Three winners have emerged from a regional contest designed to spotlight the people, places and products that define the Great Lakes economy — and the list includes a towering crane that will serve the U.S. Navy, a museum that chronicles the lakes’ history, and a birding festival that draws tens of thousands of visitors each year.
The Great Lakes Economic Development Council announced the winners of the Coolest of the Great Lakes Pitch Contest, held last month during the Great Lakes Rising annual conference in Milwaukee. The competition aimed to shine a light on products, destinations and events that embody the creativity, character and economic vitality of the binational Great Lakes region.
Three standout pitches recognized at Great Lakes Rising in Milwaukee for showcasing the region’s products, destinations and experiences
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Each of the winners is part of the rich tapestry of the Great Lakes story: industrial ingenuity, deep talent, remarkable history, rugged and beautiful places, self-reliance and community celebration.”— Diane LupkeMILWAUKEE, NC, UNITED STATES, October 30, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — In the contest’s product category, the top honor went to Konecranes Big Blue, a 20-story crane manufactured in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, by Broadwind Heavy Fabrications. Though the company is headquartered in Hyvinkaa, Finland, the crane itself is a feat of local manufacturing expertise. Judges recognized it as the Coolest Product on the Great Lakes for its importance to the U.S. Navy submarine fleet and its broader significance to the region’s industrial economy. The nomination specifically highlighted the specialized skill and manufacturing know-how found within the Manitowoc community.
The Coolest Destination award went to the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, Ohio. The museum was praised for its reach to every community around the Great Lakes and for serving as the historical, cultural and civic archive of the region’s people.
In the event category, the Black Swamp Bird Observatory took top honors for its Biggest Week in American Birding, held in Oak Harbor, Ohio. The 10-day event attracts more than 70,000 birders from around the globe, generating an estimated $40 million in economic impact for Northwest Ohio.
Finalists delivered live pitches to a panel of judges at the Great Lakes Rising conference in Milwaukee. The judging panel included Mr. Vance Badeway, President and CEO of the Council of the Great Lakes Region; Ms. Erika Jenson, Executive Director of the Great Lakes Commission; and Mr. Chris Steel, President and CEO of EBP-US.
Nine finalists competed across three categories. In the product category, contenders included Gilbert Chocolates of Jackson, Michigan, described as “The Sweet Soul of a Great Lakes City”; the Konecranes Big Blue Crane; and the Lake Geneva US Mail Boat of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. In the event category, finalists were the Biggest Week in American Birding, the Mini Train Tour: Wings Over Alma from the Chippewa Valley Motorcar Association in Durand, Wisconsin, and the Lake Erie Midnight Herring Underwater Aged Sparkling Wine Release Party hosted by Mazza Wines in North East, Pennsylvania. In the destination category, finalists included the Erie Bayfront in Erie, Pennsylvania; Lily Dale in Lily Dale, New York; and the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, Ohio.
Entries were judged on the strength of their stories, their connection to the Great Lakes region, and their potential to draw attention, visitors and investment. The winning pitches stood out for demonstrating the ingenuity and sense of place that make the region distinctive.
“Each of the winners is part of the rich tapestry of the Great Lakes story: industrial ingenuity, deep talent, remarkable history, rugged and beautiful places, self-reliance and community celebration. These three inaugural winners are truly the Coolest on the Great Lakes,” said Diane Lupke, Chair of the Coolest on the Great Lakes Contest Committee for the Great Lakes Economic Development Council.
“The entire Black Swamp Bird Observatory team is thrilled and deeply honored that the Biggest Week in American Birding was named the 2026 winner of the Coolest on the Great Lakes Pitch Contest in the Event Category! It means the world to us to have the festival recognized for its impact on our region and the Great Lakes community. We’re grateful to the Council for this honor and for celebrating it at the Great Lakes Rising conference,” said Kimberly Kaufman, Executive Director of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory.
The Coolest of the Great Lakes Pitch Contest invited businesses, tourism partners, makers, event organizers, nonprofits, students and community members to nominate the products, places and experiences they believe deserve a larger spotlight. Finalists competed for regional visibility, bragging rights and community support.
Why it matters: The contest underscores how a binational region built on heavy industry, tourism and natural assets can rally around its most distinctive offerings. By elevating a massive crane, a museum and a birding festival, the council is signaling that economic development isn’t just about jobs and investment — it’s also about the stories and experiences that make a place worth visiting, living in and building upon.
About the Great Lakes Economic Development Council
The Great Lakes Economic Development Council connects, aligns and advances the binational Great Lakes economy. The Council brings together economic development organizations, governments, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, philanthropy, private industry and regional partners to promote collaboration, investment and long-term competitiveness across the region.
Diane Lupke
Great Lakes Economic Development Council
+1 7047695200
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