Main Street associations and members in the Golden Triangle were celebrated Thursday by the Mississippi Main Street Association for their work over the past year.
Main Street Columbus, Starkville Main Street Association and West Point Main Street were all recognized during the 2024 awards luncheon held in Jackson.
“2024 is a special year as we celebrate 40 years of Main Street and remember our founders and the leaders who have gotten our statewide organization to where we are today,” Jim Miller, MMSA executive director, said in a press release. “Main Street programs are an important economic driver in our state, and we honor and celebrate the local and state champions each year at our Annual Awards.”
Main Street Columbus took home one award this year. Amber Brislin received the Paul Coggin Trailblazer Award, an award given to an outstanding local board member or volunteer who has been active in a downtown organization for a significant period of time, contributing energy to downtown revitalization.
Brislin previously served Main Street Columbus as Main Street director. She also served as a board member for five years, as design committee chair for two years, and as Market Street Festival coordinator for 16 years.
Starkville Main Street Association received three awards for 2024.
Director Paige Watson accepted the Outstanding Creative Fundraising award for her work on the Starkville Pet Mayor Election, a fundraiser for Starkville Main Street’s pet-friendly initiatives and the Oktibbeha County Humane Society that culminated in Buster Camp being named Starkville’s first Pet Mayor.
Alden Thornhill received the award for Outstanding Creative Large Event, over 5,000, for his leadership organizing the Starkville Derby, the dachshund races that recently made a home in the Cotton District. While the 2023 derby drew more than 20,000 attendees, the 2024 derby was even larger, drawing more than 200 dogs to race and more than 60,000 spectators.
Leah Kemp, executive director for the Fred Carl Jr. Small Town Center at Mississippi State University, accepted the Outstanding Public Arts Project award for the Cowbells and Paint Pails project, which recently decorated University Drive and Camp Street with brightly colored murals of cowbells.
Rounding out the Golden Triangle, West Point Main Street took home two awards, including the Outstanding New Small Event Award, under 5,000, for the Cottrell Street Music and Heritage Festival. The festival celebrates the history of a once prominent downtown Black business district. It is now in its third year.
Scott Ross also received the Outstanding Historic Rehabilitation Project award for his work purchasing a vacant building across from the Clay County Courthouse, restoring the historic charm of the building’s exterior and interior while designing the new space for Ross Law Firm.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 44 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
