Best in the West Awards 2023

At the 2023 Conference the following Best in the West Excellence Awards were announced. Submission information is presented for each award.

Marketing

International Avenue BRZ - Our People Video Series - Celebrate Black History Month on International Avenue

International Avenue is home to the largest number of black entrepreneurs in Calgary.  During the month of February - Black History Month,  we highlighted many of these people and their businesses through our video series designed for social media and web platforms. We specifically worked to provide a high quality video series which featured "Our People" as the stars.

Programming & Partnerships

Downtown Langley Business Association - Augmented Reality Murals - Moving Murals

Moving Murals were launched in the fall of 2021 and added an augmented reality (AR) component to the existing award winning Downtown Langley Mural Walk. This AR experience leads participants to see components of the activated mural pop off the wall and come to life, including bees flying and landing on flowers, an octopus dancing and horses tossing bowls of spaghetti across a table.

Special Events

Mission Downtown Business Association - MissionFest 2022

MissionFest is a community festival that celebrates the diverse cultures, arts, food, and businesses that make Mission the hidden gem of the Fraser Valley! Main Street Mission welcomes everyone from the community and surrounding areas to discover or re-discover the beauty and vibrancy of our downtown core. This event sees thousands of visitors enjoying downtown Mission and features a mobile zipline, a street foam party, live music and performers, local food, community groups and artisans, and at the heart of it all are our downtown businesses who host the event.

Sustainability

Heights Merchants Association - Green Business Spotlight

The “Green Business Spotlight” campaign was launched by the Heights Merchant Association (HMA) to celebrate and encourage environmental sustainability among small businesses and to facilitate gentle peer pressure for others to increase their sustainable business practices to receive the same benefits. Businesses can nominate themselves by completing a list of green practices, and unlock achievement levels, from Green Business Level 1 to Green Business Leader, based on the number of green initiatives implemented. Rewards range from a wooden plaque award to display their Green Leadership, to extensive social media exposure and blog post features.