The Brass Ring Excellence Awards

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.

The IAAPA Brass Ring Excellence Awards aims to recognize and honor all the hard work and commitment that goes into the attractions industry. From stunning productions and delicious food to innovative training and creative marketing, our members work deserves to be celebrated.

The Window to apply for the 2024 IAAPA Brass Ring Excellence Awards is May 28, 2024 – Dec. 31, 2024

All Excellence awards are awarded at IAAPA Honors. Learn more.

The IAAPA Honors initiative seeks to forge meaningful connections with finalists, winners, and inductees, providing them with a distinctive and inclusive experience that transcends borders and showcases excellence across the international attractions industry.

IAAPA Honors 2025 is set to take place at Europa-Park in Rust, Germany from April 28 – 30, 2025. Register and learn more here.

IAAPA Honors 2024 shined a spotlight on innovative contributions that have propelled the global attractions industry forward.

As we witnessed history in the making and celebrated the remarkable achievements of the industries visionaries and trailblazers, IAAPA News provided coverage of straight from the stage at the Venetian in Las Vegas. Read the full article on IAAPA News Hub.

The IAAPA Food & Beverage Excellence Awards recognize creativity and innovation in developing new menu items, food and beverage events, and food and beverage facilities.

Applicants must either be employed at an IAAPA member company or hold an individual IAAPA Membership to apply. View the full Food & Beverage Excellence criteria for the below categories here.

This category recognizes creativity, innovation, and excellence in developing a new menu item, food and/or drink, that is unique or superior to what has been accomplished in the industry at a facility open 9 months or less of the calendar year.

This category recognizes creativity, innovation, and excellence in developing a new menu item, food and/or drink, that is unique or superior to what has been accomplished in the industry at a facility that is open 10 months or more of the calendar year.

This category recognizes creativity, innovation, and excellence in the development of a new festival or special event centered around food and/or beverage that is unique or superior to what has been accomplished in the industry at a facility.

This category recognizes creativity, innovation and excellence in the development or renovation of a building centered around food and beverage.

Chair:

• Bernie Campbell
• Olivia Haist
• Nicole Holtzman
• Joseph Leung
• Jan Michael Taylor, ICAE
• Rodolfo Nascimento
• Sam Shurgott, ICAP
• Jon Vigue, ICAE

The IAAPA Games & Merchandise Excellence Awards recognize creativity, innovation, and storytelling achieved through visual merchandising and product design.

Applicants must either be employed at an IAAPA member company or hold an individual IAAPA Membership to apply. View the full Games & Merchandise Excellence criteria for the below categories here.

This category recognizes excellence in visual merchandising across an entire game area or full retail store and creative, innovative displays that work together to create a cohesive store and/or game area experience that links with the store/attraction’s theme or story at a facility open 9 months or less of the calendar year.

This category recognizes excellence in visual merchandising across an entire game area or full retail store and creative, innovative displays that work together to create a cohesive store and/or game area experience that links with the store/attraction’s theme or story at a facility open 10 months or more of the calendar year.

This category recognizes excellence in visual merchandising for a single display and how that display celebrates a specific product, elevates a specific experience that links with the store/attraction’s theme or story.

This category recognizes a creative and innovative retail souvenir item that uniquely represents and celebrates an attraction’s concept, theme, or storyline at a facility open 9 months or less of the calendar year.

This category recognizes a creative and innovative retail souvenir item that uniquely represents and celebrates an attraction’s concept, theme, or storyline at a facility open 10 months or more of the calendar year.

This category recognizes a creative and innovative item that uniquely represents and celebrates a midway game’s concept, theme, or storyline.

Task Force A

Chair:

• Dion Summergreene
• Daan Dujim
• Jason Gordon
• Richard Lindhorn
• Brad Loxley
• Marie Marks
• Andrew Such
• Caitlin White

Task Force B

Chair:

• Gary Popp
• Timothy Acord
• Nick Dimatteo
• Jonathan Gonzalez
• Keith Janosikk
• Scott Kennedy
• Cynthia Lyons
• Jason Meledez
• Greg Morrow
• Matt Ream

The IAAPA Human Resources Excellence Awards recognize innovative Human Resources programs and initiatives that go above and beyond to make sure that a company’s employees are well taken care of.
Applicants must either be employed at an IAAPA member company or hold an individual IAAPA Membership to apply. View the full Human Resources Excellence criteria for the below categories here.

This category recognizes how organizations elevate health and wellness, such as mental health, physical health, inclusivity and similar strategies and the effectiveness with their team members through clear and measurable means. 

This category highlights innovation in how team members are trained within the organization including but not limited to seasonal or annual training, initial hiring and training/orientation for new team members, on-going training or re-training, professional development, and more.

This category focuses on the alignment of benefits, rewards and incentives, and recognition strategies to the organization’s business objectives and the success of those programs as seen in employee engagement, productivity, and retention.

This category recognizes the best talent acquisition strategies through enhanced programs and practices that align with the organization’s business objectives. Entries should demonstrate the effectiveness of submitted programs.

Chair:

• Lesly Birkner
• Kirsty Burkhill
• Daniel Dambros
• Chris Deer
• Marillyn Franco
• Ryan Jeffrey
• Kate Reilly

The IAAPA Live Entertainment Awards recognize productions of all types that feature exceptional entertainment and production value.

Applicants must either be employed at an IAAPA member company or hold an Individual IAAPA Membership to apply. View the full Live Entertainment Excellence criteria for the below categories here.

This category recognizes a production that features exceptional entertainment value not on a stage but throughout a park, featuring intimate engagement with guests and limited technical resources.

This category recognizes a haunt, show, or experience that features exceptional production and entertainment value with a Halloween theme.

This category recognizes an exceptional production that happens once (or twice) a day or once a season, that is meant to keep people in the park to celebrate the day. May feature multimedia, fireworks, parades, live actors, and may not be confined to a traditional stage.

This category recognizes a presentational stage show that features exceptional production and entertainment value at a facility with limited operation of 9 months or less of the calendar year.

This category recognizes a presentational stage show that features exceptional production and entertainment value at a facility open 10 months or more of the calendar year.

This category recognizes a production with Winter Holiday theming that features exceptional production and entertainment value.

This category recognizes one specific element in a presentational stage or atmosphere show that enhances the production and entertainment value of the presentation.  An element that makes the show even better!

Task Force A

Chair:

• Matt Spenser
• Tania Bayona
• Mike Birardi
• Danny Byerly
• Amy Cannon
• Eric Pope
• Scott Silson
• Michael Windish
• Laura Woodburn Krolczyk

Task Force B

• Stephanie Morehead
• Carlos Avilas
• Rodolfo Fast
• Chris Frisella
• Morgane Keesling
• Matthew Lish
• Dominique Marmolejo
• Denny Newell
• Tom Vazzana

Task Force C

Chair:

• Danielle Kramer
• Eva Au Yang
• Katja Mack
• Christine Kerber
• Victor Hugo Loth
• Luke Campbell
• Roland Garcia
• Scott Swenson
• Lauren Pennington

The IAAPA Marketing Excellence Awards honor creativity, innovation, and success of marketing campaigns across a variety of different platforms and channels.

Applicants must either be employed at an IAAPA member company or hold an Individual IAAPA Membership to apply. View the full Marketing Excellence criteria for the below categories here.

This category recognizes best use of all online, mobile, and electronic resources to support a marketing message or campaign to drive business to an amusement facility or attraction.

This category recognizes best use of multiple marketing channels to promote an amusement facility or attraction including but not limited to print, tv, radio, online, social media and out of home.

Best use of out of home advertisement for amusement facility or attraction or a particular attraction within the facility.  This category includes all out of home mediums.

This category recognizes best use of paid and unpaid social media platforms and tactics used to connect and engage with attraction guests and drive business to an amusement facility or attraction.

Task Force A

Chair:

• Sharon Parker
• Brandon Bruce
• Emily Colombo
• Kyle Croegaert
• Deborah Eicher
• Katy Enrique
• Ron McKenzie

Task Force B

Chair:

• Valeria Rizzo
• Nora Al-Okail
• Yas Fuji
• Andrew Lee
• Renato Lenzi
• Nicolaas Scheepers
• Karen Staley

This award honors a new facility sustainability program or project that demonstrates one of the three pillars of sustainability and recognizes excellence in the practice and promotion of sustainable facility management.

Applicant must be employed by an IAAPA member or hold an individual IAAPA membership to apply. View the full Sustainability Excellence Criteria.

Chair:

• David Rosenburg
• Choni Fernandez
• Ken Maguire
• Eric O’Rourke
• Iliana Rodríguez

Family Entertainment Centers (FECs) are activity-based permanent facilities catering primarily to families featuring a mix of attractions: arcade, go-karts, laser tag, bowling, roller skating, and more.

The Top FEC award honors a facility for overall excellence in guest service, cleanliness, guest experience, attractions including food and beverage (if applicable), theming, and special events.

Applicant must be employed by an IAAPA member or hold an individual IAAPA membership to apply. View the full Top FEC of the Year Criteria.

Chair:

• Jenna Boyo
• Nabil Barakat
• Craig Buster
• Chris Desch
• Emiliano Limón
• Todd Maunsell
• Howard McAuliffe
• Carrie Rokosz
• Evi Sari

Location-Based Entertainment (LBE) LBEs are immersive experiences, catering primarily, although not exclusively, to adults. They often incorporate novel activities or standalone activities such as axe throwing, mini golf, virtual reality, and/or e-sports, F&B, and retail. LBEs focus on one or in some cases multiple of these activities.

The Top LBE award honors a facility for overall excellence in guest service, cleanliness, guest experience, attractions including food and beverage (if applicable), theming, and special events.

Applicant must be employed by an IAAPA member or hold an individual IAAPA membership to apply. View the full LBE of the Year Criteria.

Chair:

• Ben Thompson
• Fan Fanna
• Ahmed Madani
• Ashley Jex Wagner
• Mark Wijman