Gala Information
When and where?

The 14th Annual Whitney Awards Gala will be held on Friday, May 14th, 2021 at the Utah Valley Convention Center. The traditional gala dinner will begin at 6:30pm and end at 7:15pm. Dinner will be socially-distanced. Masks will be required after dinner is over for the duration of the awards presentation. The awards presentation will start at 7:30pm, and will also be broadcast to virtual attendees. In the event the Storymakers Conference cannot be held in person, the gala will also not be in person.

See the 14th Annual Whitney Awards program online here: https://whitneyawards.com/2021/05/10/14th-annual-gala-program

 

Who can attend the Whitney Awards gala?

The gala is a public event in honor of some amazing Latter-day Saint authors. Anyone interested is welcome to attend. Due to social distancing requirements, attendance will be capped at 150. Anyone who cannot attend the gala in person is welcome to watch the broadcast. Tickets are required for the broadcast.

What do I wear to the Whitney Awards gala?
Whitney wardrobe choices vary from Sunday best to formal dress. Finalists and presenters tend to gravitate toward dressier attire. Full-sized ball gowns and top hats are pretty rare, but we welcome attendees and finalists alike to embrace the excitement of the occasion. Many attendees in the past have felt comfortable in Sunday best, but you don’t have to be a finalist or award presenter to have a little fun with your wardrobe choices.
Does the gala have assigned seating?
Seating is not assigned, but tables closer to the front are reserved for finalists, committee members, etc. Seating is open in both the reserved and unreserved sections. When you check in, we will let you know which section you may choose a seat in. Reserved tables will be marked accordingly.
How do I buy tickets?

Gala-only tickets or tickets with Storymakers Conference registration can be purchased through the Storymakers Conference registration page.   The deadline for purchasing in-person gala tickets is April 26th and the dealine for purchasing virtual Gala tickets is May 7th. Please visit: https://ldstorymakersconference.com/register-for-storymakers

**If you can’t buy a virtual ticket through the Storymakers site, please send an email to registration@storymakers.com with the subject line Virtual Gala.

Why is there a charge for tickets, and as a finalist, do I get in free?
Event costs are covered by the ticket price. Unfortunately, the committee is unable to provide free tickets for finalists.
How do I check in at the gala?
There will be a check-in area outside the entrance to the ballroom, manned by our committee members. We will check your name on our master ticket list, and welcome you to the gala.
What if I don’t remember what meal I chose?
When you check in, you will be given a slip of paper with your meal choice on it, to simplify things for you and the wait staff.
I sold my ticket to someone else/I bought a ticket from someone else. What now?
Tickets cannot be refunded but they can be sold. The person who originally purchased the ticket will need to email us at whitneyawards@gmail.com. Please be advised that the meal choice originally assigned to the ticket cannot be changed.
Where can I park?

Please visit the Utah Valley Convention Center website for parking information at http://utahvalleycc.com/parking

If I’m not a finalist, is there a point to going to the gala?

Yes, yes, yes. Honoring the hard work of talented Latter-day Saint authors is an important endeavor. The sense of community at the Whitney gala every year is almost overpowering, and bearing witness to the great love and respect that authors from our community go out of their way to show each other is a heart-warming experience.

Other helpful information

Utah Valley Convention Center website

Storymakers Conference website