Rose Center’s Mountain Makins Festival (Morristown Tennessee) was given the 2019 Silver Award for Best Festival in the Southeast for festivals with a budget under $75,000.
ATLANTA, Ga. - The best and brightest were spotlighted at the Southeast Festivals and Events Association’s Kaleidoscope Awards in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The ceremony was held in conjunction with the SFEA Annual Conference. Top festivals and events throughout the Southeast were recognized for their outstanding contribution to the events industry. Rose Center’s Mountain Makins Festival (Morristown Tennessee) was given the 2019 Silver Award for Best Festival in the Southeast for festivals with a budget under $75,000.
“The quality of submissions continues to increase each year making it more difficult for the judges to select the winners,†noted Lisa McCray, executive director for SFEA.
“It’s exciting to be chosen for another SFEA Kaleidoscope Best Festival Award for 2019,†remarked Beccy Hamm, festival director for Mountain Makins Festival. “Recognition like this brings a lot of attention for our event, and new visitors from around the Southeast.†In 2016 Mountain Makins won the SFEA Gold Award for Best Festival with a budget under $75,000. The 44th Annual Mountain Makins Festival is held at Rose Center Oct. 26 and 27. Applications for craft and food vendors are now available through the Rose Center website, www.rosecenter.org.
The name “kaleidoscope†was selected due to the colors in the logo image that represent the many different elements and facets within festivals and events. A call for entries was posted last fall and all southeast festivals and events were encouraged to participate. A panel of experts in event planning, marketing and tourism spent an entire day reviewing the entries from five states. The judges looked for originality, creativity, media impact, volunteer programs, and the overall impact to the community. The categories in which one can win recognition are also diverse, ranging from Best Marketing Campaign to Best T-Shirt to Best Festival or Event.
The Southeast Festivals & Events Association is a 501 (c) 6 membership-based organization comprised of festival and event planners, venues, and industry service providers. SFEA was founded in 2009 to strengthen the festival and event industry throughout the southeast United States by hosting educational sessions, networking opportunities, award recognition, and additional events throughout the year; thus, allowing for continued professional growth within the festivals and events industry. Membership is open to those in the festivals and events industry as well as those wanting to get their start and learn more about this exciting profession.
Rose Center, located at 442 W 2nd North Street in Morristown, is a museum and community cultural center, and a designated agency of the Tennessee Arts Commission. The museum features monthly art exhibits, a local artists’ sales gallery, a children’s museum, a history museum, concerts, rental space and more. The office is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information is available at 423-581-4330.
