Delta Award Finalists for Tourism Achievement in 2018
JONESBORO – Arkansas Delta Byways will present the annual Delta Awards ceremony, recognizing tourism achievement in Eastern Arkansas during 2018, at festivities Friday evening, Feb. 15, in the Grand Prairie Center, 2709 U.S. Hwy., 165, in Stuttgart.
The evening will begin with a 5:30 p.m. silent auction, followed by the dinner and awards at 7 p.m. The event is sponsored by Arkansas Delta Byways with support from the Grand Prairie Center and the City of Stuttgart.
Arkansas Delta Byways, located on the Arkansas State University campus, is a nonprofit organization recognized by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism as the official tourism promotion association for 15 counties in Eastern Arkansas.
The counties are Arkansas, Chicot, Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Desha, Drew, Greene, Lee, Mississippi, Monroe, Phillips, Poinsett and St. Francis.
Categories and the finalists for the awards are:
Media Support Award
- Delta Crossroads Magazine, all counties
- Mary Melton, Arkansas State University, all counties
- Osceola Times, Osceola, Mississippi County
Hospitality Award
- Bull Pen Restaurant, DeWitt, Arkansas County
- The Grand Prairie Center, Stuttgart, Arkansas County
- Madpie’s Tea Room and Shoppes, Piggott, Clay County
Entrepreneur Award
- The Delta Consortium for Arts and Innovation, Lake Village, Chicot County
- Didly’s Marketplace, McGehee, Desha County
- Larry and Beth Taylor, Brinkley, Monroe County
Tourism Support/Promotional Award
- Mississippi River Parkway Commission-Arkansas, all counties
- Mississippi River State Park, “No Boundaries Day Camp,” Lee County
- Piggott Heritage Group, Piggott, Clay County
Festival Event of the Year
- Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival, Jonesboro, Craighead County
- King Biscuit Blues Festival, Helena, Phillips County
- World Champion Duck Calling Contest, Stuttgart, Arkansas County
Boot Strap Award
- Mississippi County Museum, Osceola, Mississippi County
- Paragould Christmas Parade, Paragould, Greene County
- Stars and Stripes Festival Committee, Tyronza, Poinsett County
Cultural Heritage Award
- Hampson Archeological Museum State Park, Wilson, Mississippi County
- Delta Cultural Center, “Over Here and There: the Sons and Daughters of Arkansas Delta at War,” Helena, Phillips County
- Sultana Disaster Museum, Marion, Crittenden County
Outstanding Member Award, to be announced.
Tourism Person of the Year, to be announced.
The annual awards event is open to the public. Tickets are $30 per person or a table of eight for $225. For information on ticket availability, contact Gretchen Sacotnik, 870-573-6751.
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