Tuesday, March 19, 2024

2021 IAAPA Brass Ring Award Winners announced

IAAPA, the global association for the attractions industry, announced the winners of the 2021 IAAPA Brass Ring Awards. The IAAPA Brass Ring Awards are the most prestigious professional honors awarded, marking achievements of excellence throughout the global attractions industry. The awards recognize amusement parks, waterparks, zoos, aquariums, museums, science centers, family entertainment centers (FECs) and attractions in excellence in categories including food and beverage, games and retail, human resources, live entertainment, marketing and new products.

The IAAPA Brass Ring Awards are considered one of the global attractions industry’s most prestigious honors. The brass ring has been a tradition dating back to the 1800s, when excited guests were challenged to reach for a ring while riding a carousel. While most rings were made from iron, grabbing the single brass ring was a coveted and celebrated accomplishment, and often included a free second carousel ride. The IAAPA Brass Ring Awards honor that tradition, and each year facilities around the world submit their most creative and memorable work for consideration.

2021 IAAPA Brass Ring Award Winners
Top Family Entertainment Center (FEC) of the World

Scene75 Entertainment Center
Columbus, Dublin, Ohio, United States

Food and Beverage Excellence

Best New Menu Item:
Reese’s Stuff Your Cup
Hershey’s Chocolate World
Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States

Best New Food and Beverage Festival or Special Event:
Dollywood’s Flower and Food Festival
Dollywood Parks and Resorts
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, United States

Related: Dollywood reveals new resort as part of 10-year plan

Games and Retail Excellence

Best Plush:
“Remy Feature Plus”
Disney Global Product Creation
Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States

Best Apparel:
“Omega Mart Tattoo Chicken Ringer T-Shirt”
Meow Wolf, Inc.
Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States

Related: Let’s Go Shopping! Meow Wolf opens Omega Mart

Best Hard Good Item:
“Candy Land Hershey Edition”
Hershey’s Chocolate World
Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States

Best Visual Merchandising:
“Omega Mart Plenty Valley Produce Department”
Meow Wolf, Inc.
Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States

Best Midway Game Operation:
Canobie Lake Park
Salem, New Hampshire, United States.

Judges Award:
“Coca-Cola Sponsored Games”
Lagoon Amusement Park
Farmington, Utah, United States

Related: Geoff Thatcher: Gordo at the park

Human Resources Excellence

Best Employee Engagement Initiative – Annual Attendance Less than 1 Million:
“We R.I.S.E. Together: Resilience, Innovation, Sustainability, Engagement”
Enchanted Kingdom
Laguna, Philippines

Best Employee Engagement Initiative – Annual Attendance More than 1 Million:
“Hersheypark Leadership Development Internship”
Hersheypark
Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States

Related: Unwrapping the new Hersheypark

Best Employee Reward and Recognition Program – Annual Attendance More than 1 Million:
“Work Here. Play Here. Win Here.”
Knoebels Park and Resort
Elysburg, Pennsylvania, United States

Best Innovation in a Training Program – Annual Attendance Less than 1 Million:
“Meow Wolf 101: The Beginning”
Meow Wolf, Inc.
Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States

Related: Meow Wolf’s Corvas Brinkerhoff talks art + business

Best Innovation in a Training Program – Annual Attendance More than 1 Million:
“Guest Obsession: Four Pillars of GO!”
LEGOLAND Florida Resort
Winter Haven, Florida, United States

Related: LEGOLAND Florida rings in tenth anniversary with new attractions and enhancements

Live Entertainment Excellence

Best Atmosphere/Street Show Performance/Act:
“Magic Happens Parade”
Disneyland Resort, Disney Parks Live Entertainment
Anaheim, California, United States

Best Performer:
Caleb Brown
Dollywood Parks and Resorts
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, United States

Best Live “Edutainment” Show:
“Orca Encounter”
SeaWorld Orlando
Orlando, Florida, United States

Related: Three SeaWorld Entertainment waterparks add new slides for 2022

Best Theatrical Production: Annual Attendance Less than 1 Million:
“EL ÚLTIMO CANTAR” – The Last Song”

Puy du Fou España SA
Toledo, Spain

Related: Puy du Fou España CEO Erwan de la Villéon shares his views on the new park

Best Theatrical Production: Annual Attendance More than 1 Million:
“Xcaret México Spectacular”
Grupo Xcaret
Quintana Roo, Mexico

Most Creative Christmas Show:
“The Crystal Promise”
Universal Studios Japan
Osaka, Japan

Most Creative Halloween Haunt, Show, or Experience:
“Oogie Boogie Bash – A Halloween Party”
Disneyland Resort, Disney Parks Live Entertainment
Anaheim, California, United States

Most Creative Multimedia Spectacular:
“La Clé des Songes”
FUTUROSCOPE
Vienne, France

Related: Europe: Continental success

Most Creative Property-wide Event – Annual Attendance Less than 1 Million:
“For The Love Event, Surfing & Lifestyle Series”
URBNSURF Group
New South Wales, Australia

Most Creative Property-wide Event – Annual Attendance More than 1 Million:
“Gala of Lights”
Ocean Park Corporation
Hong Kong, China

Related: 2020 Theme Index: resilience in China, challenges in California

Most Creative Sports/Stunt Show:
“Winter Wonderland on Ice”
SeaWorld Orlando
Orlando, Florida, United States

Excellence in Marketing

Best Digital Marketing Campaign:
“Monster – King of Roller Coasters”
Gröna Lund
Stockholm, Sweden

Best Integrated Marketing Campaign:
“Spider”
Fantasilandia
Santiago, Chile

Best Outdoor Advertisement – Dual winners:
“Explore Wonder!”
Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach, SC, United States

and

“Grandes Sonrisas” (Bigger Smiles)
Grupo Xcaret
Quintana Roo, Mexico

Best Public Relations Campaign – Dual winners:
“Dr. Diabolical’s Cliffhanger Tease and Announcement”
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
San Antonio, Texas, United States

and

“360˚ Xafety”
Grupo Xcaret
Quintana Roo, Mexico

Best Radio or Streaming Audio Commercial:
“Sharks Exhibit Advertising Campaign”
California Academy of Sciences
San Francisco, California, United States

Related: $9 Million Gift Will Allow Every Elementary School Student in San Francisco to Visit California Academy of Sciences for Free

Best Social Media Campaign:
“Sleep with the Sharks Influencer Campaign”
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
Gatlinburg, Tennessee, United States

Best Television or Digital Video Commercial – Annual Attendance Less than 1 Million:
“To Travel is To Live”
Lakewood Camping Resort
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States

Best Television or Digital Video Commercial – Annual Attendance More than 1 Million:
“Vitamina X”
Grupo Xcaret
Quintana Roo, Mexico

Related: Grupo Xcaret: Xavage Gardens

All award winners, and entries, will be honored in Orlando, Florida, during IAAPA Expo 2021 at the IAAPA Award Winners Celebration.

Related Articles

Latest Articles