Athens Main Street was awarded the Organization of the Year PEAK award during the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Organization (AMLA) meeting held last week at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center in Florence.

The award, according to the press release received by The News Courier, goes to an AMLA member that has significantly contributed to the betterment and development of tourism in North Alabama in the past year.

Over the past 13 years, Athens Main Street has added a certified farmers market, Athens Art League and High Cotton Arts, a downtown artist incubator as well as many promotional events, according to the release. Other notable things from the release included the Streetscape project and adding more green space. Most recently, projects such as the Merchant’s Alley renovation and a new walking map brochure downtown.

“The PEAK Awards recognize the best of North Alabama’s tourism and travel industry, and this year’s nominees and winners have all done an exemplary job in delivering an exceptional visitor experience,”AMLA President/CEO Tami Reist said in the release. “With the COVID-19 pandemic still in the forefront, it continues to be challenging times for our industry and I want to take this time to celebrate our local tourism leaders, attractions, festivals and front-line workers who all work tirelessly during these unprecedented times.”  

Athens Main Street executive director Tere Richardson accepted the award.

“Bringing people into downtown to eat, shop and tour is a major component of our mission at Athens Main Street,” Richardson said. “Being recognized by our region’s preeminent tourism organization is a very high honor.”