Page 16 - South Mississippi Living - August, 2023

COAST NOTE
story by Cherie Ward
photos courtesy of
Mississippi Main Street Association
Main street organizations in three Gulf Coast cities are celebrating with awards given to them by the Mississippi Main Street Association.
Biloxi, Ocean Springs, and Pascagoula main streets all received recognition for their efforts in economic vitality, community engagement,
and new development
Springs Chamber – Main Street – Tourism Bureau for Outstanding New Development Project. The unique hotel on Porter Avenue features four modern, floating cabins with wet bars and private, lush outdoor showers that provide guests with a new way to stay in the creative
design. There were also two special honors awarded, Main Street Hero and the Heart of Main Street.
Main Street Pascagoula soaked up three awards, including an Outstanding Community Engagement Effort honor for the Festival Hispano De Pascagoula event. The annual festival celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month in September. This year’s event is set for Sept. 16 in Beach Park and promises
a day of live music
and performances, scrumptious food, unique vendors, career services, and lots of fellowship.
Rebecca Davis was
also honored with a
special award, the Heart of Main Street, for her tireless revitalization efforts throughout the Flagship City, and long-time Pascagoula restauranteur Ramsay Taylor was given the Main Street Hero honor. Taylor owns Thunder’s Wine & Liquor, the Jury Room, and Tay’s BBQ.
A design award went to the Beatnik and the Ocean
district of downtown Ocean Springs.
Dave Reese of Fly Llama Brewing and the Biloxi Main Street were awarded an Outstanding New Business honor for economic vitality. Reese, brewmaster and advanced cicerone, founded the brewery and is known to tout the slogan, “When glasses raise, llamas fly.”
The annual awards luncheon was held at
the South Warehouse
in downtown Jackson
and honors main street directors, board members, and volunteers as well
as recognizing the most outstanding downtown revitalization projects and events from main street communities throughout the Magnolia State.
“Each year, the annual awards luncheon highlights the people, projects, and initiatives
Thomas Gregory, Roxy and Ted Condrey.
Thomas Gregory and Dave Reese.
16 | August 2023
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
Thomas Gregory and Ramsay Taylor.
Thomas Gregory and Rebecca Davis.
that drive economic development in Mississippi’s Main Street communities,” said Thomas Gregory, Mississippi Main Street Association Executive Director. “Our local main street programs are strategic in their downtown revitalization work, and we are proud to recognize their accomplishments over the past year.”