Pender County – Ocean Fest, a Pender County-based festival has gained national recognition for its hard work and efforts to promote its festival’s mission. The awards were presented at the Southeast Festivals and Events Association (SFEA) annual conference.
Ocean Fest, a nonprofit eco-friendly, surf, arts, and music festival held in Surf City, NC, was the recipient of two Silver 2023 SFEA Kaleidoscope Recognition Awards from the Southeast Festivals and Events Association (SFEA).
The Southeast Festivals and Events Association (SFEA) was proud to recognize the outstanding efforts and contributions of Ocean Fest in the categories of Best Event Video and the Green Initiative.
According to SFEA, the best and the brightest in the Southeastern festivals and events industry were spotlighted recently at the Southeast Festivals and Events Association’s 2023 Conference and Kaleidoscope Awards Gala. 2022 saw the festivals and events industry still shifting and adapting but coming back in full force with two years’ worth of ideas and pent-up energy to expend. With 123 applications from six states in 23 categories, there were plenty of things to celebrate at this year’s conference.
“The creativity and fresh ideas our awardees brought to their events, and the impact they made on their still recovering communities, were incredible and inspiring. With reduced budgets and a fraction of the staff, they put together programs and events that surpassed previous industry standards, and their communities felt the change, too,” said Jamie McCormick, Operations Manager for SFEA.
Pender County Tourism, members of the association, submitted entries into a variety of offered award-winning categories for Pender County festivals and events. The awards program allows the association to award and recognize festivals and events that took place during the 2022 calendar year.
“We are pleased to work with our Pender County festivals & events to offer these opportunities which provide awards and recognition,” said Stephanie Key, Pender County Tourism Assistant. “This year Ocean Fest has garnered state and national recognition.”
The SFEA Kaleidoscope Awards represent the many different elements and facets of festivals and events. The judges looked for originality, creativity, media impact, volunteer programs, and the overall impact on the respective communities. The Kaleidoscope Award categories are diverse, covering just about every aspect of the industry, including vendors and suppliers.
SFEA was founded to strengthen the festivals and events industry throughout the Southeastern United States by hosting educational sessions, networking opportunities, award recognition, and additional events throughout the year, thus allowing for the continued professional growth of members. For more information about SFEA visit online at southeastfestivals.org.