Great Lakes EDC names winners of Coolest of the Great Lakes contest

The Great Lakes Economic Development Council has named three winners from its Coolest of the Great Lakes Pitch Contest, announced after live presentations at Great Lakes Rising in Milwaukee. The awards spotlight a crane, museum and birding festival that organizers say showcase the region’s manufacturing strength, cultural reach and tourism draw.

Why it matters: - The contest is designed to put a regional spotlight on products, places and events that can attract visitors, attention and investment across the binational Great Lakes economy. - The winners reflect three parts of that pitch: industrial manufacturing, cultural tourism and large-scale event travel. - The event category winner alone draws more than 70,000 birders and generates a $40 million economic impact for Northwest Ohio over 10 days.

What happened: - The Great Lakes Economic Development Council announced the winners of the Coolest of the Great Lakes Pitch Contest on October 30, 2026. - The contest took place last month during the Great Lakes Rising annual conference in Milwaukee. - Three winners were named: Coolest Product, Coolest Destination and Coolest Event. - The winners are Konecranes Big Blue in the product category, the National Museum of the Great Lakes in the destination category, and Black Swamp Bird Observatory’s Biggest Week in American Birding in the event category.

The details: - Konecranes Big Blue is headquartered in Hyvinkaa, Finland and manufactured in Manitowoc, Wisconsin by Broadwind Heavy Fabrications. - The crane is described as a 20-story piece of equipment that will serve the U.S. Navy submarine fleet. - The product nomination highlighted specialized skill and manufacturing expertise in the Manitowoc community. - The National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, Ohio was selected for its reach to communities around the Great Lakes and its role as a historical, cultural and civic archive. - The Biggest Week in American Birding is a week-long event in Oak Harbor, Ohio that attracts more than 70,000 birders from around the world. - Finalists presented live pitches before judges at Great Lakes Rising, the Great Lakes EDC annual conference. - The judges were Vance Badeway of the Council of the Great Lakes Region, Erika Jenson of the Great Lakes Commission and Chris Steel of EBP-US. - The nine finalists also included Gilbert Chocolates in Jackson, Michigan; the Lake Geneva US Mail Boat in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin; Mini Train Tour: Wings Over Alma in Durand, Wisconsin; Lake Erie Midnight Herring Underwater Aged Sparkling Wine Release Party in North East, Pennsylvania; Erie Bayfront in Erie, Pennsylvania; and Lily Dale in Lily Dale, New York. - Entries were judged on story strength, connection to the Great Lakes region and potential to attract attention, visitors and investment. - The winning pitches were chosen for showing the ingenuity and sense of place that organizers say define the region.

Between the lines: - The contest is also a branding play for the Great Lakes region, tying economic development to tourism, local identity and cross-border collaboration. - The mix of winners suggests the council is looking for stories that combine regional pride with clear economic value. - Diane Lupke, chair of the contest committee, said the winners represent industrial ingenuity, talent, history, places and community celebration. - Kimberly Kaufman, executive director of Black Swamp Bird Observatory, said the recognition honors the festival’s regional impact and its importance to the Great Lakes community.

What's next: - The contest invited businesses, tourism partners, makers, event organizers, nonprofits, students and community members to keep nominating products, places and experiences. - Finalists competed for regional visibility, bragging rights and community support. - The Great Lakes Economic Development Council says it will continue working to connect, align and advance the binational Great Lakes economy. - The council also says it will keep promoting collaboration, investment and long-term competitiveness across the region.

The bottom line: - The inaugural contest turned three local success stories into regional showcases, linking economic development directly to place-based identity and tourism appeal.