Days after the city council approved a one-year, $493,415 contract to MRG Events to produce the city's four Signature Events, Surrey announced several awards for two of those festivals.
Following a request for quotations (RFQ) last April, Vancouver-based MRG was among five bidders for Surrey's contract to help stage the city's Party for the Planet (an Earth Day celebration), Surrey Canada Day, Surrey Fusion Festival and Surrey Tree Lighting Festival.
"These award-winning special events require significant production team services to ensure professional, high-quality events that Surrey residents have come to expect," says a report to council from Laurie Cavan, Surrey's general manager of Parks, Recreation & Culture. "The existing production team services agreement has expired."
City council voted to green-light MRG's new contract on Sept. 23, after four years of the company's work to produce Surrey's four Signature Events.
On average, Surrey receives $700,000 in sponsorship and grants to support its Signature Events, according to Cavan. "Sponsorship and grant funding collected goes towards many expenses related to the event, a component of which does include Production Team contract fees, $487,305 in 2024," she told the Now-Leader in an email.
The four other production contract bids were received from Tim Furness Event Company, The Live Syndicate Productions, TFC Promotions and Encore Global Events (Canada). Funding is available in the proposed 2025 Parks, Recreation & Culture Department Operating Budget, Cavan's report notes.
Meantime, an Oct. 2 news release from city hall announced seven event-industry awards for Surrey Tree Lighting Festival and Surrey Fusion Festival on local and international levels, from International Live Events Association (ILEA) and Canadian Special Events Awards.
Surrey Tree Lighting Festival received the Best Public Event Award from ILEA’s Vancouver Chapter, noting the festival’s expansion to a two-day event in 2023. The 2024 edition of the festival will return to Surrey Civic Plaza for two days, Nov. 23-24, from noon to 8 p.m. daily. Performers and activities will be announced later this month on surreytreelighting.ca, where applications are sought for market vendors, sponsors, exhibitors and performers.
Launched in 2008 and held mid-July at Holland Park, Surrey Fusion Festival won awards for Best Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for a Public Event (ILEA), Best Innovation for a Public Event (ILEA), Best Public Multi-Day Event (ILEA), Best Public Event (ILEA, Vancouver Chapter), Best Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for a Public Event (ILEA, Vancouver Chapter) and Best Event for a City or Municipality – Community Impact (Canadian Special Event Awards).
The 2024 edition of Surrey Fusion Festival featured headliners Sudan Archives and Malkit Singh at Holland Park, with a “Landmarks of the World” theme at the 50-plus pavilions and eight stages of entertainment.
