The Canadian Badlands Passion Play cleaned up at this year’s Alto Awards, winning two.
The Passion Play’s efforts to bring Canadian Icons in the Canadian Badlands, a concert featuring Tom Cochrane with Red Rider, won the Marketing Excellence Award for a campaign between $10,000 to $50,000. It also won the Collaborative Tourism Award.
Executive Director Vance Neudorf was beside himself when the awards were announced.
“It’s pretty strange, when there are three finalists in each category, you have a pretty good chance of getting one of these things. We got the first one and everyone around the table was excited. And then to get the second one back-to-back, it was like “Wow,” he said.
They were awarded for their innovation and determination. The event’s marketing team aligned with groups to promote the town, region and province.
“Our team was able to create a highly successful event with a relatively small amount of marketing resources,” said Neudorf. “Our team was committed to taking the risk and reap the rewards.”
The event sold out, attracting an audience from all over Western Canada.
For Neudorf, he was more impressed with how the community came together for the event. Eighty volunteers assisted with operations, guest services and facility management.
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of all our events, and we are both proud and grateful,” adds Neudorf. “Drumheller may be a smaller centre but when the town comes together to make something happen, you have the full support of businesses, the Chamber, Travel Drumheller and local government.”
The promoter was impressed with the venue and the spirit behind the show.
“Trixstar said, you have the best volunteers. The whole night went so well. It was fantastic working in Drumheller and we want to come back,’” said Neudorf.
“We are reworking and sculpting the site for the new script (for the Passion Play) and so we can host more concerts. We are making the front stage area more concert friendly.”
