McAllen Wins Highest International Designation Again

At the 67th Annual International Festival & Events Association (IFEA) Convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the City of McAllen celebrated an impressive win, taking home 75 awards, a distinguished international designation, and an industry award. This recognition, which included awards from the IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Insurance Pinnacle Awards and the prestigious IFEA World Festival & Event City Award, highlights McAllen’s exceptional achievements in festival management, creative excellence, and community engagement. Representatives from 10 countries and 29 states gathered to honor world-class events across categories including TV/Radio, Social Media, Multi-Media, Print, Merchandise, Sponsorship, Emergency Preparedness, and Entertainment.

McAllen’s South Texas Book Festival, hosted by the McAllen Public Library, was awarded the Grand Pinnacle—the highest honor given by the IFEA. This marks the third Grand Pinnacle win for the festival, celebrating its standout success in community outreach and literary engagement. Additional award-winning McAllen events included the McAllen Holiday Parade, MXLAN, South Pole Illuminated Festival, McAllen International CarFest, McAllen Marathon Scott Crane Running Series, and events at Quinta Mazatlán and the McAllen Public Library.

“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all of our Pinnacle Award winners for their exceptional contributions to this year’s competition,” said Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE, President & CEO of the IFEA. “The IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards recognize the outstanding achievements and top-tier creativity, promotional efforts, operational excellence, and community outreach demonstrated by festivals and events worldwide. By striving for the highest standards across all budget levels and regions, this competition not only elevates the quality of festivals and events globally but also shows how event producers can use innovation and creativity to achieve a higher level of success.”

“I am proud of the amazing work that the City of McAllen does to plan, organize, host and promote the quality festivals and events in our community throughout the year,” said McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos. “Most importantly, these festivals and events continue to elevate the quality of life for our residents and visitors to our great city and are a reflection of the dedication, professionalism and creativity of our McAllen employees. These awards are truly well-deserved; it’s inspiring to be honored in such amazing company with other festivals and events from around the world.”

For the eighth consecutive year, the McAllen Holiday Parade earned the title of Best Parade in the World, further underscoring its reputation as an international favorite. In addition, McAllen was once again designated as an IFEA World Festival and Event City, joining cities like Gwangju Dong-gu in Korea, Milwaukee, Phuket, and Philadelphia in this elite recognition. According to IFEA, this designation celebrates cities whose festivals drive economic and social impact, supported by strong community partnerships.

“The festivals and events reflect the best of our city, our people and our values. Aside from being economic generators for McAllen, these festivals and events bring our community together,” said McAllen Assistant City Manager Joe Vera and IFEA World Board Chair-Elect Joe Vera.

McAllen’s accomplishments spanned 33 Gold, 26 Silver, and 16 Bronze Pinnacle Awards for events like the McAllen Holiday Parade, Quinta Mazatlán’s Planta Nativa and ReFest, the McAllen Public Library’s World Languages Festival, the McAllen Convention Center’s CarFest, and the Parks & Recreation Department’s McAllen Marathon.

“We are always hosting something, whether it be a small music fest, a large- scale cultural celebration or our very own internationally acclaimed McAllen Holiday Parade,” added Vera. “These events and festivals and celebrations are why people from throughout the Rio Grande Valley, northern Mexico and beyond flock to McAllen,” he concluded.

The professional competition drew entries from some of the world’s top festivals and events, Winning entries came from organizations as diverse as the Cherry Creek Arts Festival in Denver, CO; the Dublin Irish Festival in Dublin, OH; the Pasadena Tournament of Roses in Pasadena, CA; the Philadelphia Flower Show in Philadelphia, PA; the Seafair Festival in Seattle, WA; Celebrations of Traditions Pow Wow in San Antonio, TX; Canada Together in Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vivid Sydney in Sydney, Australia; Festival Lent in Maribor, Slovenia; Chiang Mai Blooms in Bangkok, Thailand; Rome Future Week® in Roma, Italy; Huangling Shaiqiu Cultural Festival in Shangrao, China; the Cheonan World Dance Festival in Cheonan, Republic of Korea and of course, multiple events from the City of McAllen.