Surrey Fusion Festival wins international award for 'Best Festival'

Surrey Fusion Festival has been recognized once again as the “Best Festival.”

The Surrey festival won the award for the second time at the 2019 Special Events Magazine Gala Award on Thursday (Jan. 10) in San Diego, Calif., according to a news release from the City of Surrey. Surrey Fusion Festival previously won the award in 2013.

RELATED: International nod for Surrey’s Fusion Festival, Dec. 3, 2013

Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum said the city is “honoured” to be recognized by the Special Events Magazine “for this prestigious award.”

“Surrey Fusion Festival is now B.C.’s largest multicultural event, bringing our community together through diverse food, arts and entertainment,” McCallum said in the release. “Community events like this create strong connections within our community and foster civic pride. We thank our presenting sponsor, Coast Capital Savings and the many community groups who come together to make this event possible year after year.”

Surrey Fusion Festival, in its 11th year, “drew thousands of fans” to Holland Park from the Lower Mainland July 21 to 22, 2018.

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Last year’s festival celebrated the theme of influential women in more than 50 cultural pavilions. There were five stages for live musical and cultural entertainment, including headliners Walk of the Earth and Ranjit Bawa. The 2018 event also featured an Indigenous village, kid’s zone and a cooking stage, where attendees could learn to make various cultural dishes.

Organizers, according to the release, “enhanced the environmental focus” of last year’s festival by only offering “100 per cent” biodegradable, plant-based straws and wooden cutlery in the 53 cultural pavilions, and provided on-site organics disposal carts.

The gala, according to the release, is “the oldest awards program in the event industry and recognize the finest work in special events worldwide.” The release also says the 2019 awards received entries in 34 categories from 13 countries.

The City of Surrey said the 2019 festival will take place at Holland Park July 20 and 21. For more information on the festival, visit surreyfusionfestival.ca.

Another industry award for Surrey Fusion Festival, named BEST FAIR/FESTIVAL at "Special Events" magazine's 2019 Gala Awards in San Diego last night. @CityofSurrey @surreybcevents #events #SurreyBC https://t.co/mvJKu01Iv1

— Tom Zillich (@TomZillich) January 12, 2019