10th annual Delta Awards for Tourism Achievement will be presented Jan. 29
--rescheduled for Friday, Feb. 26--

Jan. 19, 2010 -- NOTE: Due to inclement weather, this event has been rescheduled for Friday, Feb. 26. The time and the venue remain the same, and all previous ticket sales will be honored. The tenth annual Delta Awards recognizing tourism achievement in eastern Arkansas will be presented during festivities Friday evening, Jan. 29, at Southland Park Gaming and Racing, 1550 N. Ingram Boulevard, West Memphis.

The evening will begin with a 5:30 p.m. silent auction, followed by the dinner and the presentation of awards at 7 p.m. The event is sponsored by Arkansas Delta Byways, with support from the West Memphis Advertising and Promotion Commission, the West Memphis Chamber of Commerce, and the West Memphis Main Street Association.

Arkansas Delta Byways, located on the Arkansas State University campus, is a nonprofit association recognized by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism as the official tourism promotion association for 15 counties in eastern Arkansas. Counties include Arkansas, Chicot, Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Desha, Drew, Greene, Lee, Mississippi, Monroe, Phillips, Poinsett, and St. Francis.

The annual awards event is open to the public. Tickets are $25 per person, and tickets for a table of eight will be $175. For information on ticket availability, contact Arkansas Delta Byways by calling (870) 972-2803, by faxing (870) 972-3200, or by e-mailing ardeltab@astate.edu.

Finalists for the awards include:

1.               Arkansas Delta Byways Media Support Award
          KVSA Radio, McGehee
          MOR Media, Paragould
          Sherry Laymon, “Pfeiffer Country,” Piggott

2.        Arkansas Delta Byways Hospitality Award
           Lena's Café, Monticello
           Lon Mann Cotton Research Station, Marianna
           Poncho’s Restaurant, West Memphis

3.         Entrepreneur Award
            Delta Gypsy, Helena-West Helena
            Main Street Paragould Art and Stroll, Paragould
            Whitton Farms, Whitton

4.         Arkansas Delta Byways Tourism Support Award
           Jonesboro Parks and Recreation, Jonesboro
           Paragould Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee, Paragould
           Sisters’ at the Crossing, Blytheville

5.         Arkansas Delta Byways Festival/Event of the Year Award
            Dermott Crawfish Festival, Dermott
            St. Francis County Museum, “A Night at the Museum,” Forrest City
            Midsouth Marathon, Wynne

6.          Boot Strap Award
            Autumn on the Square, Marianna
            Arkansas Delta Gospel Institute, Dumas
            Main Street West Memphis, West Memphis

7.         Arkansas Delta Byways Promotional Award
            Heritage Month, Helena-West Helena
            West Memphis Gateway Project, West Memphis
            Sunken Lands Cultural Roadway Project:  Marked Tree, Tyronza,
            Lepanto, Dyess

8.         Arkansas Delta Byways Outstanding Member Award
            JoAnne Bush, Lake Village
            Crowley’s Ridge State Park, Paragould
            Gary Jones, all counties

9.         Arkansas Delta Byways Cultural Heritage Award
            Arkansas Delta Music Heritage Trail, all counties
            Arkansas Post National Memorial, Gillett
            Marjorie Hunter, Hope and Despair Exhibit, Marion

10.        Arkansas Delta Byways Tourism Person of the Year Award
            Gina Jarrett, Paragould
            Robert Patrick, St. Charles
            Beth Wiedower, all counties
 

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