It is confirmed that the Battlefords Business Excellence Awards will indeed go ahead in 2020, but in a radically different format from before.
The BBEX committee has unveiled their plans for this year’s awards show, which is undergoing major changes to conform to public health protocols and restrictions.
The event is billed “BBEX Goes to the Movies” and will take place at the Magic Lantern Capitol Annex theatre on Nov. 12.
The date is a month later than usual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and indeed the event itself is different in format from previous years. The goal, according to the BBEX committee in a news release, is to make the awards night as “touchless” as possible for those attending.
In a news release, organizers say the MC and awards stage area will take place in the lobby of the cinema, and the presentation will be streamed to four cinemas in the Annex. The event will conform with provincial re-open protocols with guests entering and exiting through the outdoor theatre doors. As attendees leave, they will be presented with a gift boxed specialty dessert to enjoy at home.
Instead of a traditional banquet on site, guests will have the choice of attending a dinner at a local member restaurant, or simply attending the movie and a dessert at the theatre.
Award categories are also different. According to their news release, the usual categories of Marketing, New Business, Export Achievement are not going ahead this year. Instead, the event is being billed as a “celebration of Battlefords resilience,” and the awards will reflect that.
Awards will be presented in three new categories for 2020:
Applauding Battlefords Business Resilience
Recognizing the way Battlefords businesses provided community support
Celebrating businesses and individuals that became the Battlefords Everyday Heroes.
Also presented will be another new award, the Heather Guthrie Star Service Award. Plans to create this new category had been announced at last year’s BBEX awards.
Nominations are now being accepted by going to www.battlefordschamber.com, clicking on the BBEX Goes to the Movies icon, and entering the forms. You can return forms to [email protected], fax to 306-445-6633 or 306-446-0188, or mail nominations to P.O. Box 1000, North Battleford SK, S9A 3E6. The deadline for nominations is Sept. 25.
