Southern Delaware Tourism honors 2022 awardees

Five winners from among a nominee list of events, attractions, organizations and individuals received the 2022 Southern Delaware Tourism Awards at a Dec. 14 luncheon at Hyatt Place Dewey Beach, with La Vida Hospitality’s Josh Grapski being named Partner of the Year.

Southern Delaware Tourism Chair Bonnie Hall said the awards honor those who have far exceeded expectations.

“The nominees this year are some of the most incredible, hardworking and compassionate people I've had the pleasure of knowing,” Hall said. “Cooperation is at the center of community building.”

Before awards were presented, keynote speakers Ingrid and Amy Hopkins, owners of Hopkins Heartland, spoke about the fusion of farming and tourism and balancing growth with preservation.

“We’re here to redefine what it looks like to be a farmer,” Ingrid said. “There's a lot of opportunity for change, for shift. We are embracing the role of what we call the transition generation.”

Ingrid’s sister Amy spoke about future plans for the family business, including educating the public about where their food comes from, and the fifth-generation farmers’ vision for an all-encompassing farming destination experience.

“An experience where you can come and learn how your food is grown, how livestock is raised and actually ends up on the menu of some of your favorite Sussex County restaurants,” she said, speaking of the potential for a museum and merchant square, farm-sourced restaurant and inn.

Hall said she was pleased to announce La Vida Hospitality Managing Partner Josh Grapski as Tourism Partner of the Year. Grapski launched a public relations initiative in 2019 with Southern Delaware Tourism to generate regional and national publicity for Southern Delaware’s Culinary Coast.

Hall said Grapski was instrumental in formulating the plan for the initiative by helping select a public relations firm, bringing other local culinary businesses on board, assisting with partner communications and performing outreach.

Grapski and his staff also contributed resources and time to a Culinary Coast pop-up event in New York City in June, and has helped secure coverage in international, national and regional publications.

“His enthusiasm, ingenuity and focus have been a huge driver of the success behind promoting the Culinary Coast,” Hall said. “In just the past quarter, $218,000 in earned publicity value has been generated by the Culinary Coast, and many exciting media partnerships, events and initiatives are in the works to expand this project in 2023.” 

Grapski said he and the initiative serve as storytellers. 

“The real substance goes to the farms, the aquaculture, the restaurants, the culinary scene that is Sussex County,” he said. “It makes it real easy to be a tourism advocate with that strength behind you.”

Southern Delaware Tourism board member Ben Gray announced the holiday attraction and village Schellville, which welcomed 104,000 visitors in 2021, as Best New Event.

“Although admission to the event was free for all, they raised funds through a percentage of food and artisan vendor sales that totaled $84,600 that was donated to help end childhood hunger in Delaware and over three-quarters of a million dollars was estimated to be spent at local small businesses during the course of this time,” Gray said.

Southern Delaware Tourism board member Drew DiFonzo announced 302 Day as this years’ Best Event, which was initiated by KAM Productions, creators of the 302 Horseshoe Crab brand. Several organizations collaborated to produce a Delaware-focused celebration with vendors and live music at Dogfish Head Brewery.

“Sales records were set for all of the participating vendors, including the highest number of guests in March at the Dogfish tasting room of all time, tens of thousands of dollars raised for charity, the event was covered by media and social media, and feedback was incredibly strong,” DiFonzo said.

Delaware Botanic Gardens captured the Best Attraction award, said Southern Delaware Tourism board member Jamie Hayman. After the volunteer-run gardens opened in 2019, it endured two years of COVID-related restrictions before opening again in 2022 with a 167% increase in visitors from March to September compared to 2021.

Visitors came from as far away as Belgium, Canada, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom to view the nationally and internationally recognized public botanic garden destination, Hayman said.

Philanthropic Award winner, the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, seeks to reach more than 120,000 people annually through the arts, said Southern Delaware Tourism board member Kristin Miller, including initiatives on arts education, community access and the Freeman Arts Pavilion.

“More than 30% of the 2022 season performances were free to the public,” Miller said.

Past recipients of the annual award include Delaware Sea Grant College Program/University of Delaware, Rehoboth Beach Main Street, Freeman Arts Pavilion, Ashley Houdbert - Visit Rehoboth/Visit Lewes, and Winter Delmarva Dogfish BirdINNg Weekends.

For more information, go to visitsoutherndelaware.com.