The Clamshell Awards 2019

Well hello there, it's that time of year again where we celebrate our most beloved theme park content creators in the Clamshell Awards 2019! For those who don't know, back in 2017 I launched the Clamshell Awards as a well of celebrating theme park content creators. Too often we see awards like the Golden Ticket awards or even BlooLoop's Top 50 Theme Park Influencer awards that focus on the juggernauts of the industry or are focussed on the attractions themselves as opposed to the people. That's where the Clamshell Awards came in. I wanted a way for the theme park community to be able to celebrate each other and the wide range of content we all create, borne out of a real love and appreciation for the industry we're all equally obsessed with.

As with last year, I've taken on board all of your feedback and suggestions and have made a few changes here and there to the categories as well as whittling them down slightly to just nine this year! And while we're at it, I'd like to take a moment to shout out the category sponsors - it's an honour every year to work with such amazing companies and I'm flattered with the support I've received this year once more, including some of my favourite parks in the world so I hope you're as stoked with the prizes as I am!

So without further ado, here are the Clamshell Awards 2019 categories!

Prize - Invitation for four to Kentucky Kingdom amusement park including free soft drinks wristbands as well as a behind-the-scenes sneak peek at the technical services workshop!

Returning for a third year - the Best Established Channel! This is your bread and butter of theme park content creators, the one whose videos constantly pop up in your feed who you need no extra prompting to sit down and inhale their content. Everybody in the theme park community knows who they are and usually for good reason - that being they're pretty damn good at what they do!


A celebration of the up-and-coming theme park content creator whose stuff might be new to your feed but who you just can't stop watching! From the first video you were hooked, smashed the subscribe button and haven't looked back since and have quickly become a regular in your theme park content viewing habits. Nominations for Best Newcomer will only be considered for channels who have been uploading for a year or less.


The first new category for 2019 - introducing the Best Small Channel award! The algorithm can be a cruel mistress, and just because you're not necessarily a newcomer doesn't mean you're raking in the subscribers either. But it's often said that good things come in small packages isn't it? Exclusively for channels with less than 10,000 subscribers, this one is for the channel that more subs than they currently have.


It's not all about the rides themselves - sometimes the joy of a theme park vlog comes from the presenter! This category is for the person who is so utterly watchable and whose face and opinions on theme parks and coasters has you tuning in time and time again.


In celebration of stunning theme park photography! Whose account gives you camera envy, knows how to work a filter and has the best eye for capturing all the magic and joy we find on a day out at a theme park?



It's all about the community! Which Facebook group has left you with lifelong friends, in-jokes that have you creasing up like a weirdo whilst you're sat at your desk at work and up bickering til 4AM to get the last word in?


Returning for its second year is the Best Gamer category! Who consistently blows you away with their intricate and elaborate designs in Planet Coaster or leaves you praying for their design to become a reality in NoLimits?


Which podcasters had you roaring with laughter in 2019, brought you info and facts you never knew about your favourite parks and really made you feel like you were along for the ride as they debriefed about their most recent theme park trip or got stuck in to the latest community gossip?


Sometimes it's nice to take a break from YouTube and sit back with a scroll through your favourite theme park blog. Which blogger has you always on the lookout for their latest content, has all the best info on trip planning and advice and whose opinion do you always research before heading off on trips of your own?

Phew! As you can see, a whole bunch of categories to go away and think about and such a wide range of content creators to recognise and celebrate. It's going to be a tricky one to whittle down this year for sure!

So, here's how it work:

NOMINATIONS
Nominations are now open! Please DM me on the Cupcakes & Coasters Facebook Page with your nominations using the below template. Nominations are now open and will close at midnight on Thursday 5th December, so please make sure you've submitted your form by them as any shared after will not be considered! From those nominated, a shortlist will be created and a voting period will follow. The winners will be announced on the evening of Wednesday 18th December.

I'd recommend two creators nominations per category. You don't have to nominate for every category if you don't want to, nor do you have to select two for each category, but it helps keep the nominations varied and hey, it's more fun that way! But it's entirely up to you the way you do this.

There's a few house rules, but nothing too heavy unless stated otherwise in the category descriptions above. Essentially if the content creator in question produces content that fits said category then they will be considered. And for the sake of variety and fairness, and as The Clamshell Awards are a celebration of the diversity of the content the community creates, a maximum of two categories can be won per creator. Should a creator win a third category then the win will be voided and the prize will go to the runner up. It's no fun if one channel sweeps the entire awards!

Also whilst we're here, I was incredibly flattered once again last year to find that I was nominated by some of you for several categories last year. As I'm the organiser of this shindig, please opt to nominate someone else as it'd be a little weird for me to win at my own awards (as much as I'd love the ego boost haha!) And finally, the final decision will be that of myself and Cupcakes & Coasters based on the public vote - however results will be available upon request should you wish to see them.

**The Clamshell Awards Nominations Template**
Best Established Channel
Nominee 1
Nominee 2

Best Newcomer Channel
Nominee 1
Nominee 2

Best Small Channel
Nominee 1
Nominee 2

Best Vlogger
Nominee 1
Nominee 2

Best Instagrammer
Nominee 1
Nominee 2

Best Facebook Group
Nominee 1
Nominee 2

Best Gamer
Nominee 1
Nominee 2

Best Podcast
Nominee 1
Nominee 2

Best Blogger
Nominee 1
Nominee 2

Terms & Conditions
You may make up to two nominations per category
You may not nominate yourself
You may not amend your nomination once submitted
Nominations close at 11.59PM on Thursday 5th December

So there you have it - all you need to know about The Clamshell Awards 2019 - so go get nominating! And don't forget to use #TheClamshellAwards19 to let everybody know you're involved.