Both the Mount Forest Fireworks Festival and Holstein Rodeo Weekend have been named to the list of Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario.
The announcement was made at the Festivals & Events Ontario (FEO) president’s gala on Saturday evening, the celebratory conclusion to its annual conference.
The Mount Forest Fireworks Festival is slated for July 16 to 18 this year. Attending the gala event were Festival Chair Ray Tout and committee members Jackie Ferrier, Sherry Burke and Debbie Hunter.
“There’s pretty stiff competition to get into the Top 100,” Mr. Tout said.
 More than 2,000 festivals and events occur in Ontario each year.
The Fireworks Festival was also nominated for best community partnership involvement, most innovation sponsorship and best official program, designed by committee member Trevor Marshall of Marshall Digital Design.
Although the festival didn’t win in any of the achievement categories, Mr. Tout says it’s “encouraging that you’re up there with some big players. That’s huge.”
For example, in one category Mount Forest lost out to London’s Western Fair.
The Holstein Rodeo Weekend, the ninth annual, is being held July 8 to 11.
The Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario designation is sponsored by VIA Rail Canada.
“With so many options for the festival-goers here in Ontario, it can be hard to know which festivals and events offer the most rewarding experiences. As the provincial association for this industry, we believe it is our responsibility to set these standards and present the results to our consumers in an easily accessible and recognizable brand,” says FEO’s President Sarah Wood.
The winners of this year’s Top 100 will be highlighted in the annual Festivals and Events in Ontario Guide distributed in both a printed and online format.
 A list of the 2010 winners can be found on the FEO’s website, www.festivalsandeventsontario.ca.