Secretary of State Ken Detzner is pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 Florida Main Street awards. The Florida Main Street awards are given in recognition of the accomplishments of local Main Street programs and the local citizens and businesses who have shown tremendous dedication to creating a thriving downtown community. Twenty-six honor and merit awards were presented for exceptional accomplishments within Florida Main Street communities on August 15 at the 2017 Florida Main Street Annual Conference in Fernandina Beach.
“I am proud to recognize the many accomplishments of this year’s Florida Main Street award winners,” said Secretary Detzner. “Their passion for historic preservation combined with their commitment to economic development in their communities are essential to the success of the Florida Main Street program and the revitalization of Florida’s traditional commercial districts.”
Florida Main Street is a technical assistance program administered by the Florida Department of State’s Bureau of Historic Preservation. The Bureau conducts statewide programs aimed at identifying, evaluating and preserving Florida’s historic resources. Main Street, with its emphasis on preservation, is an effective strategy for achieving these goals in Florida’s historic retail districts. Since 1985, the Bureau has offered manager training, consultant team visits, design and other technical assistance, as well as the benefit of experience gained by other Florida Main Street programs.
The 2017 Florida Main Street award winners are listed below.
Outstanding Local Florida Main Street Supporter
Honor: Main Street Wauchula – Catharine Woods
Merit: Crystal River Main Street – Citrus Country Chamber of Commerce
Outstanding Florida Main Street Fundraising or Membership Development Effort
Honor: Main Street Winter Haven – CityWorks (X)po
Merit: Main Street Bartow – Blooming Bike Ride & Tour de Tow Scenic Cycling Road
Outstanding Private-Public Partnership
Honor: EDGE District – EDGE District Improvement Plan
Merit: Apalachicola Main Street – City of Apalachicola and Apalachicola Main Street, Okeechobee Main Street – Okeechobee County Tourist Development & Okeechobee Main Street
Outstanding Supporter of the Statewide Program
Honor: Fernandina Beach Main Street – Donna Rollins
Outstanding Florida Main Street Rehabilitation Project
Honor: Fernandina Beach Main Street – U.S. Post Office/Customs Office/ Courthouse Project
Merit: Main Street Winter Haven – Derry Down Project
Outstanding Florida Main Street Public Improvement
Honor: Crystal River Main Street – Spirit Corner
Merit: Grand Central District Association – 2400-2500 Streetscape Project
Outstanding New Construction Project
Honor: EDGE District – Hawkers Asian Street Fare
Merit: Eau Gallie (EGAD!) Main Street – Intracoastal Brewery Company
Sign/Display Project
Honor: Main Street Bartow – Main Street Beautification Container Garden Project
Merit: Apalachicola Main Street – Downtown Directional Signals
Outstanding Florida Main Street Special Event
Honor: Leesburg – Budweiser Clydesdales come to Leesburg
Merit: Main Street Wauchula – The Park Series Event, Apalachicola Main Street – Autos and Oysters Classic Car Show, St. Cloud Main Street – First Responders Appreciation
Outstanding Florida Main Street Image Campaign or Promotional Material
Honor: St. Cloud Main Street – 2017 Soldier City Video, Crystal River Main Street – Spirit of Crystal River Pop-Up Gallery
Merit: MainStreet DeLand – Historic Mural Walk Book
Outstanding Florida Main Street Economic Vitality Program or Project
Honor: EGAD! Main Street – Market Position Report
Outstanding Florida Main Street Business of the Year
Honor: EDGE District – ARTicles Gallery and Framing
Merit: St. Cloud Main Street – Handyman Hardware
The awards were presented at a special banquet ceremony on August 15 during the 2017 Florida Main Street Annual Conference held at the Omni Hotel and Resort in Fernandina Beach.
To learn more about the Florida Main Street program please visit FloridaMainStreet.com or Facebook.com/FloridaMainStreet.
Secretary of State
Secretary of State Recognizes Recipients of the 2017 Florida Folk Heritage Awards
Secretary of State Ken Detzner today announced the 2017 Florida Folk Heritage Award recipients. The 2017 awardees are David Peñaflor and Marilia Carrasquillo of Ocoee, Folk Advocates of Latin American culture; Haiqiong Deng of Tallahassee, traditional Chinese musician; Pastor William Emerson of Tarpon Springs, performing artist and composer of Rhythm and Blues and sacred music; and Willie Green of McIntosh, blues artist.
“The contributions of these gifted individuals illustrate the extraordinary depth and diversity of Florida’s traditional culture,” said Secretary Detzner. “They are recognized for their remarkable achievements and their dedicated role in preserving Florida’s folk cultural resources.”
The 2017 Florida Folk Heritage Award recipients (l-r) David Peñaflor and Marilia Carrasquillo
(photo courtesy of Carrasquillo); Haiqiong Deng (photo courtesy of Deng); William Emerson
(photo courtesy of Tina Bucuvalas); and Willie Green (photo by Robert Stone).
The Florida Department of State presents Florida Folk Heritage Awards annually to citizens who have made long-standing contributions to Florida’s cultural heritage by perpetuating community traditions. Like the National Heritage Awards, the Florida Folk Heritage Awards honor the state’s most influential tradition bearers for excellence, significance, and authenticity.
Additional information, including photos and bios about each award winner, is available on the Florida Folklife Program’s Facebook page.
The Florida Folklife Program is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts’ Folk and Traditional Arts Program. For more information about the Florida Folklife Program or how to make a nomination for the Folk Heritage Awards, contact State Folklorist Amanda Hardeman, Florida Folklife Program, Division of Historical Resources, at 850.245.6427.
About the Florida Department of State’s Florida Folklife Program
The Florida Folklife Program, a component of the Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources, documents and presents Florida’s folklife, folklore and folk arts. The program coordinates a wide range of activities and projects designed to increase the awareness of Floridians and visitors alike about Florida’s traditional culture. Established in 1979 by the legislature to document and present Florida folklife, the program is one of the oldest state folk arts programs in the nation. For more information, click here.
