Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Named Top 20 Event/Festival of the Year
On September 16, 2010, the night before the 2010 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Festival is to start, hundreds of tourism professionals from across 12 southeast states gathered in Greenville, SC for the Southeast Tourism Society's Shining Example Awards Ceremony to celebrate the achievements of a number of tourism organizations for their successes. Through a nomination process, The Southeast Tourism Society recognizes outstanding contributions in tourism from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, both Carolinas, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia."We have been trying to get on that top 20 events list for several years now," says an ecstatic Leah Ross, Executive Director of Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, "so I finally decided to try for the big one--and we WON!"
"The big one" Ross refers to is the STS's 2010 Shining Example Award for the Top 20 Event/Festival of the Year--that's right, the entire year. There are two categories for the honor, for events with attendance of under and over 100,000 attendees.
"We were in the same company with Shining Example winners from huge tourist locations like Pigeon Forge and Myrtle Beach. To receive this honor from your peers speaks volumes about our region and how far we've come as a festival." says Ross. "We are so fortunate to have so much support from our cities of Bristol, our generous sponsors and the hundreds of volunteers who work so hard to keep this event affordable for families so they'll keep returning. They are why we have achieved such level of success. This award is for all of them and we are grateful for everything they've given to us over the years."
