Adelaide Fringe 2021 takes top prize at Australian Event Awards

The 2021 Adelaide Fringe has secured top honours at this year’s finale of the Australian Event Awards - being named, in a sign of how the events landscape has changed over the last 18 months - Best Live or Hybrid Public Event

Presented on Sunday night, other Best Event National Winners included Gibb Challenge 2021 (Karunjie Event Management Pty Ltd), Igniting our Future Conference 2021 (Peanut Productions) and Parrtjima - A Festival in Light 2021 (Northern Territory Major Events Company) which was not only the recipient of two National Winner titles but was also a National finalist in two other Best Event Categories.

The Achievement categories saw ORACLE - LIQUID PTY LTD, The Electric Canvas, EventsAIR and Evise and Pyrus all take home a trophy for their innovations, services, or technology over the past 12 months - and we can’t forget Big Picture who took home two!

Just under 100 events and organisations were crowned as Finalists in 2021, which also included Ozwater'21 (Australian Water Association), WA Day Festival 2021 (LUX Events), The Hendrick’s Most Unusual Balloon Bar 2020 (Havas Blvd), Wine Tasting Fest 2020 (Kenvale College of Hospitality, Cookery & Events), Imagination for Australian Wine CONNECT, We are Phoenix and The Shift.

Jack Morton Australia’s EY Secrets of the Archibald was named Best Virtual Small Event, with the event being heralded as being better than the real thing.

Rizer took home Event Management Organisation of the Year, with the judges saying “Rizer seems to have maintained the same high-end delivery with their virtual projects as with live events which is no easy feat”.

John Harnden, Chief Executive Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust, was also presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the program.

Commenting on the Awards overall, Brenda LaPorte, co-Chair of the judging panel stated “to be able to see the wide range of events and achievements that have been produced during such a difficult year made it clear to me that the events industry will come out the other side of this stronger and more capable.”

Just under 100 events and organisations were recognised as finalists during the Awards' 12-day online celebration. 

Full list of National Winners for 2021:

Best Live or Hybrid Public Event
Adelaide Fringe 2021, South Australia

Best Virtual Public Event
University of Tasmania Virtual Open Day 2020, Spaces Interactive

Best Live or Hybrid Congress, Conference or Exhibition
Brisbane Truck Show 2021, Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia, Queensland

Best Virtual Congress, Conference or Exhibition
Igniting our Future Conference 2021, Peanut Productions

Best Live or Hybrid Brand Event
DoorDash Delivers for the State of Origin I, II, & III 2021, MKTG Sports + Entertainment, New South Wales & Queensland

Best Virtual Brand Event
Salesforce Live Series 2020/2021, The Company We Keep

Best Live or Hybrid Corporate Event
Class of 2020: Celebrate Together, The University of Sydney, New South Wales

Best Virtual Corporate Event
Johnson and Johnson Medical Devices Annual Sales and Training Meeting 2021, Eventful Meetings and Events

Best Live or Hybrid Small Event
Airwaves - The Drive-In Music Festival 2020, Buskers by the Creek Inc, Queensland

Best Virtual Small Event
EY Secrets of the Archibald 2020, Jack Morton Australia

Best Charity or Cause-Related Event
Gibb Challenge 2021, Karunjie Event Management Pty Ltd, Western Australia

Coates Best Community Event
Coogee Live 2021, City of Cockburn, Western Australia

Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event
Parramatta Lanes 2020, City of Parramatta, New South Wales

Best Regional Event
Parrtjima - A Festival in Light 2021, Northern Territory Major Events Company

Best Technical Achievement in a Live or Hybrid Event
ORACLE - LIQUID PTY LTD for their work on Sea World Carnivale 2021

Best Technical Achievement in a Virtual Event
Big Picture for their work on Dally M Awards 2020

Best Online Event Delivery Platform
EventsAIR for OnAIR

Best Innovation, New Product or New Service
Evise and Pyrus for their work on Know My Name Conference 2020

Best Achievement in Design
Electric Canvas (The) for their work on Brisbane City Hall Christmas Projections 2020 (Gold Lotto City Hall Lights Spectacular)

Best Achievement in Marketing or Communication
Northern Territory Major Events Company for their work on Parrtjima - a Festival in Light 2021

Best Achievement in Studio Management
Big Picture for their work at the Big Picture Live Event Studio

Small Event Management Organisation of the Year
Nectar Creative Communications

Event Management Organisation of the Year
Rizer

Australian Event of the Year
EY Secrets of the Archibald 2020, Jack Morton Australia

Images: The 2021 Australian Event Awards saw the Adelaide Fringe named Best Live or Hybrid Public Event (top) and Parrtjima - A Festival in Light 2021 receive two National Winner titles (below).