Australian Event Awards Winners revealed

Australia’s best events and strongest achievements in the competitive events industry have been announced and celebrated at the Australian Event Awards ceremony at Novotel Twin Waters on the Sunshine Coast.

Queensland shone in fitting form for the Awards’ final year hosted by Visit Sunshine Coast, with almost a third of the winners hailing from the sunshine state. The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games proved a holistic success, taking out the TFH Hire Services Best Sporting Event, with Trade 2018: The Trade and Investment Program also winning Best Exhibition, Trade or Consumer Show. TAFE Queensland took home a trophy for their innovative and immersive training partnership with the Games.

Other big wins included the 29th Annual Byron Bay Bluesfest as the EVENTelec Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event, Splendour in the Grass for Viking Rentals Best Regional Event, and Vivid Sydney took home the trophy for the Visit Sunshine Coast Best Tourism Event.

There was strong thread of innovative thinking evident through winners such as The Big Anxiety Festival of Arts + Science + People (Aggreko Best New Event), the IEEE International Conference of Robotics and Automation (Best Congress or Conference), the Pop-Up Globe (Best Achievement in Design, Look or Theming) and Mediatec Asia Pacific’s work on the Australian Open (Best Technical Achievement or Innovation).

In the headline categories, David Atkins, Lifetime Achievement Winner 2010, took out Event Producer of the Year for the second year in a row. Event Management Company of the Year was awarded to Belle Laide Events, an event management company and creative agency.

Commenting on the Awards program, Simon Latchford, Chief Executive of Visit Sunshine Coast, stated “a huge congratulations to the impressive Finalists and Winners.

"It’s wonderful to see this passionate industry gathered together for the occasion, and it’s been a privilege to celebrate these achievements on the Sunshine Coast."

The Awards Ceremony at the Novotel Twin Waters saw events professionals from all sectors come together to enjoy a bit of sass and sparkle at the black-tie event. Sami Lukis delighted as the host for the evening, and there was a strong local line up of performers.

Ian Steigrad, Managing Director, Australian Event Awards and Symposium, added "tonight we saw a stream of remarkable Finalists and Winners highlighting just how strong our country’s events and event achievements are.

“The calibre of their work is quite incredible. A special congratulations to all those who took home a coveted trophy tonight.”
 
AUSTRALIAN EVENT AWARDS NATIONAL WINNERS 2018:
 
TFH Hire Services Best Sporting Event
Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games
 
Visit Sunshine Coast Best Tourism Event
Vivid Sydney 2018, Destination NSW
 
Best Charity or Cause-Related Event
Hawaiian Ride for Youth 2018, Youth Focus
 
Best Congress or Conference
2018 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICMS Australasia
 
EVENTelec Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event
29th Annual Byron Bay Bluesfest 2018
 
Cvent Best Corporate Event
Project Botanicals - A Journey to the Edges of Taste, Music & Imagination 2017, The Round Table Communications
 
Best Exhibition, Trade or Consumer Show
Trade 2018: The Trade and Investment Program of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, Office of the Commonwealth Games, Queensland State Government
 
Coates Hire Best Community Event
Living Smart Festival 2017, Lake Macquarie City Council
 
Showtex Australia Best Small Event
Lights of Christmas (The) - Rockhampton 2017, Illuminart / The Cathedral College, Rockhampton
 
Aggreko Best New Event
The Big Anxiety Festival of Arts + Science + People 2017
 
Viking Rentals Best Regional Event
Splendour in the Grass 2017
 
Best Achievement in Design, Look or Theming
Stagekings for their work on Pop-Up Globe 2018  
 
Best Achievement in Marketing, Communication or Sponsorship
Sunshine Coast Regional Council for their work on Horizon Festival of Arts and Culture 2017
 
Best Technical Achievement or Innovation
Mediatec Asia Pacific for their work on the Australian Open Series with Tennis Australia 2017/2018
 
eps australia Best Achievement in Venue Management
Sydney Showground for their work at Sydney Olympic Park
 
Best New Product
EventsAIR for their EventStream Engage Feature
 
Best Event Service
Intelligent Risks for their work in risk, security and crisis management
 
Best Achievement in Event Education or Training
TAFE Queensland for their Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Training Partnership
 
Best Achievement in Entertainment
David Atkins Enterprises for their work on White Night Melbourne 2018
 
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Young Achiever of the Year
Natasha Gosper nominated by cievents
 
Event Producer of the Year
David Atkins nominated by David Atkins Enterprises
 
Small Event Management Company of the Year
Wingman Events & Brand Activation
 
Event Management Company of the Year
Belle Laide Events

For the full list of Finalists and Winners for 2018 go to eventawards.com.au/results