Top 20 Events History

On September 14, 1983, a small group of industry leaders from the Southeast gathered for the purpose of organizing the Southeast Tourism Society. Those charter members shared a mutual belief that regional promotion through partnership between states would create a powerful marketing alliance unparalleled throughout our country. Fifteen years later, their vision has been validated as the Southeast Tourism Society has established itself as a leader among other travel organizations nationwide. STS continues its dedication to promoting and developing tourism in our member states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. The membership includes state travel offices, attractions, hotels, motels, resorts, convention and visitors bureaus, airlines, bus companies, car rental agencies, newspapers, magazines and other travel related organizations. The members of STS recognize the vast number of attractions, sporting events, history, scenic and cultural beauty found within the Southeast Region and aspire to unite the strengths and resources of the region.

As we already know, the Southeast is the perfect vacation destination where vast natural beauty, celebrated history, delightful attractions and incredible recreational activities come together. From basking in the sun on gorgeous white sand beaches to journeying down the Mississippi River on an authentic 19th century paddle-wheel riverboat, the region’s appeals are broad and diverse. It is no wonder millions of people visit it each year!

But to get a real taste of the Southeast’s down home flavor, visitors need look no further than the thousands of special events and festivals that take place throughout the region each year. These gatherings combine arts and crafts, music, parades, pageantry, food, sporting competitions, live entertainment and much more. In fact, the Southeast has become known for its world-renowned festivals and events.

Here in the South we never pass up an opportunity to celebrate. We have a festival or pilgrimage for just about everything. The Southern festival grew out of the camp meeting…the political barbecue…the Saturday night dance…and the Sunday “All day meeting and dinner on the grounds.” Those were the gathering that gave early Southerners the chance to lay aside the plow and pick up the fiddle.

The themes for most small-town festivals even today center on some aspect of their heritage or livelihood…or sometimes just a unique or humorous aspect of their area that makes a good excuse for a party.

We celebrate many things: dogwoods, azaleas, daffodils, roses, wildflowers, apples, even onions. We celebrate mules, horses, dogs, the wooly worm, blue crabs, shrimp, grits, catfish, oysters, peanuts and barbecue.

We celebrate our music, our myths, and our traditions. Take the pilgrimage, for instance.

In the South we have a saying that goes like this…If you’re given a lemon, make lemonade. That’s what happened in the spring of 1931 in Natchez, Mississippi. The state garden club held its annual meeting there that year. But there was a slight problem. A late freeze had turned the flowers in the local gardens to mush. So instead of touring the gardens, the local Garden Club prevailed upon the owners of the city’s antebellum mansions to open their homes for tours. The tours were so popular that they repeated them the next year…and from there the pilgrimage spread throughout the south. Some of the best pilgrimages are right here in Georgia, and will be taking place over the next couple of months.

We celebrate our ties to Europe. A number of years ago, the little town of Helen, Georgia embraced its German heritage and turned it into a year-round celebration of its roots. We have countless festivals in cities throughout the South, honoring the ethnic origins of people who live there….the Greeks, Czechs, Irish, French, Spanish, Lithuanians, and many others.

We celebrate our music. Who hasn’t heard of Elvis Presley, Nashville and The Grand Ole Opry? But have you heard of Renfro Valley, Kentucky; or Mountain View, Arkansas? The Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddler’s Convention in Athens, Alabama draws thousands every year as the best musicians in the country compete in 14 categories including harmonica, mandolin, Bluegrass banjo, and of course, classic old time fiddling.

Each festival or event in the South represents a special piece of our culture and heritage.

Early on, Southeast Tourism Society recognized the unique, diverse and unparalleled events in the region, and in 1985, began the Top 20 Events Program. This program sought to bring more publicity and widespread recognition to the best events the Southeast had to offer. For every month of the year, STS selects 20 events per month and publishes them on a quarterly basis. This publication goes to over 300 newspapers, magazines, radio & TV stations, as well as 125 AAA publications. The combined circulation runs into the millions. The Top 20 Events have appeared in publications such as the Huntsville Times, the Montgomery Advertiser, the Charlotte Observer, the Knoxville New Sentinel and New South Japanese Magazine.

Some of the great events that have been given the Top 20 distinction are Folkmoot, USA in Waynesville, North Carolina, Asheville’s Bele Chere Festival, the Smoky Mountain Fiddler’s Convention in Loudon, Tennessee and the W.C. Handy Music Festival in Florence, Alabama. Many of Georgia’s special events and festivals have been named Top 20 Events such as the Macon Cherry Blossom Festival, Jekyll Island’s Beach Music Festival, the Yellow Daisy Festival at Stone Mountain and the Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour.