IAAPA Brass Ring Awards

Pictured above: 2019 IAAPA Brass Ring Award Winners

IAAPA Brass Ring Awards
Awarding the Innovation and Unwavering Spirit Of Our Industry

Named for the rings given to carousel riders at the very first amusement parks, the IAAPA Brass Ring Award is a symbol of achievement. And just like how a ring is an unbreakable connection, so too are our connections as a community - bringing out the best in one another. 

Exhibitors at IAAPA Expo are encouraged to apply for an IAAPA Brass Ring Best New Product Award and IAAPA Brass Ring Best Exhibit Award.

Application Process and Deadline

• Awards portal opens June 1, 2022, and closes on August 15, 2022.

• All award entries should be submitted online. 

• When you are ready to submit your awards entries, click on the Apply Now button below and complete the registration. You can register for multiple categories at this time. 

• When the registration is complete, you will receive a confirmation email. 

• Note: the deadline for all 2022 nominations are due by August 15, 2022

Submit an Application for a 2022 IAAPA Brass Ring Award

2021 Brass Ring Award Winners

Congratulations to the 2021 recipients of an IAAPA Brass Ring Award! Check out the full list of winners below and then visit the IAAPA Awards portal for full descriptions and criteria for 2022 nominations here. 

Game & Merchandise Excellence

Best Apparel

• “Omega Mart Tattoo Chicken Ringer T-Shirt” – Meow Wolf, Inc.

Best Hard Good Item

• “Candy Land Hershey Edition” – Hershey's Chocolate World

Best Midway Game Operation

• “Canobie Lake Park” – 

Best Plush Item

• “Remy Feature Plus” – Disney Global Product Creation 

Best Visual Merchandising 

• “Omega Mart Plenty Valley Produce Department” – Meow Wolf, Inc.

Judges Award 

• “Coca-Cola Sponsored Games” – Lagoon Amusement Park

Food & Beverage Excellence

Best New Menu Item

• “Reese's Stuff Your Cup” – Hershey's Chocolate World

Best New and Beverage Festival or Special Event

• “Dollywood's Flower and Food Festival” – Pigeon Forge

Human Resource Excellence

Best Employee Engagement Initiative – Annual Attendance Less Than 1 Million.

• “We R.I.S.E. Together: Resilience, Innovation, Sustainability, Engagement” – Enchanted Kingdom

Best Employee Engagement Initiative – Annual Attendance More Than 1 Million.

• “Hersheypark Leadership Development Internship” – Hersheypark

Best Employee Reward and Recognition Program – Annual Attendance More Than 1 Million.

• “Work Here. Play Here. Win Here.” – Knoebels Park and Resort

Best Innovation in a Training Program – Annual Attendance Less Than 1 Million.

• “Meow Wolf 101: The Beginning” – Meow Wolf, Inc.

Best Innovation in a Training Program – Annual Attendance More Than 1 Million.

• “Guest Obsession: Four Pillars of GO!” – LEGOLAND Florida Resort

Live Entertainment Excellence

Best Atmosphere/Street Show Performance Act

• “Magic Happens Parade” – Disneyland Resort 

Best Live "Edutainment" Show

• “Orca Encounter” – SeaWorld Orlando

 Best Performer

• “Caleb Brown” – Dollywood Parks and Resorts 

Best Theatrical Production – Annual Attendance Less Than 1 Million.

•  “EL ÚLTIMO CANTAR (The Last Song)” – Puy du Fou España SA

Best Theatrical Production – Annual Attendance More Than 1 Million.

•  “Xcaret México Spectacular” – Grupo Xcaret

Most Creative Christmas Show

• “The Crystal Promise” – Universal Studios Japan

Most Creative Halloween Haunt, Show, or Experience

• “Oogie Boogie Bash -  A Halloween Party” – Disneyland Resort   

 Most Creative Multimedia Spectacular

• “La Clé des Songes” –  FUTUROSCOPE

Most Creative Sports/Stunt Show

•  “Winter Wonderland on Ice” – SeaWorld Orlando

Most Creative Property-Wide Event – Annual Attendance Less Than 1 Million

•  “For The Love Event, Surfing & Lifestyle Series” – URBNSURF Group

Most Creative Property-Wide Event – Annual Attendance More Than 1 Million   

• “Gala of Lights” – Ocean Park Corporation

Excellence in Marketing

Best Digital Marketing Campaign        

• “Monster - King of Roller Coasters” – Gröna Lund

Best Integrated Marketing Campaign        

• “Spider” – Fantasilandia   

 Best Outdoor Advertisement - Dual Winners       

• “Explore Wonder!” – Ripley's Aquarium of Myrtle Beach
• “Grandes Sonrisas (Bigger Smiles)” – Grupo Xcaret

Best Public Relations Campaign - Dual Winners        

• “Dr. Diabolical's Cliffhanger Tease and Announcement” – Six Flags Fiesta Texas, San Antonio

• “360˚Xafety” – Grupo Xcaret

Best Radio or Streaming Audio Commercial        

• “Sharks Exhibit Advertising Campaign” – California Academy of Sciences

Best Social Media Campaign        

• “Sleep with the Sharks Influencer Campaign” – Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies

Best Television or Digital Video Commercial – Amusement Parks and Attractions, Including Water Parks, With Annual Attendance More Than 1 Million        

• “Skin Exhibit Advertising Campaign” – California Academy of Sciences

Best Television or Digital Video Commercial – Annual Attendance Less Than 1 Million        

• “To Travel is To Live” – Lakewood Camping Resort

Best Television or Digital Video Commercial – Annual Attendance More Than 1 Million        

• “Vitamina X” – Grupo Xcaret

Top Family Entertainment Center (FEC) of the World

• Scene75 Entertainment Center – Columbus, Ohio

Best Exhibit Awards

Image Award Winner

• Daniels Wood Land, Inc., Booth 1369

Booth Size 100 – 399 Square Feet

• First Place: LvLuP Audio Towers, Booth 3984
• Second Place: Artistic Contractors, Inc., Booth 369

Booth Size 400 – 499 Square Feet

• First Place: Martin Aquatic Design & Engineering, Booth 1840
• Second Place: Art-FX Studios, Inc., Booth 2878

Booth Size 500 – 899 Square Feet

• First Place: Animax Designs, Inc., Booth 1065
• Second Place: Daniels Wood Land, Inc., Booth 1369

Booth Size 900 – 1,200 Square Feet

• First Place: Sandy Creek Mining Company, Booth 3471
• Second Place: Shaffer Distributing Co., Booth 1615

Booth Size 1,201 and Larger Square Feet

• First Place: Polin Waterparks, Booth 840
• Second Place: Triotech, Booth 1069

Best New Product Exhibitor Awards

Major Ride/Attraction (Product cost of US$5 million or more)

• First Place:  Vekoma, Booth 4637, Flying Launch Coaster (F.L.Y.)
• Second Place: Holovis, Booth 3429, LEGO Factory Adventure Ride

Major Ride/Attraction (Product cost of US$2 to US$5 million)

• First Place: Triotech, Booth 1069, Hyper Ride
• Second Place:  Ride Engineers Switzerland, Booth 4410, Canyon Slide Rapids

Major Ride/Attraction (Product cost less than US$2 million)

• First Place: Wiegand Waterrides GmbH, Booth 3806, Wiegand CoasterKart
• Second Place: Amega Technology, Booth 2869, E-Racing Container

Water Park Ride/Attraction

• First Place:  ProSlide Technology, Inc., Booth 2254, Launched Dueling Water Coaster
• Second Place:  WhiteWater West, Booth 2240, Parallel Pursuit

Patron Participation Ride/Attraction

• First Place: Creative Works, Booth 3871, Lucky Putt
• Second Place:  Magic Jump, Inc., Booth 5182, 5481, Star Wars Millennium Falcon Hyperspace Jump Experience

Technology Applied to Amusements (Product or Service used by Consumers)

• First Place: Safemark, Booth 3008, GoPod® Mobile
• Second Place: Avius, Booth 3800, Avius Gestures - Touch-free feedback

Technology Applied to Amusements (Product or Service used by Facilities)

• First Place: Safemark, Booth 3008, GoRoll Mobile
• Second Place: Semnox Solutions, Booth 412, Redemption Kiosk: Klaimprize

Prizes, Plush & Retail Products

• First Place:  NXT Capture, Booth 2708, NXT Selfie Experience
• Second Place:  A&A Global, Booth 824, Custom Guitars 13in

Games & Devices

• First Place:  Bay Tek Entertainment, Booth 1015, Axe Master
• Second Place: Pipeline Games, Booth 3615, CloudMeter

Virtual Reality

• First Place:  VR Coaster GmbH & Co. KG, Booth 2272, YULLBE
• Second Place: VR 360 ACTION, Booth 2278, Children's Dinosaur

Exhibitions, Shows/Production, Theatrical Equipment and Supplies, Displays and Sets

• First Place:  Falcon's Creative Group, Booth 2091, Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall
• Second Place: Enchant Studios, Booth 3484, Enchant Studios Holiday and Custom Lighting Sculpture Experiences

Services, Equipment & Supplies

• First Place:  N-Flatables / Cutting Edge Creations, Booth 5166, Watchdog Blower Siren
• Second Place:  Aqua Revival, Booth 2149, Aqua Revival Regenerative Media Filter

Best New Product Concept Award: Major Attraction           

• First Place:  Alterface, Booth 2051, Action League, the Interactive Revolution!
• Second Place: Extreme Engineering, Booth 4800, Surfin Tsunami

Best New Product Concept Award: Major Ride/Attraction

• First Place: Mack Rides GmbH & Co. KG, Booth 2269, The Rocking Boat
• Second Place: S&S Worldwide, Inc., Booth 2217, Axis Coaster

Best New Product Concept Award: Other Product/Service

• First Place:  Ka'ana Wave Co., Booth 3679, CM7 Series - Deep Water Surf Machines
• Second Place:  Microcom Corp., Booth 4543, Microcom 360C-RFID Color Printer for RFID Wristbands and Tickets

Impact Award Winner

• Wiegand Waterrides GmbH, Booth 3806, Wiegand CoasterKart

If you have questions or concerns, please contact [email protected].