Top honors for the prestigious 2023 America in Bloom Program were announced at the annual symposium and awards celebration held in Spartanburg, South Carolina, September 28th-30th.
Tavares, Florida was the winner of the Coolest Downtown Award. Additionally, Tavares was the winner of the 20,000 – 25,000 Population Category Award. Other communities in this population category were Groveland, FL and Howard, WI.
Tavares also received special recognition for its Overall Impression from its Advisors. Sue Amatangelo and Ed Hooker, AIB Advisors, spent two days in the summer touring the community, meeting municipal officials, residents, and volunteers.
All participants were evaluated on seven criteria: community vitality, overall impression, environmental initiatives, heritage celebration, urban forestry, landscaped areas, and floral impact. America in Bloom is the only national awards program that sends specially trained Advisors to personally visit participants. In addition, each participant receives a detailed written evaluation that can be used as a guide to future improvements.
“America in Bloom is helping communities of all sizes achieve their potential,” America in Bloom Executive Director Laura Kunkle, said. “Every year our participants raise the bar, and the accomplishments and progress shown by this year’s group is remarkable. These are, without a doubt, some of the best places to live, work, and visit. Congratulations to Tavares for the excellent work making your community more beautiful and vibrant.”
To date, more than 330 communities from 43 states have participated in the program and more than 22 million people have been touched by it. Registration for the 2024 program can be submitted until February 28, 2024. Eligible participants include towns, cities, college and university campuses, business districts, military installations, and recognized neighborhoods of large cities. For more information, visit America in Bloom, which provides educational programs, resources, and the challenge of a friendly competition between participating communities across the country.
