Awards & Honors

People love Emporia. Here are just a few of the accolades our community has received:

Best Municipal Water – 3rd Place
Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Competition, 2024
berkeleyspringswatertasting.com

Kansas Art Education Association – 2023 Art Enhancer Award – Emporia First Friday
http://www.kaea.com/p/awards.html , 2023

Kansas Preservation Alliance – Award of Merit – 715 Commercial Building
Houses Trox Gallery & Gifts and Gravel City Roasters, 2023
https://kansaspreservationalliance.org/

Kansas Small Business Development Center – Emerging Business – Trox Gallery and Gifts
KSBDC Emporia State University, 2023
ESU KSBDC

Best Municipal Water – 4th Place Tie
Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting competition, 2023
berkeleyspringswatertasting.com

SBA Small Business Persons of the Year, Kansas – Dan and Jan Smoots, Fanestil Meats
U.S. Small Business Administration, 2022
2022 State and Territory Small Business Person(s) of the Year

Kansas Small Business Development Center – Emerging Business – Chi Em Eats
KSBDC Emporia State University, 2022
ESU KSBDC

Trox Gallery and Gifts – Business Innovation – Southeast Region
To The Stars Celebrating Kansas Businesses, 2021
Kansas Department of Commerce

Emporia Named one of five Unique American Cities Worth Visiting
Ezvid Wiki, 2021
5 Unique American Cities Worth Visiting

HED Cycling announces gravel wheel line: Emporia A wheel for the people and land that gave us gravel
HED Cycling, 2020
https://hedcycling.com/gravel/

#1 Disc Golf Small Town in the U.S. 
UDisc, 2020
udisc.com

Kansas SBDC Small Business of the Year – Existing – Sweet Granada
Kansas Small Business Development Center, 2020
Kansas SBDC

Best Burger in Kansas – Do-B’s
msn lifestyle & Yelp, 2019
msn.com

The Most Guitar Strings Changed in One Hour – Thomas Silkman/Flint Hills Music
Guinness World Records, 2018

The Absolute Best Burger in Kansas – Do-B’s
msn lifestyle & Yelp, 2018
msn.com

25 Best Last Minute Family Vacations
VacationIdea Dream Vacation Magazine, 2018
vacationidea.com

Best Small-Town Bar (Kansas) – Mulready’s Pub
Thrillist Food, 2018
Thrillist.com

2018 Existing Business of the Year – Radius Brewing Company, LLC
Kansas Small Business Development Center – 2018 Kansas Small Business Awards, 2018
kansassbdc.net

Top 10 Affordable Small Towns Where You’d Actually Want to Live – Emporia #6
Realtor.com, 2018

Readers’ Choice Best Local Eats – Do-B’s 
Kansas Magazine, 2017

Readers’ Choice Best Local Eats – Amanda’s Bakery & Cafe
Kansas Magazine, 2017

Best Sandwich Shop in Kansas – Do-B’s
Travel + Leisure Magazine, 2017
travelandleisure.com

Forward Thinking Small Business – Best Community Engagement – Dynamic Discs
Forbes, 2017
forbes.com

Best Municipal Water – Silver Medal
Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting competition, 2017
berkeleyspringswatertasting.com

#1 Best Main Street in America
USA Today, 2016
10best.com

Best Brewery in Kansas – Radius Brewing Company
Yahoo Travel, 2015
yahoo.com

Governor’s Tourism Award – Dirty Kanza 200
2015

#25 Best Small City in America
Nerdwallet, 2015
nerdwallet.com

Best Municipal Water – Silver Medal
Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting competition, 2015
berkeleyspringswatertasting.com

Best Municipal Water – 5th Place
Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting competition, 2014
berkeleyspringswatertasting.com

Best Municipal Water – Best in the World Gold Medal
Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting competition, 2013
berkeleyspringswatertasting.com

Most Patriotic City Finalist
Rand McNally Best of the Road, 2013
randmcnally.com

#1 Burger in the State – J’s Carryout
AAA Travel Magazine, 2003

Official Recognition as the Founding City of Veterans Day
United States Congress, 2003
gpo.gov

Tourism Industry Awards

1st Place – People’s Choice (Bicycle Chariots), 2022
Travel Industry Association of Kansas Marketing Awards

1st Place – Medium Budget Print (Disc Golf and Cycling Guides), 2022
Travel Industry Association of Kansas Marketing Awards

1st Place – Medium Budge Visitors Guide Outsourced, 2022
Travel Industry Association of Kansas Marketing Awards

1st Place – People’s Choice (Visitor Guide Distribution Rack), 2021
Travel Industry Association of Kansas

1st Place – Medium Budget Community Awareness (Visitor Guide Distribution Rack), 2021
Travel Industry Association of Kansas

1st Place – Medium Budget Integrated Media (Foodie), 2019
Travel Industry Association of Kansas

1st Place – Medium Budget Outsourced Visitors Guide, 2019
Travel Industry Association of Kansas

Best Brochure Award (Must Do Guide) – Regional Winner, 2018
CTM Media Group

1st Place – Medium Budget Integrated Campaign (Disc Golf), 2018
Travel Industry Association of Kansas

1st Place – Medium Budget Print Material, 2018
Travel Industry Association of Kansas

1st Place – Medium Budget Outsourced Visitors Guide, 2018
Travel Industry Association of Kansas

1st Place –  People’s Choice (Meeting Planner Survival Kit), 2017
Travel Industry Association of Kansas

1st Place – Print Material – Magazine Ads, 2017
Travel Industry Association of Kansas

2nd Place – Visitors Guide, 2017
Travel Industry Association of Kansas

2nd Place – Print Material – Billboards, 2017
Travel Industry Association of Kansas

Honorable Mention – Online Media, 2017
Travel Industry Association of Kansas

Honorable Mention – Integrated Campaign, 2017
Travel Industry Association of Kansas

1st Place – Integrated Campaign, 2016
Travel Industry Association of Kansas