Awards & Honors
People love Emporia. Here are just a few of the accolades our community has received:
Best Municipal Water – Best in the World Gold Medal
Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Competition, 2025
https://berkeleyspringswatertasting.com/winners/
Kansas Department of Commerce – Minority Enterprise Development Heritage to Legacy Awards
Tourism Impact Award Certificate of Merit – Visit Emporia – 2024 Spanish Language Marketing Campaign
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 – Large Budget Visitors Guide, 2024
Travel Industry Association of Kansas Marketing Awards
1st Place – Medium Budget Visitors Guide, 2023
Travel Industry Association of Kansas Marketing 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 Budget 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
Advertising – Overall Winner – Electronic, 2011
Travel Industry Association of Kansas
Advertising – Electronic, 2011
Travel Industry Association of Kansas
Advertising – Print, 2011
Travel Industry Association of Kansas
Promotional – Tourism Group, 2011
Travel Industry Association of Kansas
Community Awareness, 2011
Travel Industry Association of Kansas
Promotional – Overall Winner, 2010
Travel Industry Association of Kansas
Community Awareness, 2010
Travel Industry Association of Kansas
Promotional Tourism – Group Marketing, 2010
Travel Industry Association of Kansas
Advertising – Billboard, 2010
Travel Industry Association of Kansas
Visitors Guide, 2009
Travel Industry Association of Kansas
Promotional – Tourism – Group Marketing, 2009
Travel Industry Association of Kansas
Campaign – Event, 2007
Travel Industry Association of Kansas
Tourism Advertising, 2006
Travel Industry Association of Kansas
Community Education Campaign, 2005
Travel Industry Association of Kansas
