Spencer, Iowa — The fair that bills itself as “The World’s Greatest County Fair” lived up to its billing by winning nine awards during the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) 2021 Virtual Awards Show held last week.
Fair & Events Center CEO Jeremy Parsons says that the awards are all due to the hard work of their Board of Directors, staff, sponsors and partners, and volunteers. He says, “It is an honor to receive this recognition from our peers in the fair industry.”
The international association awards program allows member fairs to enter competitions based on competitive exhibits, agriculture, sponsorship, non-fair events, and communications. After submission, entries are judged based upon predetermined criteria set forth by IAFE committees. Judges include industry professionals both within, and outside of, the IAFE membership. For the awards program, the member fairs are split into five divisions based on attendance. The Clay County Fair competes in Division 3, which is limited to fairs across the globe with an attendance of 250,000-500,000.
Awards won by the Fair & Events Center were as follows:
· Agriculture Individual Photo: Equine, Second Place (photo by Judy Hemphill)
· Agriculture Individual Photo: Rodeo, Second Place (photo by Jim Steffens)
· Video Promo, Third Place (:30 second TV commercial developed by Caliber Creative)
· Double-sided, Multi-page, or Folded Promotional Ad, First Place (Fair poster/brochure developed by Caliber Creative)
· Overall Best Marketing Campaign, Third Place (developed by Caliber Creative)
· Unique event created to utilize the facility during the pandemic, First Place (Spencer YMCA Ice Cream Spooktacular)
· Item to Promote Facility: Newsprint Ad, Second Place (created in-house)
· Item to Promote Facility: Single Brochure or Flyer, First Place (non-Fair event rental brochure created in-house)
· Printed Material Specific to Rental, First Place (wedding brochure created in-house)