GRAND OLE NASHVILLE GALA & AWARDS!
The NACE Music Annual Awards Gala, Grand Ole Nashville, will be held on Monday, November 17, 2025, at the Country Music Hall of Fame. More exciting details to come soon!
NACE Music City Chapter Local Awards
Join us as we celebrate an unforgettable year of innovation, collaboration and creativity! The inaugural Music City NACE Awards honors the incredible events produced during our first year as a chapter, showcasing the talent, resilience and dedication of our location event professionals. From show-stopping celebrations to impactful moments behind the scenes, this evening is a tribute to the big wins and bold strides we've made together within the industry.
Award submissions go LIVE on August 15th!! | Submit your award submissions by 11:59pm on Tuesday, September 30th
Awards Process
With the guidance of our sister chapters, the Music City Board has spent extra time and effort into streamlining and adjusting the industry awards criteria to help simplify the award submission process! Below you will find the information on our awards submission process and criteria for this year's Industry Award Criteria. Should you have any questions or would like to receive example submissions for a certain category, please reach out to Christine McDevitt, chapter Vice President, at musiccitynacevp@gmail.com
Quick Links
Individual Awards
Individual Awards can be nominated by ANY Primary Music City Chapter member in good standing, not just the Board. Nominee must be a NACE Music City primary member in good standing. There is no fee to nominate someone for Individual Awards
Rookie of the Year Award
This award recognizes a new member of the Music City NACE chapter who has made a significant impact in their first year. Whether through leadership, enthusiasm, fresh ideas or a commitment to involvement, this individual exemplifies the spirit of NACE and shows incredible promise as a rising star in our local events community.
Linwood Campbell Music City NACE Member of the Year Award
Named in honor of our esteemed chapter advisor, founder and industry leader, this award recognizes a Music City NACE member who has gone above and beyond in service, leadership and dedication to our chapter. The recipient exemplifies the values of collaboration, integrity and excellence that Linwood Campbell has modeled throughout his career. This award honors a member whose outstanding contributions have significantly advanced the success and visibility of our chapter and inspired those around them to raise the bar.
Industry Awards Requirements
Industry Award Entry Fees (Per Submission)
Chapter Member Pricing (Primary or Secondary)
- Submission between August 15th - September 30th: $75.00
Submission Rules
- ANY Nashville catering and events professionals are welcome to submit for an Industry Award. You do not need to be a NACE Music City member to participate. - All award entries will be submitted through JotForm, which will go live on Friday, August 15, 2025.
- An Additional Entry Fee Per Team Member is required for Team Submissions. For team submissions, each vendor nominated is responsible for their own submission payment. If the submitter wishes to cover the payment for all nominees, please check the appropriate box on the submission form. Please note that if a payment is not received from a nominees(s) by Tuesday, September 30th, that nominee(s) will be removed from the submission.
- Only one vendor/team member is responsible for submitting the completed award entry (per the criteria), and the submission should include vendor/team members who agree to the joint submission, fees included.
- NACE-sponsored or NACE-related events are NOT eligible.
- The event or design must have taken place between August 1, 2024 and July 31, 2025.
- Judging - All awards will be judged by a collaboration of fellow NACE Chapters and/or qualified industry-specific associations from across the country.
- Secondary Music NACE Members with a Primary Membership from other NACE Chapters are welcome to submit for Industry Awards only.
- Please note the word count requirements notated in the criteria per award categories.
Industry Awards
Catered Event of the Year
Individual or Team Entries
Purpose: The "Catered/Food & Beverage Event of the Year" recognizes outstanding planning and execution for all on-premises and/or off-premises events including wedding reception events, events produced by venues, caterers, restaurants, clubs, or hotels with both in-house and outside catering facilities.
Special Requirements: The “Catered/Food & Beverage Event of the Year” Award nominations will be split into two subcategories (your entry should include your budget and retail value).
- Event Budget Less than $50,000
- Event Budget $50,000 - $100,000
- Event Budget Greater than $100,000
Who should apply: On-premises caterers, off-premises caterers, hotel caterers, private clubs, and restaurants.
Event Design/Decor of the Year
Individual or Team Entries
Purpose: This award recognizes outstanding achievement in overall design, floral design, tablescape, and décor for an event.
Who should apply: Event planners, destination management companies, experiential marketing companies, and florists.
Entertainment Production of the Year
Individual Entries Only
Purpose: This award aims to showcase the best in Event Entertainment concept and execution for events, such as parties, banquets, award ceremonies, fundraisers, festivals, sporting events, concerts, conventions, and expositions. This individual recognition is for innovative entertainment talents; therefore, team submissions are not eligible for this category.
Who should apply: DJs, live entertainment professionals, auctioneers, live musical groups, emcees, and event management companies.
"Shot" of the Year
Individual Entries Only
Purpose: This award honors excellence in capturing moments from behind any camera. This individual recognition is for the photographer/videographer’s artistic talents; therefore team submissions are not eligible for this category.
Who should apply: Photographers, photo booths and drone photographers.
Live Event Production of the Year
Individual or Team Entries
Purpose: The "Live Event Production of the Year" award recognizes outstanding achievement in the overall event planning and production of a catered event by on and off-premises caterers, event planners, facility venue managers, and institutions producing such events as parties, banquets, award ceremonies, fundraisers, festivals, sporting events, conventions, and expositions, excluding Wedding Ceremonies/Receptions (see Wedding of the Year award).
Who should apply: Event planners, facility venue managers, videographers, drone videographers, audio-visual companies, destination management companies, event production companies, public relations groups, and experiential marketing companies.
Team Event of the Year
Team Entries Only
Purpose: This award aims to showcase the exceptional partnership demonstrated between Music City Chapter NACE members. It is designed to honor the teamwork and cohesive work relationship between NACE members and how collaborative teamwork produced an extraordinary event.
Special Requirements: Discuss the overall outcome of the event and the contributions of each team member. Describe any creative qualities and challenges that elevated the event and how the team worked together to execute the vision of the client.
Who should apply: A minimum of three (current, former or future) Music City NACE members must be represented on the award nomination, for example, on and off-premises caterers, event planners, facility venue managers, institutions (charitable, cultural, and educational), production companies, special event designers, linen companies, florists, balloon artists, ice artists, entertainment companies, photographers, videographers and other event collaborator.
Floral Design/Tablescape of the Year
Individual or Team Entries
Purpose: This award recognizes outstanding achievement in overall floral design and/or tablescape for an event.
Who should apply: Event planners, destination management companies, experiential marketing companies, and florists.
Wedding of the Year
Individual or Team Entries
Purpose: The "Wedding of the Year" award recognizes outstanding achievement in the overall event planning and production of a wedding ceremony and/or reception. Please refer to Live Event Production of the Year for other wedding-related events, such as rehearsal dinners, showers, after-parties, sangeets, mehndi parties, etc.
Special Requirements: The Wedding of the Year Award nominations will be split into three subcategories (your entry should include your budget and retail value).
- Event Budget Less than $50,000
- Event Budget $50,000 - $100,000
- Event Budget Greater than $100,000
Who should apply: Wedding planners, venues, hotels, on-premises and off-premises caterers, private clubs.