Awards Frequently Asked Questions

The Middle East Event Awards ceremony will take place on 20 August 2026 at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.

Yes, all submitted & paid entries remain valid. The judging process will continue as planned. If you have any questions about your entry, please contact awards@me-eventshow.com.

The Middle East Event Awards 2026 is the region’s leading awards programme celebrating excellence, creativity, and innovation across the events and entertainment industry.

Now in its 17th year, the awards recognise outstanding achievements by event organisers, agencies, production companies, venues, suppliers, corporate teams, and individuals who have delivered exceptional events across the Middle East.

The programme culminates in a prestigious black-tie awards ceremony and gala dinner in Dubai, bringing together over 1,000 industry professionals for an evening of celebration, networking, and recognition.

Submitting an entry to the Middle East Event Awards 2026 is an opportunity to gain industry recognition, showcase your achievements, and position your brand among the region’s leading event professionals.

By entering, you can:

• Gain credible industry recognition judged by an independent panel of experts

• Elevate your brand profile across the Middle East events and entertainment industry

• Differentiate your business from competitors with an internationally recognised award

• Strengthen client and stakeholder trust through third-party validation

• Motivate and reward your team by celebrating their hard work and success

• Expand your network at the region’s largest gathering of event professionals

Whether you win or are shortlisted, entering demonstrates leadership, innovation, and commitment to excellence.

The awards are open to individuals, companies, teams, and events based in the Middle East. This includes (but is not limited to) event organisers, agencies, production companies, venues, suppliers, corporate teams, and freelancers working across the events and entertainment industry.

To be eligible:

• Entries must relate to events, initiatives, or achievements delivered between 1 April 2025 and 15 March 2026
• The event, company, or individual must be based in the Middle East
• All submissions must be completed in English

The Middle East Event Awards 2026 features 35 categories grouped into six key tracks, recognising excellence across the entire events ecosystem:

• Arts, Entertainment & Festivals
• Corporate, Community & Marketing
• Event Design & Experience
• Event Services & Suppliers
• Event Technology & Innovation
• People & Teams

👉 Full category descriptions and judging criteria are available on the Awards Categories page.

The entry fee is AED 300 per entry.

• The fee is non-refundable
• Each category entry requires a separate submission and fee
• Payment is made securely online via debit or credit card at the point of submission

Entries for 2026 are now closed. The final deadline was Thursday, 2 April 2026 at 6:00 PM GST. Stay tuned for the shortlist announcement on 30 April 2026.

Entries for 2026 are now closed. The final deadline was Thursday, 2 April 2026 at 6:00 PM GST.

Yes. You may enter the same event, company, or initiative into multiple relevant categories, provided:

• Each entry meets the category’s eligibility criteria
• Each submission is tailored to the specific judging criteria
• A separate entry and fee are submitted for each category

Yes. You must obtain written client approval before submitting an entry that references their event or includes commercially sensitive information.

Many clients welcome the recognition, and shortlisted entries often invite clients to attend the awards ceremony.

Entrants are strongly encouraged to include supporting materials to strengthen their submission and provide additional context for the judges.

You may upload:

• Client or stakeholder testimonials
• Event photographs
• Videos (up to 3 minutes)
• Press coverage or media articles
• Reports, data, or performance metrics
• Client approval letters

Supporting materials help judges better understand the impact, creativity, and success of your entry.

Once your entry and payment are successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email. Please check your inbox (and spam folder) to ensure you’ve received the confirmation.

Please check your inbox and spam folder.
If you do not receive confirmation within 5 minutes, contact us atawards@me-eventshow.com.

The Middle East Event Awards judging process is overseen by a panel of external judges. Due to the high volume of entries, we are unable to provide feedback on submissions that are not shortlisted, or on those that were shortlisted but did not win.

The awards are judged by an independent panel of industry experts.

• Entries are evaluated against category-specific criteria
• Judges declare conflicts of interest and recuse themselves where necessary
• All submissions are treated as strictly confidential

Learn more on our Judging Process page.

Yes. The awards include two rounds of judging:

1. First Round: Written submissions are reviewed and scored
2. Second Round: Shortlisted entries take part in an online presentation session with the judges

If shortlisted, you will be required to nominate a presenter to attend the session. Entries that do not attend will not be scored in the second round.

If a shortlisted entry does not attend the scheduled online presentation session, it will not be scored in the second round of judging, which may significantly affect the final outcome.

Attendance is therefore mandatory for all shortlisted entries.

The shortlist will be announced on:

Thursday, 30 April 2026

Shortlisted entrants will be notified by email, and the full shortlist will be published on the website.

Winners will be announced at the Middle East Event Awards 2026 Ceremony & Gala Dinner:

📍 Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE
📅 Thursday, 20 August 2026

This is a prestigious evening celebrating excellence across the events industry.

Yes. The Middle East Event Awards 2026 is a paid, ticketed gala ceremony and requires advance purchase.

Available ticket options include:

• VIP Tables
• Gold Tables
• Silver Tables
• Single Tickets

For ticket and table enquiries, please email awards@me-eventshow.com.

No, the AED 300 is purely for the submission entry. It does not grant access to the awards ceremony. The awards ceremony is a separate ticketed event; you will need to purchase a ticket to attend.

For ticket and table enquiries, please email awards@me-eventshow.com.

Yes. All shortlisted companies must have at least one representative attending the awards ceremony.

Yes. The ceremony is open to industry professionals. It’s an excellent opportunity for networking, celebration, and industry recognition.

For ticket and table enquiries, please email awards@me-eventshow.com.

Winners receive:

• A prestigious Middle East Event Awards trophy
• Industry-wide recognition
• An exclusive Winner Toolkit, including:
  • Digital certificate
  • Winner seal for websites and marketing
  • Email signature assets

Yes. Additional trophies can be ordered for clients or team members.

Please contact the awards team via awards@me-eventshow.com with the following details:

• Award category
• Recipient details
• Reason for the additional trophy

Costs and delivery timelines will be shared upon request.

The Middle East Event Awards 2026 offers a range of tailored sponsorship opportunities, designed to help brands increase visibility, connect with senior decision-makers, and align with the region’s leading events industry platform.

Sponsorship packages may include brand exposure before, during, and after the awards, as well as on-site visibility and networking opportunities.

To explore available sponsorship options, download the event brochure, and a member of our team will be in touch to discuss the best opportunity for your brand.

👉 Download the Sponsorship Brochure

If you have any questions or concerns related to the awards or nomination process, please feel free to reach out to Ms. Unnati Shahani, Awards Manager at awards@me-eventshow.com.

Thank you for booking your accommodation through MEES. We have proactively reached out to all the hotels to request a full refund on your behalf. You do not need to take any action. We will keep you informed of the outcome and the next steps for a refund or credit note. Please visit here to secure discounted hotel accommodation for the new event dates. For dedicated support, please email meeventshow@informa.com.

If you have booked through a third party or directly with the hotel, we recommend contacting them directly with the official statement from MEES. Should you need accommodation for the August dates, you can book directly with our team. We offer special rates through our hotel partners during our events. For more details, please click here

We recommend contacting your airline directly to reschedule your flights. Many airlines offer flexible options for changes, and their customer service teams will be able to assist you with the process. If you need further support, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at meeventshow@informa.com.