Fantasia Fair Awards Banquet

Gala Awards Banquet!

October 21, 2023

6:30 – 10:00 pm

Paramount Room, Crown & Anchor

247 Commercial Street

 

We wind up the week with our Gala Awards Banquet on Saturday night. There, we present awards to the deserving and say our goodbyes to old and new friends. We console ourselves by remembering the next Fair is only a year away, and we begin counting down the days. You’ll want to wear your finest regalia for this event. We’ll see some of our friends later at the closing party or at breakfast the next morning, but we’ll miss those who leave early by car or plane, so we make sure we get our hugs and we do our best to wipe away our tears. Until next year!  Until next year!  Most Helpful, Congeniality, and Fantasia Fair awards are presented by the previous year’s recipient(s). The awards are listed in the order presented.

Transgender Pioneer Award

Presented by Dallas Denny

This annual award honors trans leaders for their lifetime achievement to those who have sacrificed their careers, their families, and their fortunes to change the world so trans people could begin to come together in safety and comfort.

Friend of the Fair Award

Presented by Dee LaValle

This award goes to an individual, service or business from the larger community who has demonstrated longstanding service and support to Fantasia Fair and its attendees. Unlike our other awards, it is not given every year.

 

The Brenda Viola Most Helpful Award

Presented by Nick Greiner

This award is given to the person who gives most unstintingly of their time and energy in service to Fantasia Fair and its attendees. The award is named for long-time Fair attendee and volunteer Brenda Viola. Brenda served on the planning committee and did the daily Fair newsletters for many years. Brenda was always willing to chip in and do her share, and more, always with a smile on her face.. The awardee is chosen by the Fantasia Fair Planning Committee.

The Brenda Viola Most Helpful Award will be presented by last year’s recipient, Nick Greiner

 

 

 

The Alison Laing Congeniality Award

Presented by Christen Barnsfield

The Alison Laing Congeniality Award is chosen by secret ballot from all participants attending the Fair. The award goes to the participant who was the most open, outgoing, easy to talk with, and friendly, and who gave a sparkle to the group. This award is named after Alison Laing, who with her wife Dottie played a huge role in Fantasia Fair during the 1980s and 1990s. Both are beloved by the Fair. They were both outgoing and friendly, but Alison went absolutely goes out of her way to make people feel comfortable with themselves, here at the Fair and elsewhere. She received the Congeniality Award in 1986 and the Fantasia Fair Award in 1992. She is, among other things,  an author, a founder of the nonprofit Renaissance Education Association, and Executive Director of the International Foundation for Gender Education. Many of Alison’s photographs can be found at the Digital Transgender Archive. Their publication there caused a minor sensation when they were first published.

 

The Alison Laing Congeniality Award will be presented by last year’s recipient, Christen Barnsfield

 

Digital Photos of Alison Laing

 

 

Fantasia Fair Award

Presented by Dee LaValle

 

Past Fantasia Fair Award Recipients, 2021

The Fantasia Fair Award is our highest and most prestigious honor. It goes to the individual or individuals who best embody the spirit of Fantasia Fair by active participation and service over several Fairs. They exemplify the best qualities of a Fantasia Fair participant and stand as a sincere example of the Fair’s ideals of love, support, and community. The honoree is selected by past Fantasia Fair Award recipients, who meet for lunch on Wednesday of the Fair. When white smoke comes out of the chimney of Fanizzi’s Restaurant By the Sea, everyone knows the recipient has been chosen.

 

 

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2022 Award Winners:

LTR: Jude Patton (Pioneer Award); Jenn (Most Helpful); Sibil Mae Greiner (Fantasia Fair); Josmarie Lopez Torres (Congeniality); Dan McKeon (Friend of the Fair)

Not depicted: Rupert Raj (Pioneer Award)

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2021 Award Winners:

LTR: Carolyn Wolf-Gould (Friend of the Fair); Christen Barnsfield (Congeniality); Nick Greiner (Most Helpful); Dee Lavalle (Fantasia Fair)
Not Pictured: Emily Sheldon (Lifetime Achievement)

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2019 Award Winners:

LTR: Kerri Reeder (Service Award); Tina Simmons (Congeniality); Kristi Chiasson (Congeniality); Sibil Greiner (Most Helpful); Ariadne Kane (Lifetime); Rhonda Williams (Fantasia Fair); Carole MacKenzie (Friend of the Fair)

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2018 Award Winners:

LTR: Kim Eng (Fantasia Fair); Cody Suzuki (Fantasia Fair); Niela Miller (Lifetime): Rhonda Williams (Congeniality); Jolie LaValle (Most Helpful); Carrie Lopes (Friend of the Fair): Arden Ruttan (Congeniality)