City of West Palm Beach Earns 19 SUNsational Awards and an Inaugural Honor at the Florida Festivals & Events Association’s Annual Conference

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. (September 14, 2022) — The City of West Palm Beach Community Events Division was recognized with 19 awards on behalf of the Florida Festivals & Events Association (FFEA) for its distinguished programming and outreach. Additionally, the City was a co-winner of the first-ever Community Impact Award alongside Clay County. FFEA announced the SUNsational Awards winners at its annual convention and tradeshow. The trade show celebrated members’ innovation, individuality and creative collaboration for more than two decades.

The City earned the Community Impact Award for its Aesop’s Tables installation. The project provided 25 picnic tables which Palm Beach County artists used to create their own depictions of each of Aesop’s Fables. Each table was paired with a local nonprofit group and auctioned off to raise funds for its respective organization. The project inspired the Clay County Fair to create “The Picnic Project,” which used art to raise funds for local nonprofits at the Clay County Agriculture Fair. Combined, the two events benefitted 41 charities, featured 35 artists and brought more than 250,000 people together for various causes.

“Congratulations to the West Palm Beach Community Events Division for not only these latest achievements, but for inspiring other municipalities with their innovation and philanthropy,” said West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James. “I look forward to seeing the exciting campaigns they have in store for us and encourage everyone to attend any of our signature event series.”

In addition to the City’s success at FFEA, City of West Palm Beach Community Events Manager Mary Pinak was installed as the chair of the Florida Festivals and Events Association. Pinak has nearly 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including more than three decades with the City of West Palm Beach. She initiated, and continues to coordinate, the popular Clematis by Night, Holiday in Paradise, Screen on the Green, Sunday on the Waterfront, West Palm Beach GreenMarket and 4^th on Flagler.

“I am thrilled to chair the FFEA Executive Board, whose leadership in the Florida event industry is a model for supporting and developing professionals,” said Pinak. “Thank you to the people of West Palm Beach for engaging in our community events, for which we were honored to receive recognition for at this year’s FFEA convention.”

For a complete list of FFEA winners, please visit www.ffea.com/sunsational-awards. For more information about the City of West Palm Beach’s events, visit wpb.org/events, call 561-822-1515 (TTY: 800-955-8771) or follow the City of West Palm Beach on Facebook @CityofWPB and on Twitter and Instagram @westpalmbch.

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The City of West Palm Beach Community Events Division earned the following SUNsational Awards:

• Clematis by Fright
  • T-shirt – 3^rd Place
• Clematis by Light
  • Banners – 1^st Place
  • Radio – 3^rd Place
  • Photo opp area – 3^rd Place
• Community Events
  • Installations – 3^rd Place
• GreenMarket
  • Instagram – 1^st Place
  • Promotional poster – 1^st Place
  • Television ad – 1^st Place
  • Facebook – 2^nd Place
  • Installations – 2^nd Place
  • Radio ad – 2^nd Place
  • Promotional mailer – 3^rd Place
• Here Comes the Fun
  • Installations – 2^nd Place
• Holiday in Paradise
  • Installations – 1^st Place
  • Photo opp area– 1^st Place
  • Tickets and invitations – 1^st Place
  • Photo – 2^nd Place
  • Promotional mailer – 2^nd Place
• Revamp Fun in 21
  • Radio ad – 2^nd Place

About the Florida Festivals & Events Association (FFEA)

For over 20 years, FFEA has served as a not-for-profit association dedicated to supporting and promoting more than 3,500 festivals, events, and fairs in the state of Florida. The association specializes in education, networking and dissemination of information and the cultivation of high standards. For more information about FFEA, visit www.ffea.com.