Example of Guidelines and Instructions

Reminder: Submission Deadline is February 27, 2026, at midnight PST. After this date, your portal access will be closed.

To enter the 2026 2026 Canadian Event Awards please refer to the detailed Entry Guide provided on this page. This guide walks you through every step of the process, from selecting your categories and preparing your materials to finalizing and submitting your entry, ensuring nothing is missed.

The system itself features a streamlined, drop-down style interface that makes navigation easy and helps ensure consistency across all entries. It's intuitive and designed to walk you through one section at a time, from entrant information to supporting materials and payment.

If your company has entered in previous years, we strongly encourage you to review the Entry Guide in full before starting your submission. Each year, we update key elements such as category descriptions, eligibility rules, judging criteria, and submission requirements, so even returning entrants may encounter changes.

We recommend gathering all materials in advance and carefully reviewing the requirements for your selected category before starting your entry in the portal. Once you're ready, return to this page and click “Enter Now” to begin.

We can't wait to see what you've created this year. Good luck!

Step 1: Prepare Materials

Gather all necessary materials based on your chosen category, including:

  • Event details
  • Budgets (if applicable)
  • Reference letters (if applicable)
  • Photos (PNG or JPEG only, no PDFs)
  • Video links (if applicable, e.g., YouTube or Vimeo)
  • A written description of your event

Step 2: Tips and Explanations

  1. Company Name: The name you enter will appear exactly as written in all published materials if nominated. Avoid abbreviations or acronyms unless you want them displayed.
  2. Client Information: a client will NEVER be contacted without your permission. Clients are only contacted in cases of discrepancies or challenges to project ownership.
  3. Joint Entries: Ensure you've purchased joint entry credits for any co-entrants. Co-entrants will not be listed as nominees unless a joint entry credit is applied.
  4. 300-Word Summary: Use third-person tense (e.g., "The team at XYZ Events created..." instead of "We created...").
  5. Main Photo: This will be prominently displayed in marketing materials and at the gala, so make sure it's relevant to your category.
  6. Additional Photos: Submit a minimum of 10 high-quality images (20–30 recommended). Images must be in PNG or JPEG format; PDFs are not accepted.
  7. Videos: If applicable, provide accessible online video links (e.g., YouTube or Vimeo).
  8. Budgets: Ensure compliance with category-specific dollar value criteria for budget entries. Budgets must reflect retail pricing (the amount billed to the client). They remain confidential, shared only with judges, and never published.

Once your entry is complete, click "Submit" to finalize. You can save progress and return to the portal anytime before the final deadline, February 23, 2025.

Rules & Guidelines

  • All entries/events must have occurred between December 31, 2023, and December 31, 2024.
  • Dollar value entries must include a detailed retail pricing budget.
  • Judges' decisions are final.
  • Joint entries must be purchased for all co-applicants. 
  • No advance notice of winners will be provided.
  • Entries may be used for promotion unless otherwise specified via the Confidentiality Waiver.
  • The awards are open to Canadian-owned companies with at least one office in Canada. Events can take place anywhere in the world or online.

Key Dates & Deadlines

  • February 28, 2025: Final submission deadline at midnight PST.
  • The week of March 14, 2025, Finalists will be announced online. Nominees will be contacted with instructions on how to validate their nominations.
  • April 30, 2025: Winners revealed live at the Canadian Event Awards Gala. 
  • July 2025: Winners featured in a post-event “lookbook” magazine.

We trust these instructions will help you navigate the entry process seamlessly. Best of luck with your submission! If you need assistance, please contact cse@canadianspecialevents.com.

The 2026 2026 Canadian Event Awards pertain to projects launched or ongoing in the 2025 calendar year. However, the project does not have to remain on the market at the time that the Awards package submissions are due. Builders, professionals, suppliers, manufacturers, trade contractors and any other Canadian Special Events member are eligible to submit applications for the 2026 Canadian Event Awards pursuant to the following eligibility requirements:

  • The applicant must be a member in good standing of the Canadian Special Events as of December 31, 2025 in order to submit an application.
  • The applicant must be a member in good standing of the Canadian Special Events on the night of the 2026 Canadian Event Awards in order to receive an award.
  • All entries must be for projects active between January 1 and December 31, 2025.
  • All projects must be located in our local region.