Northeast Ohio Hosts AIB Awards

For the first time, a region will be hosting the America In Bloom (AIB) awards symposium instead of a large city. The AIB communities of Northeast Ohio will host the Fourth Annual America In Bloom Symposium and Awards Program September 8-10 at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center. Within a 60-mile radius of Cleveland, there have been 18 AIB participants, including past population category winners – Akron, Brecksville, Berea, Sandusky and Westlake. This year Cleveland will be participating for the first time and competing against New York City.

“Ohioans, and especially Cleveland, should be proud to host the fourth educational symposium and awards ceremonies of America In Bloom,” said contest and symposium chair Alex Pearl. “Of the 30 Ohio communities that have participated in the America In Bloom program, 18 surround Cleveland. Ohio can boast of having cities that have won distinction on the national and international level.”

The event will begin Thursday evening, September 8, with an opening reception at the Cleveland Botanical Garden, where special awards will be presented to communities that performed best overall in the eight judging criteria. The next two days will be the educational symposium, which mirrors what AIB’s judges are looking for when they visit a community. Both Friday and Saturday morning, attendees will absorb valuable take-home ideas in seminars and in the afternoons, venture out into the region on tours to see the results of beautification and revitalization efforts, which dramatically increase the quality of life. The grand finale is the awards banquet, in which all participating communities are recognized for their strengths and receive an official bloom rating to promote locally and nationally. Everyone goes home a winner.

Registration for the entire program is $199 when received by August 19 or $250 when received after that date. For more information, contact Laura Kunkle at (614) 487-1117 or visit the AIB Web site at www.americainbloom.org.