The 2014 Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival has been honored by the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) with awards during the IFEA 58th Annual Convention & Expo last month. Gold Pinnacle awards, (top honors) went to the 2014 Festival media relations campaign, media kit and mobile application. Additional awards were won in the following categories:
Silver Pinnacle Best New Promotional Activity – “Wicked” Glow
Bronze Pinnacle Best Social Media Site (Facebook)
Bronze Pinnacle Best Sponsorship Program for a single sponsor
Bronze Pinnacle Best Souvenir Pin
The Silver Pinnacle award was for the Saturday evening balloon glow choir and “Wicked” balloon promotion. Vista Murrieta’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble “Synchronize” provided a musical dance performance to the tune “Defy Gravity.” “Wicked the Musical” has a balloon titled Defy Gravity – named after a song that marks the pivotal turning point in the play. While the choir sang and danced, green glow necklaces were distributed to the crowd along with “Wicked” souvenir pins. The promotion was a collaborative effort between the “Wicked” balloonist, Pantages Hollywood Theater and Broadway San Diego.
Melody’s Ad Works, Inc. of Wildomar, the Festival’s public relations firm created the award-winning press kit, and media relations campaign. The firm also produced the material for the 2013 Gold Pinnacle media relations campaign and press kit.
The best sponsorship program award was for the “Club Vinny” campaign that encouraged Festival guests to return to the Temecula Valley with special wine tasting and lodging incentives. The campaign was tied to the Festival’s mobile application (a Gold Pinnacle award-winner) and sponsored by Visit Temecula Valley.
The Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival has won 27 IFEA Awards since 2009 and competes against the world’s top festivals and events. Winning entries came from organizations as diverse as the 500 Festival, Indianapolis, IN, Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Denver, CO, and the Kentucky Derby Festival, Louisville, KY. International contenders included Showtime Events, New Delhi, India; World Gourmet Summit, Singapore; Burlington’s Sound of Music Festival, Burlington, ON, Canada; and the Servus Heritage Festival, Edmonton, Canada.
For a complete list of winners and more information on the IFEA, go to www.ifea.com.