The City’s Orlando Main Street Districts honored participating individuals and businesses at their 5th Annual Orlando Main Streets Award Ceremony, earlier this week.
Orlando Mayor Dyer presented over 30 awards to volunteers, businesses, and initiatives for their “outstanding contributions to the success of the eight districts in the Orlando Main Streets program.”
Here are the 2016 recipients:
  • The 2016 Promotion award was presented to College Park Partnership for Pink Out College Park. Through the sale of pink yard flamingos, and by canvassing all of College Park with pink decorations, the month-long initiative raised $5,000 toward the new Florida Hospital for Women Mammography Scholarship Fund, supporting women who cannot afford a mammogram or further diagnostic testing.
  • The 2016 Organization award was presented to Thornton Park District for their 2nd Thursday Wine & Art Walk, an event created to increase foot traffic throughout the district, strengthen collaborations within the community and raise funds to support district initiatives. The event has been hugely successful, introducing hundreds of new visitors to the district, increasing business membership and raising an astounding $118,025 during this fiscal year which began in October of 2015.
  • The 2016 Design award was presented to Mills 50 for their Art Drain Project, which created yet another opportunity for local artists to utilize their skills in an uncommon and unique way by painting storm drains throughout the district. Mills 50 also used the Art Drain Project as an educational tool promoting environmental sustainability. Artists were required to use the saying “Only rain down the drain” to bring awareness to the importance of clean storm runoff and its impact on our local lakes and ecosystem.
  • The 2016 Economic Vitality award was presented to Downtown South for its Nom of the Month award, recognizing and promoting restaurants throughout the district that define a joyful dining experience and savory food found in Downtown South. The promotion of restaurants has allowed the Downtown South community to better celebrate the restaurants they already love, and discover new dining options.
  • The 2016 Judge’s Choice award was presented to Gateway Orlando for their Connection Core Group.  This year, the judging panel was so impressed with each submission for the District Awards, they felt the need to create a ‘Judge’s Choice Award,’ in order to recognize the district that created the most unique networking and growth opportunity for its businesses and professionals. Gateway Orlando’s, Connection Core Group, received this first time award for providing a platform for developing a succession of leaders, guaranteeing the long-term success of the district as a whole.
Individual Awards 
The Main Street Awards Ceremony also provides an opportunity to highlight the people, places and initiatives that make our Main Streets uniquely successful. Each Main Street also nominated a Volunteer of the Year, Business or Merchant of the Year and Best Private Improvement of the Year.
Volunteer of the Year 
  • Katie Shannon – Audubon Park Garden District
  • Doug Taylor – Church Street District
  • Amy Rawls – College Park Partnership
  • Russell “Buck” Miller – Downtown South
  • Luann Gum – Ivanhoe Village
  • John Markham – Mills 50
  • Tom Martinez – Gateway Orlando
  • Robo Zitney Callison – Thornton Park District
Business/Merchant of the Year
  • Audubon Community Market – Audubon Park Garden District
  • Jersey Mike’s – Church Street District
  • Keiron – College Park Partnership
  • Swirlery Wine Bar – Downtown South
  • Retro City Cycles – Ivanhoe Village
  • Armstrong Locks – Mills 50
  • Oh Que Bueno – Gateway Orlando
  • Shari Sushi Lounge – Thornton Park District
Best Private Improvement of the Year
  • Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream – Audubon Park Garden District
  • Ferg’s Depot – Church Street District
  • Jade Sushi and Asian Bistro – College Park Partnership
  • Hampton Inn & Suites Orlando/Downtown South-Medical Center – Downtown South
  • The Thirsty Topher – Ivanhoe Village
  • The Guesthouse – Mills 50
  • DNF Medical Center – Gateway Orlando
  • Baoery Asian Gastropub – Thornton Park District

Brendan O'Connor

Editor in Chief of Bungalower.com

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