event- Sydney 2009 World Masters GamesSydney 2009 World Masters Games Organising Committee
• Best Tourism Event- 2010 Santos Tour Down Under- Events South Australia
• Best Charity or Cause Related Event- Million Paws Walk, RSPCA
• CIM Best Meeting or Conference- Microsoft Tech.Ed 2009Microsoft Australia
• Best Cultural or Arts Event- 21st Bluesfest Byron Bay 2010
• Best Corporate Event– Newmont Boddington Gold Official Opening- Rovis Media & Bright Communications with Newmont Asia Pacific
• I-SEC Group Best Community Event- Fun4Kids Festival- Warrnambool City Council
• Best New Event– Sydney Harbour Island Hopping – Crave Sydney- Cambridge Events
• Best Achievement in Technical Production– The Electric Canvas for Macquarie Visions
• Best Achievement in Design– The Electric Canvas for Macquarie Visions
• Most Innovative Use of Technology- The P.A. People for their work on Sydney Festival
• Best Achievement in Catering- Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre for 2010 Good Food & Wine Show
• Spice Best Venue- Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre
• Best Product or Service- SPLnet- The P.A. People
• Best Education or Training Program- Bachelor of Business (Event Management) School of Hospitality, Tourism & Marketing Victoria University
• Best Export- David Atkins Enterprises
• Best Marketing Campaign- Sydney Royal Easter Show- Royal Agricultural Society of NSW
• Young Achiever of the Year- Melissa Park
• Best Achievement in Sustainability- Peats Ridge Festival
• Event Manager of the Year- Iain Morrison – Humm Pty Ltd
• Lifetime Achievement- David Churches
• Lifetime Achievement- David Atkins
• Event of the Year- 21st Bluesfest Byron Bay 2010
