On behalf of South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival, festival Executive Director Stacey Brady accepts the Flagler Award in the special events category by VISIT FLORIA at the 2014 Governor’s Confe
Miramar Beach, Florida (PRWEB) October 08, 2014
South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival was awarded a Flagler Award in the special events category by VISIT FLORIDA at the 2014 Governor’s Conference on Tourism on September 22 at the Boca Raton Resort & Club in Boca Raton. The award is the second award won by the Northwest Florida festival this year. South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival won an Award of Distinction from the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) on April 16 at the annual Image Awards ceremony held in Pensacola, Florida. The FPRA Image Awards competition is conducted annually by the Florida Public Relations Association to recognize outstanding public relations programs in Florida.
“We are honored to receive this prestigious award and to be recognized within the company of such major leaders in Florida tourism. Our goal is to present the ultimate wine week where wine, charity and fun converge, creating a compelling destination event,” said Stacey Brady, executive director of the festival.
The Flagler Awards are presented annually to recognize outstanding tourism marketing in Florida. The awards are open to all individuals and organizations that promote tourism to or within the state. The 2014 awards drew entries from across the state and five judges worked independently to evaluate the creativity, innovation, production quality and effectiveness of each entry. Awards are presented to the top three scores in each of 16 categories.
Tickets for the 2015 South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival, April 23-26, are on sale now at early-bird prices on the festival website, http://www.SoWalWine.com. The event will once again showcase more than 800 wines to taste, an expanded culinary village and dozens of celebrity winemakers pouring the wines they make. Past years’ participants include Peter Mondavi, Jr., Christina Mariani-May of Banfi wines, James Beard Award winner Chef Norman Van Aken and, at the 2014 festival, Chef Emeril Lagasse made a special appearance. The event is held in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin located in South Walton in Northwest Florida, home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Proceeds from the festival benefit Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation to support children’s charities in Northwest Florida. Tickets are now on sale via the festival website at http://www.sowalwine.com.
Festival founding partners include Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, Visit South Walton Tourist Development Council, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, Wine World of Northwest Florida and Grand Boulevard at Sandestin®.
About South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival
South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival is an annual charity event held the last weekend of April. The festival features a stunning showcase of the best wines the world has to offer. Celebrity wine producers and chefs present fine wine and food pairings from the world’s most famous appellations. The Savor South Walton Culinary Village offers a sumptuous array of foods to taste, wines to pair, as well as wine and food seminars, cooking demonstrations and live entertainment. The event is a major fundraiser for Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, which benefits children in need in Northwest Florida. For more information, including a list of attending winemakers and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.SoWalWine.com.