OKEECHOBEE - Secretary of State Ken Detzner announced the winners of the 2018 Florida Main Street Awards. This annual awards program showcases the innovative practices and projects that make each historic community successful.

Two award categories were presented, including the Honor Awards, which highlight the very “best of the best” Main Street communities, and the Merit Awards, which recognize outstanding examples of redevelopment and leadership.

“I am proud to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of the Main Street organizations, team members, local governments and associates that help make the Florida Main Street program so effective,” said Secretary Detzner. “Their dedication to Main Street programs across the state is essential to the historic preservation and economic revitalization of Florida’s downtowns.”

Twenty honor and merit awards were presented on Tuesday, Aug. 1, at the Florida Main Street Annual Conference in Vero Beach.

Okeechobee Main Street won a top Honor Award for Outstanding Florida Main Street Image Campaign for its image rebranding. Arts & Culture Alliance Director Bridgette Waldau redesigned Okeechobee Main Street’s 13-year-old logo and created a look that is fresher and cleaner. The logo elements are used in all Main Street events’ logo, so the new branding is represented in all they do.

Okeechobee Main Street also won two merit awards for Public/Private Partnership with the City of Okeechobee for beautifying Park Street mediums and Sign/Display Project for their new downtown street banners.

Bridgette Waldau represented Okeechobee Main Street during the conference as a speaker on “Using the Arts to Build Better Communities,” alongside Florida Division of Cultural Affairs Director Hillary Crawford and Arts Council of Martin County Director Nancy Turrell.

Executive Director Jonathan Holt attended the three-day conference; President Angie Griffin, Ms. Waldau and Vice President Marion Heddesheimer were also in attendance at Tuesday’s sessions and the awards dinner.