Arkansas Tourism names Henry Awards finalists

Arkansas Tourism names Henry Awards finalists

Evening Times reporter up for Media Support Award

From the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

info@ arkansas.com The 2019 Henry Awards winners will be revealed at the 45th Annual Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism to be held in Hot Springs February 24-26, 2019. The awards ceremony will take place during the Governor’s Banquet on Tuesday, February 26. The Henry Awards honor Henri de Tonti, the man historians consider to be among the first “Arkansas Travelers.”

The awards and respective finalists are: The Media Support Award, which is presented annually to a distinguished individual or organization for extraordinary attention to and/or support of Arkansas’s tourism industry through the use of media.

• Gary Jones Video

• JC Productions

• John Rech The Bootstrap Award, which is presented annually to an individual, organization, or community that has achieved significant success “on a shoestring,” having limited means to work with, either in resources or finances.

• First Friday Monthly Market, Camden Melba Theater, Bates ville

• Zombie Crawl, Eureka Springs The Arkansas Heritage Award, which is presented annually to an individual, organization, or community that has made a significant contribution toward the preservation of some aspect of Arkansas’s natural, cultural or aesthetic legacy.

• Arkansas Quilt Trails

• Edgemont House, North Little Rock George’s Majestic Lounge, Fayetteville The Grand Old Classic Special Event Award, which is presented annually to a festival, fair or other special celebration that has “stood the test of time” and become an established example to follow.

• Lum & Abner Festival, Mena Fordyce on the Cottonbelt Festival

• Old Soldiers Reunion, Mammoth Spring The Outstanding Volunteer Service Award, which is presented annually to a community, individual or organization that through outstanding volunteer spirit has made a substantial contribution to Arkansas’s tourism industry.

• Central Arkansas Trail Alliance

• Ozark Off-Road Cyclists

• Searcy County Chamber of Commerce The Community Tourism Development Award, which is presented annually to a community or organization that has achieved substantial success in the enhancement of its local resources through imaginative and innovative development efforts.

• Discover Siloam Springs

• Helena Advertising and Promotion Commission

• Visit Hot Springs The Natural State Award, which is presented annually to a community, organization, special event or attraction that “stands out in the crowd” because of its unique appeal, media coverage, creative approach and/or enhancement of community pride, thus benefiting the state’s quality of life.

• 8th Street Market, Bentonville

• Fort Smith Bicentennial Celebration

• Tour ‘da Delta Bicycle Ride, Helena-West Helena During the Henry Awards ceremony, the Tourism Person of the Year will also be announced. Selected by former honorees, the Tourism Person of the Year Award is presented annually to an individual who has been actively involved in tourism and who has made a substantial contribution, within the past year, to the betterment of the tourism industry as a whole.

For more information on the 45th Annual Governor’s Conference on Tourism, contact Arkansas Tourism at 501-682-1926. For specific information on the Henry Awards, contact Leigha Jones at 501-6821676.

The Eureka Springs Zombie Crawl is nominated for a 2019 Henry Award in the Boot Strap Award category.

The Helena-West Helena Tour da Delta bike race is nominated for a 2019 Henry Award in the Natural State Award category.

Photos courtesy of Arkansas Department of Tourism

The Evening Times’s own John Rech is nominated for the Media Support Award, which is presented annually for support of Arkansas’s tourism industry through the use of media.