Contact: Valerie Bradley
Director of Communications
Email: vbradley@visitmacon.org
Phone: 478-743-1074
www.VisitMacon.org
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park & International Cherry Blossom Festival Recognized as USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Winners
Macon, Georgia- Macon has a winner on its hands in 10Best and USA TODAY's Readers' Choice contest. Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park ranks 1st in the category of “Best Archaeological Site” and the International Cherry Blossom Festival ranks 10th in the “Best Flower Festival” category.
"We are extremely excited the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park and the International Cherry Blossom Festival have received these awards. Attractions and festivals like these are a huge draw for visitors and they help our community showcase some of the best assets that Macon has to offer" states Monica Smith, President and CEO of the MBCCVB.
Jake Ferro, International Cherry Blossom Festival President & CEO, states "A big thank you to our entire community for making these special awards possible. A special congrats also to Jim David and his team for achieving number one ... Awesome ! "
The Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park has the potential to have its name changed to Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park and expand to more than 2,800 acres thanks to HR482 which was introduced to Congress by Representatives Sanford Bishop and Austin Scott. It would also authorize a Special Resources Study to examine the feasibility of turning the corridor from Macon to Hawkinsville along the Ocmulgee River into the first National Park & Preserve east of the Mississippi River. This expansion effort has been championed by the Ocmulgee National Park & Preserve Initiative (ONPPI) and overwhelmingly supported by the public.
Brian Adams, ONPPI President, says, "Over the last several years, we have pushed very hard to promote the amazing historical site we have here in our own backyard and how much greater it could be with this expansion. This award solidifies what a national treasure we have here and makes us more confident that our efforts are worthwhile.”
For both categories, a panel of experts picked the initial 20 nominees and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
All results are posted at http://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-flower-festival/ and http://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-archaeological-site/.
About the MBCCVB
The mission of the MBCCVB is to unify and lead our community in marketing the Macon-Bibb County area as a superior visitor and meeting destination and vision is visitors experience “Where Soul Lives”. For more information, please visit www.VisitMacon.org.
###
