Best of Shows: MAIN ST. Repeats Event World’s Big Win

FORT WORTH–If the festival and events world gave an award for winning awards, MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival would be collecting that honor, too.

For the second year running, MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival received the International Festivals & Events Association’s (IFEA) Grand Pinnacle Award as best in its class in event marketing and promotion as well as a host of other IFEA awards for its 2009 MAIN ST. marketing campaign.

The Grand Pinnacle Award announced this week is the highest honor IFEA gives event producers, and the festival won it for the first time last year. Back-to-back wins as top event are especially gratifying for the festival marketing team, according to Richard Ruddell, president and executive director of The T as well as festival and events committee chair for MAIN ST. producer Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc.

“MAIN ST. is simply the best of shows, and the entire team is proud to have defended that title at the international level,” Ruddell said.

In addition to the Grand Pinnacle in its class, MAIN ST. won four Gold, six Silver and two Bronze IFEA awards for its advertising, merchandise and printed materials. The Chesapeake Energy Parade of Lights won a Bronze award for outdoor advertising in the competition. The IFEA Pinnacle Awards recognize outstanding marketing and promotions for events around the world. Go towww.ifea.com for more information.

The IFEA honors join a growing list of firsts and bests making MAIN ST. among the most honored shows in its class. It is ranked among the top three nationwide in the 2009 edition of Art Fair SourceBook, the bible of the art show world, and was chosen one of the American Bus Association’s Top 100 Events in North America for group travel in 2010.

In July, the festival swept the Texas Festivals and Events Association awards for marketing excellence, receiving the Zenith—or best event honors—in its category and a glittering collection of gold and silver awards. .

Creative concepts and advertising were the work of Pinkerton Design in association with Concussion High Impact Communications, and publicity was managed by freelancer Diane Wolfe. Jay Downie, CFEE, produces the event, working with a dedicated staff and an experienced group of volunteers.

Work is underway on next year’s MAIN ST. festival, the event’s 25^th annual run, and the MAIN ST. marketing and events team also is preparing for the Chesapeake Energy Parade of Lights November 27 in Sundance Square. The parade kicks off Fort Worth’s holiday season and includes lighting of the Fort Worth Christmas Tree in Sundance Square.

MAIN ST. packs downtown Fort Worth each spring with a celebration of fine arts and crafts, music, film and food stretching from the Tarrant County Courthouse to the Fort Worth Convention Center. More than 200 juried artists and fine crafts exhibitors line brick-paved Main Street, joined by musicians and dancers on three stages. Performance artists and food and drink vendors complete the scene.

MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival is presented by Coors Light and produced by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. For more information, visit MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival online. For information on downtown Fort Worth and its events, please visit Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.

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