FROM THE HUNDREDS of outstanding entries received this year for Special Events Magazine's Gala Awards competition, a blue-ribbon panel of judges from our Advisory Board narrowed the field to these nominees. Often the margin between winning a nomination and not was only one point. We congratulate all who entered.
Entries from the finalists listed below will be transported to The Special Event 2003, Jan. 8-11 in Orlando, Fla., where our Advisory Board will pick the winners. The Gala Award winners will be announced at a gala celebration on Jan. 11.
Watch for our January issue, which will contain photos and descriptions of our nominees — representing excellence in events.
BEST FAIR/FESTIVAL
City of Garland, Garland, Texas
JHE Production Group, Concord, N.C.
WOW! Productions, Pasadena, Calif.
BEST INVITATION
Arlene Segal Designs, North Miami Beach, Fla.
Famous Firsts Ltd., Pompano Beach, Fla.
Hannah Handmade Cards, Evanston, Ill.
BEST DINING TABLE DESIGN
Designs by Sean, Dania, Fla.
Legendary Events, Atlanta
MGM Mirage Events, Las Vegas
BEST FOOD PRESENTATION
Creative Cuisine, Columbus, Ohio
Culinary Capers Catering, Vancouver, British Columbia
Ridgewells, Bethesda, Md.
Someone's in the Kitchen, Tarzana, Calif.
BEST CORPORATE/COMPANY PICNIC
An Original Occasion, Los Angeles
Eclectic Events International, Toronto
BEST OFF-PREMISE CATERED EVENT
Chefs Expressions, Timonium, Md.
Classic World Events, San Jose, Calif., and Chefs Expressions, Timonium, Md.
Littlefield Hospitality/Word of Mouth Catering, Austin, Texas
BEST CATERED EVENT PRODUCED BY A HOTEL BANQUET DEPARTMENT
Chicago Marriott Downtown, Chicago/The Meetinghouse Companies Inc., Elmhurst, Ill.
Eagle Ridge Inn & Resort, Galena, Ill.
San Luis Resort, Spa and Conference Center, Galveston, Texas
BEST FUND-RAISING EVENT
Kim, Floren & Green, Long Beach, Calif.
Legendary Events, Atlanta
Timot McGonagle, Nashville, Tenn.
BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
Extraordinary Events, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Timot McGonagle, Nashville, Tenn.
USA Hosts, New Orleans
BEST WEDDING, BUDGET UNDER $500 PER GUEST
Carolyn Dempsey Design Inc., Greenwich, Conn.
Frank Event Design, Chicago
Xena Productions, Dublin, Ireland
BEST WEDDING, BUDGET $500 PER GUEST AND ABOVE
Barbara Wallace Weddings, Corona del Mar, Calif.
MGM Mirage Events, Las Vegas
The Catering Co., Chapel Hill, N.C.
BEST MULTIPLE-DAY INCENTIVE EVENT
Extraordinary Events, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Extraordinary Events, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Patti Coons & Associates Event Marketing, Orlando, Fla., and Lori Parks Corporate Events, Bloomfield Village, Mich.
Rare Indigo, Vancouver, British Columbia
BEST FLORAL DESIGN
Emerald City Designs, Farmington Hills, Mich.
Kehoe Designs, Chicago
MGM Mirage Events, Las Vegas, and David Tutera, New York
BEST TENT INSTALLATION
Celebration Rentals, Pipersville, Pa.
De Boer Structures, Kennesaw, Ga.
Napa Valley Party Services, St. Helena, Calif.
BEST USE OF LIGHTING
Brite Ideas Lighting, Irvine, Calif.
Designs by Sean, Dania, Fla.
Express Productions, Gretna, La., and USA Hosts, New Orleans
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN TECHNICAL SUPPORT
BRAVO! Entertainment, Dallas, and VIP Events, Dallas
Creative Technology, Van Nuys, Calif., and Oligopoly Productions, Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Go West Event Productions, Westlake Village, Calif.
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN LOGISTICS
Clear Channel Entertainment Special Events, St. Louis
Imagination, London
Metallic Design Studio, Marietta, Ga., and Tents Unlimited, Atlanta
Vok Dams Gruppe, Wuppertal, Germany
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EVENT RENTAL SUPPORT
Abbey Event Services, Rancho Dominguez, Calif.
Ducky-Bob's Party & Tent Rentals, Carrollton, Texas
Thorns Group, London
BEST NEW, INNOVATIVE EVENT PRODUCT/TECHNOLOGY
Creations Fantastic, Macon, Ga.
ShowPro, North Hollywood, Calif.
Transformit, Gorham, Maine
BEST EVENT ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT AND EXECUTION, ENTERTAINMENT BUDGET UNDER $25,000
Airstar Space Lighting, Orlando, Fla., and T. Skorman Productions, Orlando, Fla.
Designs by Sean, Dania, Fla.
The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, Las Vegas
BEST EVENT ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT AND EXECUTION, ENTERTAINMENT BUDGET $25,000 TO $100,000
Aspen Productions, Atlanta
Timot McGonagle, Nashville, Tenn.
TLC-Creative Special Effects, Marina del Rey, Calif.
BEST EVENT ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT AND EXECUTION, ENTERTAINMENT BUDGET ABOVE $100,000
Creative Consulting Specialists, Northbrook, Ill.
Extraordinary Events, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
USA Hosts, New Orleans
MOST OUTSTANDING SPECTACLE EVENT
Clear Channel Entertainment Special Events, St. Louis
ME3 Productions, Long Beach, Calif.
USA Hosts, New Orleans
BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, BUDGET UNDER $50,000
A Wynning Event, Los Angeles
Legendary Events, Atlanta
Mitchell's Catering & Events, Raleigh, N.C.
BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, BUDGET $50,000 AND ABOVE
Designs by Sean, Dania, Fla.
Good Gracious! Events, Los Angeles
Someone's in the Kitchen, Tarzana, Calif.
BEST EVENT MARKETING CAMPAIGN
Charles Banfield Productions, Los Angeles
Extraordinary Events, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Vok Dams Gruppe, Wuppertal, Germany
BEST THEATRICAL ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION
PGI, Vancouver, British Columbia
The Full Effect, Bedford, England
Timot McGonagle, Nashville, Tenn.
BEST THEME DECOR, TOTAL DECOR BUDGET UNDER $20,000
An Original Occasion, Los Angeles
Kehoe Designs, Chicago
Rare Indigo, Vancouver, British Columbia
BEST THEME DECOR, TOTAL DECOR BUDGET $20,000 TO $50,000
An Original Occasion, Los Angeles
EventWorks, Los Angeles
Randy Fuhrman's Creative Concept, Los Angeles
BEST THEME DECOR, TOTAL DECOR BUDGET ABOVE $50,000
Designs by Sean, Dania, Fla.
MGM Mirage Events, Las Vegas
Timot McGonagle, Nashville, Tenn.
BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION, OVERALL BUDGET UNDER $100,000
Distinctive Design Events, Otto, N.C.
Key Events, San Francisco
Someone's in the Kitchen, Tarzana, Calif.
BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION, OVERALL BUDGET $100,000 TO $249,999
Aspen Productions, Atlanta
Bravo Productions, Long Beach, Calif.
The Meetinghouse Companies Inc., Elmhurst, Ill., and Chicago Marriott Downtown, Chicago
BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION, OVERALL BUDGET $250,000 TO $500,000
Carlson White, Selangor, Malaysia
Clear Channel Entertainment Special Events, St. Louis
Lena Malouf Events, Sydney, Australia
BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION, OVERALL BUDGET ABOVE $500,000
Extraordinary Events, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Vok Dams Gruppe, Wuppertal, Germany
Zed Ink, Marina del Rey, Calif.
