Today we’re taking a moment to offer a huge congratulations to each of this year’s Canadian Event Industry Awards (CEIA) recipients and nominees. We love to see our industry peers and friends under any circumstances, but it’s especially sweet when we’re together to celebrate our country’s most innovative teams and event professionals for their creativity and achievements. We know how much winning this award means to each of the recipients – Canadian Special Events is known to have one of the most rigorous and challenging event award competitions in North America – and we could not be more proud of each winner.We have to admit that we are especially proud of our own Dustin Westling, CSEP, for taking home this year’s Spirit of the Industry Award! Dustin’s knowledge and leadership are so inspiring to our team, and we’re excited to see him recognized at this level. We were also honoured to be awarded for our work on Midnight in the Park, in partnership with our friends at Westjet.
In case you missed it, following is a full list of all of the nominees and winners at this year’s Awards Gala Dinner & Celebration, held on March 30 at the Paramount Event Space in Toronto, and hosted by byPeterandPauls.com. Send a shout-out to your favourite winners and nominees in the comments!
EVENT MARKETING AWARDS
- Best Experiential Marketing Event
BiG Entertainment Inc., Toronto, ON, for Adidas Athletics Lounge
WestJet, Calgary, AB, for WestJet Christmas Miracle: Fort McMurray Strong *WINNER
SDImktg, Toronto, ON, for Rogers Fan Hub at World Cup of Hockey
BC Event Management, Burnaby, BC, for Tsawwassen Mills Launch
Black Chalk Marketing, Toronto, ON, for Spotify Festival Tour
Black Chalk Marketing, Toronto, ON, for Europe VIA Icelandair
- Best Brand/Product Launch
The Substance Group, Toronto, ON, for Mitchell & Ness Black and Gold Launch Event
BC Event Management, Burnaby, BC, for Tsawwassen Mills Launch
Black Chalk Marketing, Toronto, ON, for Visit California DREAM BIG *WINNER
Black Chalk Marketing, Toronto, ON for Brussels Airlines Canadian Launch *WINNER
- Best Trade Show/ Exposition
aNd Logistix Inc., Toronto, ON, for Discovery 2016 *WINNER
Ontario Hospital Association, Toronto, ON, for HealthAchieve
- Best Show Booth/Brand Display or Pavilion
Black Chalk Marketing & Impact XM, Toronto, ON, for The WB Games Tradeshow Booth
BOLD Event Creative, Burnaby, BC, and Go2 Productions, Vancouver, BC, for Mirage Room *WINNER
Ontario Hospital Association, Toronto, ON, for HealthAchieve
DX Design, Quebec, QC, for VIP Booth for a Major Sponsor of a Summer Festival
Dragonfly Meeting Solutions Inc., Thornhill, ON, for The MCAP Tradefair
TECHNOLOGY AWARDS
- Most Innovative Use of Event Technology
GTA Selfies, Brampton, ON, for Security Education Conference Toronto (SecTor)
MetaVRse, North York, ON, for Timeless 360 Photo Time Machine
Dynamic Mind Inc, Toronto, ON, for The JTI HORECA Event
S4 Entertainment and Audio Visual, Vaughan, ON, for The BILD Annual Awards Gala *WINNER
SDImktg, Toronto, ON, for The Rogers Fan Hub at World Cup of Hockey
Olga Pankova, Markham, ON, for The DT Floral & Decor and Olga Pankova Open House
- Best Audio Visual Design for an Event
Mandell Entertainment Group, Toronto ON, for The 2016 Cures Gala
TKNL, Boucherville, QC, for CS300 Swiss Air Plane Delivery *WINNER
Quest Audio Visual, Toronto, ON, for The Ontario Canadian National Training Conference
bb Blanc Inc., Woodbridge ON, for Cisco Connect Toronto 2016
Dragonfly Meeting Solutions Inc., and Solotech Inc. Thornhill, ON, for The Canadian Leadership Conference
Go2 Productions, Vancouver, BC, for Mirage
- Best Event Photography
Phot-O-Holic Imagery, Markham, ON, for the SOCO Kitchen + Bar Patio Opening Party
Photos With Finesse, Calgary, AB, for Dragonfly In Action
Photos With Finesse, Calgary, AB, for The CPMA 2016: Learn, Network, Build, Celebrate
J&J Lawrence Photography, Calgary, AB, for Remembrance Day, The Military Museums, Calgary *WINNER
- Best Technical Support for an Event
e=mc2 events, Toronto, ON, for The SOCAN Awards
bb Blanc Inc., Woodbridge, ON, for Honda of Canada Manufacturing Holiday Party 2016 *WINNER
Nasco Staffing Solutions, Toronto, ON, for Beyonce: Formation World Tour
- Best Lighting Design for an Event
Mandell Entertainment Group, Toronto, ON, The David Foster Foundation Miracle Gala & Concert
Mandell Entertainment Group, Toronto, ON, for The Cures Gala *WINNER
Orange Frog Productions Inc., and e=mc2 events, Calgary, AB, for Season Of Lights
FOS Decor Center, Toronto, ON, for The Fall Gala at Blue Mountain
MEETING/CONVENTION AWARDS
- Best Conference
aNd Logistix Inc., Toronto, ON, for Mortgage Professionals Canada National Conference
Fifth Element Group, Toronto ON, for Discoverability Summit – Content in The Age of Abundance
aNd Logistix Inc. Toronto, ON, 24th Annual CCPPP National Conference
Details Convention & Event Management and Travel Alberta, Calgary, AB, for Tourism Works *WINNER
Ontario Hospital Association, Toronto, ON, for HealthAchieve
The Idea Hunter and Moniker Partners, Richmond Hill, ON, for YPO Culture Shock *WINNER
- Best Multiple Day Incentive or Convention
Pacific Destination Services Inc., Vancouver, BC, for The Global New Partner Program
Rare Indigo, Burnaby, BC, for The 2016 Round Table Convention *WINNER
aNd Logistix Inc., Toronto, ON, for Mortgage Professionals Canada National Conference *WINNER
Cantrav, Vancouver, BC, for The Whistler Education Forum
EVENT PLANNING/ PRODUCTION AWARDS
- Best Corporate Team Building Event
e=mc2 events, Calgary, AB, for WestJet IGNITE20
Senik Montreal, QC, or Hackathon *WINNER
Hypnotist The Incredible BORIS, Thornhill, ON, for The Canadian Tire PartSource Conference
- Best Event Produced by an Association, Board or Committee
Managing Matters Inc., Toronto, ON, for ACG Toronto – Capital Connection
Canadian Credit Union Association, Toronto, ON, for The 2016 National Conference for Canada’s Credit Unions: “Framing Our Future”
Calgary Stampede, Calgary, AB, for The 2016 President’s Event
BC Cancer Foundation, Victoria, BC, for The 2016 Jingle Mingle
ILEA Vancouver and MPI BC Chapter, Vancouver, BC, for It’s a Wonderful Life: The ILEA Vancouver and MPI BC Chapter Holiday Event *WINNER
Royal Inland Hospital Foundation, Kamloops, BC, for The Royal Affair
- Best Public Entertainment Event or Festival
The Food Dudes Inc., and City of Toronto, Toronto, ON, for Summer Series
Curated By M, Toronto, ON, for The Cabbagetown Festival
Town of Richmond Hill, Richmond Hill, ON, for The Tastes of the Hill Multicultural Festival
The City of Richmond and Anigraph Productions, Richmond, BC, for The Richmond Maritime Festival
PM GIGS Inc, Calgary, AB, for JUNOfest Calgary ‘16 *WINNER
- Best Event Produced for a Community Based Charitable Organization
Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre, Vancouver, BC, for Night at the Aquarium *WINNER
Engagement Unlimited Events, Vancouver, BC, for The PCMA Convening Leaders Hospitality Helping Hands
Cava Rose, Montreal, QC, for The Valentine’s Day Ball ‘Street Ball’ *WINNER
Croce Creative. Niagara Falls, ON, for The St. Catharines Mayor’s Au Marche
Jennifer James Events, Calgary, AB, for Jamboree
Kelowna General Hospital Foundation, Kelowna, BC, for Heart of Gold Gala
Hala Inc. Toronto, ON, for Laugh Out Loud
- Best Event Produced for a Corporation by 3rd Party Planner
Mandell Entertainment Group , Toronto, ON, for The Klick Town Hall & Holiday Party 2016
Site 6 Events Ltd, Edmonton, AB, for BioWinter Lodge
Cantrav Services Inc., Toronto, ON, for Nissan Club Excellence
BC Event Management, Burnaby, BC, and Centerplate Catering, Vancouver, BC, for The PCMA Opening Reception *WINNER
Curated By M, Toronto, ON, for Toronto Life Magazine’s 50th Anniversary
Loungeworks, Vancouver, BC, for Sin City | Holiday Party
Wexler Events and Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, ON, for Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Women’s College Hospital
- Best Fundraising Event
Providence Healthcare Foundation, Toronto, ON, for 2016 Silver Ball
Boom Goes The Drum Inc., Calgary, AB, for LOOK2016
BC Cancer Foundation, Vancouver, BC, for 2016 Inspiration Gala
Alison Silcoff Events, Montreal, QC, for The Daffodil Ball
Solutions with Impact, Toronto, ON, for Boat Rally for Kids with Cancer *WINNER
Kelowna General Hospital Foundation, Kelowna, BC, for Heart of Gold Gala
Portage, Montreal, QC, for 13th Soiree des Grands Philanthropes – Tribute to Monique Leroux
- Best Entertainment Production
Mandell Entertainment Group, Toronto, ON, for The 2016 Cures Gala
Mandell Entertainment Group, Toronto, ON, for The David Foster Foundation Miracle Gala & Concert *WINNER
Cantrav, Vancouver, BC, for The Cargill President’s Club Gala
- Best Event Produced for a Corporation by an In-House Team or Planner
Providence Healthcare Foundation, Toronto, ON, for The 2016 Cuisine & Cuvee
WestJet Airlines, Calgary, AB, for Midnight in the Park
Canadian Tire Corporation, Toronto, ON, for Pin Party 2016
Centennial College, Toronto, ON, for Paint the Town Green *WINNER
McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, for Light Up the Night
Economical Insurance, Waterloo, ON, for The 2016 Leadership Summit
- Best Event for a High Profile Charity
Mandell Entertainment Group, Toronto, ON, for The 2016 Cures Gala
e=mc2 events and Fluid Events, Toronto, ON, for The Teddy Bear Affair *WINNER
Alison Silcoff Events, Montreal, QC, for The Daffodil Ball
e=mc2 events, Vancouver, BC, for The Night of a Thousand Stars Gala
Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR), and Seneca College, Toronto, ON, for Ontario Bloor Street Entertains (BSE)
Solutions with Impact, Toronto, ON, for The Boat Rally for Kids with Cancer
Sensix Communications and Events Inc. and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Montreal, QC, for Light the Night Montreal
- Outstanding Logistical Achievement
TKNL, Boucherville, QC, for Northern Arena Montreal
WestJet Airlines and FMAV, Calgary, AB, for Midnight in the Park
PDW Inc, North Vancouver, BC, for TEDWomen 2016 Welcome Party
Boom Goes The Drum Inc., Calgary, AB, for Beakerhead Trico Presents: The World of Social Entrepreneurship
Production Canada, Vaughan, ON, for Galaxy – A Night Under the Stars *WINNER
Pacific Destination Services Inc., Vancouver, BC, Dragonfly Meetings, Toronto, ON, and The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Banff, AB, for National Partner’s Meeting Tunnel 9 Welcome Event *WINNER
McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, for MacQuest
PM GIGS Inc, Calgary, AB, for JUNOfest Calgary ’16
DESIGN & DECOR AWARDS
- Best Event Decor $0 – $30,000
Reflections Weddings and Events, Calgary, AB, for Turner Valley Transformation
RSVP Event Design, Saskatoon, SK, for The Secret Garden
Fifth Element Group, Toronto, ON, for Fairmont’s Hottest Place To Be
BC Cancer Foundation, Vancouver, BC, for The 2016 Hope Couture Fashion Show & Luncheon
aNd Logistix Inc., Toronto, ON, for Decades – The Start of Something Amazing Celebration
R5 Event Design & Management and Fab Fete Event Planning, Toronto, ON, for The Whimsical World of Avatar – Madelyn’s Bat Mitzvah *WINNER
- Best Event Decor $30,000 – $80,000
OneWest Events Inc., Calgary, AB, for The Legacy Gala *WINNER
Rare Indigo and Christopher J Designs, Burnaby, BC, for Party in the Park
Decor & More Inc., Oakville, ON, e=mc2 events, Calgary, AB, and Orange Frog Productions, Calgary, AB, for Season of Lights
BOLD Event Creative, Burnaby, BC, for Northern Lights
OneWest Events Inc., Calgary, AB, for Midnight in the Park
POP Kollaborative Inc., Calgary, AB, Decor & More Inc., Oakville, ON, and Designing On The Edge, Calgary, AB, for Every ONE Has A Story
Best Event Decor $80,000 +
Decor & More Inc., Oakville, ON, for Let It Snow *WINNER
R5 Event Design & Management, Toronto, ON, for Crystal Dreamscape Wedding
Kim Miyama Events & Artam Design, Toronto, ON, for Ladies Night
DX Design, Quebec, QC, for VIP Lounge for the Major Sponsor of Summer Festival
Best TableScaping
R5 Event Design & Management, and Fab Fete Event Planning, Toronto, ON, for Surreal Romance Photoshoot
POP Kollaborative Inc., Calgary, AB, Decor & More Inc., Oakville, ON, and Designing On The Edge, Calgary, AB, for Every ONE Has A Story *WINNER
Christopher J Design, Vancouver, BC, for Birch & Snow
WEDDING AWARDS
- Best Wedding Creative
Reflections Weddings and Events, Calgary, AB, for Trees in Cascade
Art of the Party, Burnaby, BC, for Kulvinder & Aman Wedding
MB Events, Montreal, QC, for The Tulip Wedding
R5 Event Design & Management, and Truly Yours Planning, Toronto, ON, for Crystal Dreamscape Wedding
Kim Miyama Events, and Artam Design, Toronto, ON, for Stephanie & Jerry’s Wedding *WINNER
Christopher J Design, Vancouver, BC, for Love is a Riddle *WINNER
- Best Wedding Under $75,000
Reflections Weddings and Events, Calgary, AB, for Music in the Mountains *WINNER
RSVP Event Design, Saskatoon, SK, for Ukrainian Chic
Evelyn Clark Weddings, Calgary, AB, for Love in Bloom
Julianne Young Weddings Inc, Calgary, AB, for Gatsby Meets GQ
- Best Wedding Over $75,000
Lynn Fletcher Weddings, Calgary, AB, for Fearless Love
Jennifer Bergman Weddings, Edmonton, AB, for Winter Wedding Weekend In The Canadian Rockies
Boom Goes The Drum Inc., Calgary, AB, for The Wyne & Godfrey Wedding
Andreanne & Co, Montreal, QC, for Sara & David’s Wedding *WINNER
Can-Indian Food and Hospitality Inc., Etobicoke, ON, Can-Indian-Deepak Wedding
Kim Miyama Events, and Artam Design, Toronto, ON, for Stephanie & Jerry’s Wedding
- Most Creative Catering Presentation
Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal, QC, for The 2016 MAC Ball *WINNER
Toque Catering, Victoria, BC, for Farmed & Foraged
Toque Catering, Victoria, BC, for Mung Wedding
- Best Overall Catered Event
Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal, QC, The Daffodil Ball
Toque Catering, Victoria, BC for Farmed & Foraged *WINNER
Toque Catering, Victoria, BC, for Mung Wedding
Toque Catering, Victoria, BC, for Lafreniere Wedding
Brightest Star Awards
- Most Outstanding Event Up to $200,000
Fifth Element Group, Toronto, ON, for The Addams Family Mansion *WINNER
Cantrav Services Inc., Toronto, ON, for The Nissan Club Excellence *WINNER
Solutions with Impact, Toronto, ON, for The Angels Catwalk for SickKids
Hala Inc., Toronto, ON, for Laugh Out Loud
- Most Outstanding Event Over $200,000
Senik, Montreal, QC, for Connect Dev™16
Boom Goes The Drum Inc., Calgary, AB, LOOK2016 *WINNER
BC Event Management, Vancouver, BC, and Centerplate Catering, Vancouver, BC, for PCMA’s Opening Reception
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Calgary, AB, for SAIT’s 100th Birthday Party
Solutions with Impact, Toronto, ON, for The Rally for Kids with Cancer
Solutions with Impact, Toronto, ON, for The Boat Rally for Kids with Cancer
Total Events, Lachine, QC, for In the V.I.P
- Wedding Professional of the Year
Arthur Kerekes, Fusion Events *WINNER
- Caterer of the Year
Brent McClenahan, Lindsay Klein, Adrian Niman, The Food Dudes, Inc., Toronto, ON *WINNER
Armando Arruda, Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal, QC
- Entertainer of the Year
Danny Kramer Dance Band, Winnipeg, MB
Olga Pankova, Markham, ON *WINNER
Mega Magic – Magician Mike D’Urzo, Toronto, ON
Hypnotist The Incredible BORIS, Thornhill, ON
- Event Professional of the Year
Corey Mandell, Mandell Entertainment, Toronto, ON *WINNER
Derek Mcdonald, Boom Goes the Drum, Calgary, AB
Michelle Planche, Paradigm Events, Toronto, ON
Hala Bissada, CFRE, Hala Inc. Toronto, ON
Alex Bickers, SW Audio Visual, Vancouver, BC
- Emerging Leader Award
Kim Miyama, Kim Miyama Events, Toronto, ON
Amy Martin, OneWest Events Inc. Calgary, AB
Eryne Sarabin, Tycoon Events, Edmonton, AB
Jessica Tkachuk, Boom Goes the Drum, Calgary, AB
Meghan Hird, POP Kollaborative, Calgary, AB *WINNER
Courtney Westwood, Vancouver Rowing Club, Vancouver, BC
Alex Cheng, Boutique Websites Toronto, ON
- The Stacy Wyatt Spirit of the Industry Award
Alex Bickers, Showtime Audio Visual, Vancouver, BC *WINNER
Dustin Westling, OneWest Events, Calgary, AB *WINNER
