Award-Winning Festival Website Design: Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Takes Top Honors at WFEA Summit

Some weeks you get news that just makes you smile. This is one of those weeks.

The Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival - one of our favorite clients and creative partnerships - just swept the Washington Festivals & Events Association (WFEA) Summit awards. They took home the Grand Summit Award, basically the top prize for festival marketing and community impact in WA state.

And yeah, the website we built for them? It won too.

What the Judges Saw

The WFEA judges were looking for websites that were informative, clear, concise, engaging, easy to navigate, visually impactful, and original. The Winthrop site checked all those boxes, but what really stood out was how it connects people - fans, artists, and community, all sharing what makes the Methow Valley special in July.

That's the stuff that matters. A music festival website isn't just a digital brochure. It's where the energy starts building months before the first note gets played.

For PromoLab, this award-winning website design reflects the partnership we've had with Festival Director Erika Olsen and her team. They know their audience, they know their valley, and they trust us to translate that into something that works online. That's when the best work happens.

About the Festival

If you haven't been to Winthrop in July, you're missing out. The Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival is Washington's longest-running and largest blues celebration. Three days of live music in the Methow Valley, with mountain views and some of the best artists in the country. It's been a summer tradition for decades, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

This year's Grand Summit Award recognized the whole marketing campaign, which included some serious creative firepower:

• Poster Design – Sean Donovan of Gator Boy Graphics, featuring Samantha Fish (photo by Scott Lukes)

• Mural Project – Artwork by Sean Donovan, sponsored by Rebecca Schultz of Valley Hospitality Resources, Inc.

• Radio Ads – Voices of "Uncle Dave" from The Quake 102.1 and Matthew Stull on Spotify

It's a great example of what happens when designers, organizers, and a community all pull in the same direction.

Why Award-winning Website Design Matters

Look, we're not going to pretend a website award is the same as a Grammy. But it does mean something when judges recognize work that actually connects with an audience.

Great website design for festivals isn't about flashy animations or trendy layouts. It's about making it simple for someone to find what they need, feel the vibe of the event, and hit that buy button without friction.

Huge congratulations to Erika Olsen, Sean Donovan, and the entire Winthrop team for the Grand Summit Award. You've built something special up there in the valley, and it's an honor to be a small part of telling that story online.

Check out the site at winthropbluesfestival.com.

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PromoLab creates websites that connect design with impact - for music festivals, wineries, and businesses across the Pacific Northwest. Ready for a site that turns visitors into fans? Let's talk.

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FAQ

What makes an award-winning festival website?

It's a mix of visual storytelling, intuitive navigation, and accessibility - wrapped in a design that captures the event's unique energy. The best festival websites don't just inform; they get people excited to show up.

How does web design impact festival marketing?

Your website is the digital hub for everything- tickets, lineups, travel info, community buzz. For most attendees, it's their first impression of your event. A well-designed site can be the difference between "maybe next year" and "just bought my tickets."

What industries does PromoLab work with?

We work with a diverse mix of small businesses: wineries, music festivals, construction companies, nonprofits, and service businesses across Washington and beyond. If you need a website that actually works for your business, we should talk.