Surrey's Fusion Festival wins international award (WITH VIDEO)

SURREY — As anyone who’s hosted a dinner would know, it takes a lot of planning and preparation to get everything ready for a handful of people coming over. But how about hosting an event that attracts about 100,000 people?

The City of Surrey and John Donnelly & Associates do it every year.

As one of Canada’s largest multicultural celebrations, the two-day Fusion Festival that takes over Holland Park every July is no easy feat to set up. The festival boasts more than 75 artists and performers from across the globe, along with nearly 40 cultural pavilions, a parade and various all-ages activities.

“In the fall, we’re looking at headline entertainment for the following year,” said Mary Rukavina, manager of special events and filming with the City of Surrey. “It’s an ongoing, yearlong process.”

(SCROLL DOWN TO VIEW FESTIVAL'S OFFICIAL PROMO VIDEO)

A lot goes into the production of big concerts and festivals: Organizers have to take into account parking, concessions, merchandise sales, security and first aid. But Rukavina noted there are other more subtle concerns that the public might not think about.

“We look at all the little things that might not be so obvious to the public,” she said, listing the location of washrooms and information booths, placement of signage and preparations for poor weather as considerations for planners.

In addition, hosting the Fusion Festival can be rather expensive. Rukavina attributed the funding from corporate sponsors as the reason why the city can afford to hold such a large cultural bash year after year.

She also credited the hundreds of volunteers who give their time to set up and take down the four stages and dozens of pavilions.

“Without the volunteers, we would not be able to put on this event.”

But all the hard work pays off: The city and John Donnelly & Associates took home the award for Best Fair/Festival from Special Events magazine at an awards gala last Friday in Nashville, Tenn. Fusion Fest beat out the TD Toronto Jazz Festival and Harrisburg, N.C.’s Democratic National Convention Carolina Fest for the title.

“We’re just thrilled to be able to produce this event for, and with, the City of Surrey,” said John Donnelly, president of John Donnelly & Associates. “It’s just fantastic that it’s being recognized at an international level.”

With the seventh Fusion Fest about six months away, Rukavina said she’s looking forward to the 2014 edition. She added that the award brings things full circle to the roots of the yearly affair.

“Years ago, when this event came to be, there was a tagline that was put under the title Fusion Festival: ‘the ultimate celebration of music, food and culture,’” she said. “It just proves that we are able to put on world-class events, and it shows how much the city is diverse.”