WINNER – ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Santos Tour Down Under sets the pace at 2011 Australian Event Awards

The 2011 Santos Tour Down Under, Mother’s Day Classic, the Sydney Festival and Australian Open are among Australia’s most exceptional events named at the 2011 Australian Event Awards in Sydney tonight (6 October 2011).

With all six states represented, the Australian Event Awards is a celebration of the thriving national events industry, from major sporting tournaments and arts festivals, to charity events and business conferences.

The glittering night attended by hundreds of industry specialists was staged at Allphones Arena (formerly ACER Arena), Sydney Olympic Park tonight with extraordinary performances by all four Entertainer of the Year finalists.

“From Australia’s expertise in major sporting events like the 2011 Santos Tour Down Under and the Australian Open, to arts festivals such as Tropfest, Melbourne Music and the Sydney Festival, the judges were enthralled by the excellence and diversity of Australia’s events arena,” said Johnny Allen, Foundation Director of the Australian Centre for Event management and co-chair of the judges.

“From more than 70 finalist entries across all categories, the judges made some tough decisions to select Australia’s most remarkable achievements in an industry brimming with creativity, innovation and professional talent. The 2011 winners showcase a great range of brilliant events including Tasmania’s Ten Days on an Island, the 35^th International Trumpet Guild Conference, and outstanding individual successes, such as young achiever, Tara Whitfield and the world’s fastest portrait painter, Brad Blaze!”

After winning Best Tourism Event for the third consecutive year, Events South Australia took home the most prestigious award of the night, the 2011 Australian Event of the Year for the universally successful 2011 Santos Tour Down Under.

“The Santos Tour Down Under was again an incredible success, attracting thousands of people from across Australia and around the world to Adelaide last January. The incredible eight-day event has become a very important opening race on the UCI World Tour Programme, with world ranked cyclists, including Lance Armstrong, making the journey from abroad to compete on the spectacular route,” Johnny Allen said.

The man behind numerous Australian iconic events and music legends, Peter Rix, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award, for his outstanding creativity, innovation and dedication to Australia’s events and entertainment culture.

Another one of Australia’s leading event producers and Judge of the Event Awards, David Grant said, “Peter has delivered many of Australia’s most memorable events, using his outstanding creativity and ultimate professionalism to produce unique, landmark experiences that both the industry and general public enjoy and fondly refer to.”

Australia’s expertise in producing events overseas was recognised in the category for Best Event Export, with Laservision Mega~Media receiving the award for delivering the launch of Fortune 500 company, Las Vegas Sands Corporation’s newest hotel in Singapore – The Marina Bay Sands.

Best New Event was awarded to the City of Melbourne for Melbourne Music, an inaugural festival of great diversity that activated major live music venues and included over 100 free concerts.

Winner of two awards, the brand communication specialists, IMAGINATION, won Best Corporate Event for the Ford Ranger Global Launch Event and Best Achievement in Design, Look or Theming for the Ford stand at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney 2010.

Nominated as finalists in three categories, 2Fish Brand Experience Creators were rewarded for their innovative use of technology in the Hot Wheels Secret Race Battle, while the Sydney Showground was named Best Venue.

The Event Manager of the Year went to the small team at leading event management agency, Out There Productions, for their consistent production of high quality, innovative and diverse of the events.

Tara Whitfield took the title Young Achiever of the Year, in recognition of her strong aptitude and commitment, which led Humm to promote her to Event Manger at just 24 years of age. Tara’s passion and dedication shone in her extensive work under harsh outdoors conditions to successfully deliver eight large-scale events in a 12-month period.

Acknowledged as an industry training benchmark and an amazing export of Australian knowledge to the world, the Professional Development Program run by the Australian Centre for Event Management won the Best Education or Training Program.

Through its work on Midsumma Carnival, Turnstile 21 was recognised as the Best Achievement in Sustainability for its fantastic new initiative dedicated to sustainable practice, while Adelaide Festival Centre’s OZAsia Festival was awarded with Best Achievement in Marketing, Communication or Sponsorship.

Other proud winners included A LIST Guide as Product of the Year, Staging Connections for Academy of Wedding Planners Best Private Event, Reed Exhibitions Australia for Best Exhibition supported by EEAA and Blanco Food and Events for Best Achievement in Catering.

LIST OF WINNERS – 2011 Australian Event Award Winners

Australian Event of the Year

2011 Santos Tour Down Under – Events South Australia

Sydney Olympic Park Best Sporting Event

Australian Open 2011 – Tennis Australia

Best Tourism Event

2011 Santos Tour Down Under – Events South Australia

Best Charity or Cause-Related Event

Mother’s Day Classic 2011- Women in Super

CIM Magazine Best Meeting or Conference

35th International Trumpet Guild Conference – Conexion Event Management

Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event

Sydney Festival 2011

Best Corporate Event

Ford Ranger Global Launch Event – Imagination

Best Exhibition supported by the EEAA

Queensland Mining and Engineering Exhibition 2010 – Reed Exhibitions Australia

Best Community Event

Tropfest 2011 – Splendid Communications and Tropfest Events

Academy of Wedding Planners Best Private Event

Kuvesh and Vyda Wedding – Staging Connections

Best New Event

Melbourne Music – City of Melbourne

Best Regional Event

Ten Days on the Island

Best Achievement in Design, Look or Theming

IMAGINATION for their work on the Ford stand at the Australian International Motor Show, Sydney 2010

Best Achievement in Catering

Blanco Food and Events for their work on The Cook & the Chef (& the Winemaker)

Best Achievement in Marketing, Communication or Sponsorship

Adelaide Festival Centre’s OZAsia Festival

Best Achievement in Sustainability

Turnstile 21 for their work on Midsumma Carnival

Best Technical Achievement or Innovation

2Fish Brand Experience Creators for their work on Hot Wheels Secret Race Battle: Customs House, Circular Quay, Sydney

Best Venue

Sydney Showground

Best Product or Service

A LIST Guide

Best Education or Training Program

Australian Centre for Event Management – Professional Development Program

Best Export

Laservison Mega~Media

Young Achiever of the Year

Tara Whitfield

Entertainer of the Year

Brad Blaze

Event Manager of the Year

Out There Productions

Lifetime Achievement Award

Peter Rix