Ponca City Main Street has 7 of 11 nominations in statewide Top 3

The statewide award finalists were announced Friday by Kelli Yado with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, which houses the Oklahoma Main Street Center.

Chelsea McConnell, Executive Director of Ponca City Main Street, said “We are so excited to have 7 of our 11 nominations make it into the top 3!  Congratulations to everyone involved!

“Our mission is to serve Ponca City and its citizens by promoting quality of life through efforts focused toward economic growth, historical preservation, cultural development and revitalization of the downtown and surrounding area.”

In alphabetical order, the state finalists in each category are:

ORGANIZATION:

Premier Partner

El Reno – Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes

Kendall Whittier – Ziegler Art & Frame

Sapulpa – American Heritage Bank

Best Community Education/Public Awareness

Durant – The Influencer Program

Enid – Main Street CLUE

Ponca City – Main Street Mixer

Best Volunteer Development Program

Altus – Adopt a Flower Bed

Hobart – Main Street Promotion Committee

Newkirk – Newkirk Leadership Class

Main Street Hero

Durant – Curt Walker, Develop Durant 123

Newkirk – Hannah Cross

Sapulpa – Will Berry

Best Creative Fundraising Effort

Enid – 12 Days of Christmas Sponsorship Display

Kendall Whittier – K9s of K-Dub Calendar

Ponca City – BrewFest

PROMOTION:

Premier Special Event Under 1,000 Attendees

Cherokee – Classic Christmas Event on Grand Avenue

Durant – Who’s Holiday

Ponca City – BrewFest

Premier Special Event Over 1,000 Attendees

Ada – Ada Fest

Newkirk – Charlie Adams Day

Yukon – Rock the Route

Best Retail Event

Enid – Main Street CLUE

Enid – Main Street Mini Golf

Tahlequah – Ladies Night out

Outstanding Image Promotion

Altus – Partnership Brochure

Enid – Monthly Awareness Banners

Guymon – Pangaea: An International Event

Creative New Event

Cherokee – Touch a Community

Ponca City – Main Street Mixer

Yukon – Cruise-In for a Cause

DESIGN:

Best Placemaking Project

Altus – The Enchanted Alley

Enid – Giant Scrabble

McAlester – The Lot on Choctaw

Best Interior Design Project

Kendall Whittier – The Bobby Pin

Ponca City – Edward Jones Office – Jodi Cline

Stockyards City – Grain and Grange

Best Façade Rehabilitation Under $10,000

Altus – Southwest Crop Insurance

Ardmore – Marvin’s Place Art Gallery

Tahlequah – Spring Street Hideaway

Best Façade Rehabilitation Over $10,000

Altus – Whirlwind Book Bar

Kendall Whittier – American Solera

Tahlequah – Kroner & Baer

Best Visual Merchandising

Durant – The Modern Tot

El Reno – Hot Mess Boutique

Sapulpa – GiGi’s Gourmet Popcorn

Tahlequah – Kimberly’s Boutique

Best Building/Business Branding

Altus – Bud + Bloom Clothing Co.

Enid – Enid Brewing Company

Ponca City – City Central

ECONOMIC VITALITY:

Best Adaptive Reuse Project

Altus – Whirlwind Book Bar

Claremore – Tap on the Tracks

Kendall Whittier – Four. Seven. Three.

Best Business Practices

Ada – The Diamond Shop

Cherokee – NAPA/Ace Hardware

Ponca City – Ponca City Development Authority

Best New Business

El Reno – Our Glass

Stockyards City – McClintock’s Saloon and Chop House

Yukon – Urban Boondocks Market

Business of the Year

Ada – McSwain Theatre

Altus – The Enchanted Door

Tulsa Route 66 – Red Fork Distillery

The programs vying for program of the year for 2019 (in alphabetical order) include:  Altus, Ardmore, Cherokee, El Reno, Enid, Kendall Whittier, Newkirk, Okmulgee, Ponca City, and Wilburton. The program of the year will be announced at the banquet.

In addition, the Watonga Bob Shoemaker Award, given to the outstanding program director, will be awarded at the banquet. Those making the top of the list this year include:  Jeff DiMiceli, Ardmore Main Street Authority; Schaun Aker, Cherokee Main Street; Heather Sumner, Okmulgee Main Street; and Chelsea McConnell, Ponca City Main Street.