The rebranded Christmas on Main event brought home two awards from the Northeast Tennessee Tourism's Pinnacle Awards held at the Meadowview Conference Resort in Kingsport. With 103 award nominations this year, Johnson County Tourism and Johnson County Chamber of Commerce were part of an incredible competition for the coveted awards. This is the second year Johnson County has been recognized for its efforts in tourism with the Mountain City Sunflower Festival winning Event of the Year (for budgets under $50,000) at last year's award program. This year, the reimagined and expanded Christmas on Main won for Best Marketing Campaign and Event of the Year (for budgets under $50,000). Accepting the award was Gina Meade, Celena Herman Moore and Nancy Drake of the Johnson County Chamber of Commerce with Sheila Caldwell from the Johnson County Mayor and Tourism Office and Jonathan Fields from The High Road Agency.
Last year, the Johnson County Tourism Office partnered with the Johnson County Chamber of Commerce to rebrand and expand promotions for Christmas on Main. Through a Tourism Marketing Grant from the Tennessee Department of Tourism Development, the team collaborated with The High Road Agency to create the new branding for the event as well as the digital and traditional marketing campaign to promote the event across six key DMAs which included Charlotte, NC; Knoxville, TN; Greenville, SC; Spartanburg, SC; Asheville, NC and Tri-Cities TN-VA. The Johnson County Tourism Office also provided in-kind organic event advertising including social media posts, print materials including posters and promotion through the local media.
According to data provided by Placer.ai, the estimated attendance - despite the inclement weather - was more than 3,000 adults and youth for this one-day festival.
As an annual event hosted by the Johnson County Chamber of Commerce, the date for Christmas on Main for 2024 has been set for Saturday, December 7.