Annual People's Choice Awards announced; Johnny Mitchell's, Tellus, Periwinkle take top spots

 

Media release: The People's Choice Awards were presented Saturday by the Cartersville-Bartow County Convention & Visitors Bureau. 

 

-Receiving the most votes for Best Restaurant in Bartow County was Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse. 

 

-Best Shoppe was awarded to Periwinkle in downtown Cartersville. 

 

-The winner of Best Attraction has justly received the most visitors of any paid admission attraction in the county. This year's People's Choice Award was once again presented to Tellus Science Museum.

 

 

 

Coming in second place for the awards was Swheat Market Deli, Spring Place Pottery and Artists Gallery and the Booth Western Art Museum.

 

 

 

The CVB also presented its Hospitality Heroes Awards. The following were honored for their contributions to the local tourism industry:

 

-Bartow County Government and the municipalities of Cartersville, Adairsville, Kingston, Euharlee, Emerson and White received the Bentley Award for Economic Development through Tourism for their commitment of SPLOST to the creation and development of the new Clarence Brown Conference Center.

 

-Jean Belew, founder of the Bartow County Genealogical Society and former officer of the Cultural Arts Alliance was honored with the Kordecki Award for Contribution to the Arts. The late Don Kordecki, namesake for this award, was instrumental in choosing Belew as an honoree in 2010.

 

-Sam Shah, owner of the Hilton Garden Inn & Conference Center in Cartersville, received the 2011 Hotelier of the Year award, chosen by a panel of Georgia Tourism professional from across Georgia.

 

-Monique Vidoli, a member of the Cartersville Grand Gardeners, received the Distinguished Volunteer of the Year award for her weekly devotion to the care of the living plants throughout the Clarence Brown Conference Center.

 

-Juried Artist Awards at the 36th Annual Arts Festival at Rose Lawn were as follows:

 

Best of Show – Terri Paulk, Cartersville – Walk With Hymn wooden staffs

 

-1st Place Fine Arts – Kyle & Katie Pace, Alcoa TN – Jewelry

 

-1st Place Heritage Crafts – Jack Anderson, Marietta – hand carved wooden bowls

 

-2nd Place Fine Arts – Lynette Hinman, Charlotte NC – Drawings with Rose Petals

 

-2nd Place Heritage Crafts – Rhonda & Steve Walker of Crossville AL – Birdhouses

 

-3rd Place Fine Arts – Eva Marie Burns of Cartersville – Mixed Media Paintings

 

-3rd Place Heritage Crafts – Joe Lawson of Ballground -- woodturning