Get Your Gala Submission Locked In with These Four Tips!

Time is running out to submit your Gala award! To submit an entry to this year's Gala awards, please visit our awards portal.       

Important Dates  

If you are interested in entering in the ACE awards instead, you can enter the Catersource 2025 ACE awards in the same online portal as the Gala awards. Catersource + The Special Event 2025 will run February 24-27 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Both the ACE and Gala awards will be presented during the conference at a to-be-determined location in Fort Lauderdale. 

Want to be recognized as an award-winning event professional? Submit an event to the Special Events Gala Awards! If you believe you have an event that deserves an accolade, follow these four tips from Meghan Ely, an event professional and consultant. 

1. Choose the worthwhile awards 
It takes time to submit an award, and often there’s a fee, so prioritize directing your best efforts toward the ones you feel strongly about. 

2. Get an early start 
Don’t procrastinate for this task—chances are you’ll need to rely on others to provide supporting materials, so begin as soon as you know you want to submit! 

3. Present a compelling story 
Don't just list the details of your event; set the scene and tell the story, creating a narrative that makes your event stand out from the rest. 

4. Double-check submission guidelines 
Make sure you stick to the guidelines. If you stray even just a bit, no matter how deserving your event may be, judges may disqualify your submission. 

You won’t win every award you submit for, but don’t get discouraged. As Ely says, “Trust me when I say that hearing a handful of ‘no’s’ is well worth it when you finally hear that big, resounding ‘YES!’”  

Editor's Note: To read more about each tip, click here for the full article, originally published on the blog of our sister magazine Catersource.