The annual International Association of Fairs & Exhibitions (IAFE) convention held this week in Las Vegas, Nevada saw Western Fair receive four, first-place honours, three seconds and one third-place award.

IAFE, headquartered in Springfield, MO, represents fairs from around the world and members from allied fields. Its purpose is to promote and encourage the development and improvement of fairs, shows, and expositions. Entries into fair award categories are evaluated and judged by a team of industry leaders.

The following Communication and Agriculture - Awards of Excellence were in the category of international fairs with an attendance of 100,000 to 250,000.

The Western Fair District's signature event, the annual Western Fair, won first-place honours in the following categories:

• Best Brochure
• Best Radio Ads
• Best Overall Social Media Campaign
• Best Individual Social Media Effort

Best Brochure and Radio Ad awards are shared with Surge Communications, a London advertising agency who works closely with Western Fair District.

The annual Western Fair also won recognition in Agricultural Programming:

• Specific Agricultural Educational Event, Exhibit or Program for Fair-Going Public – 2nd place
• Green Program - 2nd place
• Fair and Sponsor/Partner Joint Exhibit Program - 2nd place
• Overall Agriculture Program for Non-Agricultural Fair-Going Public- 3rd Place

The annual Western Fair had a very successful year this past September with the introduction of free parking and concerts. A social media campaign encouraged the public to locate a lost pig, ‘Find Hank’ and had the public at large submitting ideas and voting on their favourite new deep fried fair-food, which resulted in ‘deep-fried butter tarts and wagon wheels’ at this year’s Western Fair. These new strategies and creative concepts, along with dedicated staff produced the magic that made this years’ fair an award winner. Western Fair District thanks the communities it serves for their support.

(WFD)