Jonesboro BBQ Festival among finalists for Delta Awards

Arkansas Delta Byways will present the annual Delta Awards ceremony, recognizing tourism achievement in Eastern Arkansas, during festivities Feb. 15, at 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.