rAge has just won the Consumer Exhibition of the Year in the 6 000sqm and above category at the annual Exhibition & Event Association of Southern Africa Awards.
“It’s profound receiving an award like this for rAge,” says Michael James, senior project manager for rAge and publisher of NAG – SA’s leading gaming publication.
rAge started as an event to showcase gaming trends in SA and to encourage more mainstream interest in this fun and entertaining sector. In its launch year in 2002, the expo drew a couple thousand people. Fast forward to 2014 and the number of expo visitors reached more than 30 000.
“rAge was just a cool idea to begin with all those years ago,” says James. “Ultimately it proves that you can turn thoughts into reality if you have the right team of people around you and the willingness to persevere and never give up no matter what.”
He emphasised that their success did not come overnight. “No nomination or award can ever capture all the blood, sweat and tears that go into making each event a reality.”
The venue where rAge has been held since its inception, The Coca-Cola Dome, also won an award – theirs for the best venue. James gave a special thanks to them for their role in the success of the expo.