On Tuesday, February 25, 2020, Keep Knoxville Beautiful will host the annual Orchids Beautification Awards at The Press Room, 730 N. Broadway from 6:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. The deadline for purchasing tickets is Friday, February 21st. 

The reception begins at 6:00 with complimentary beer and wine provided by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co, Elst Brewing, and the Brewing & Distilling Center. There will also be a specialty cocktails available for purchase by Post Modern Spirits for $10. Cocktail tickets can be purchased ahead of time with online ticket purchases. During the reception, guests can enjoy live music from Old City Buskers. 

Dinner and the awards ceremony will begin at 7:00 p.m. The event will be emceed by Discovery Inc.’s Nicki Collett. Keep Knoxville Beautiful. Mandi McKay, Sustainability Manager for Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. will be the keynote speaker of the night. 

Tom Salter, retired Knox County Solid Waste Director and previous Keep Knoxville Beautiful Executive Director, will present the fourth Felicia Harris Hoehne Award to Knox County Community Development Director, Dwight Van de Vate. Nicki will present the Orchids Awards to a winner from each of the following seven categories: Redesign/Reuse, Outdoor Space, Community Space, New Architecture, Public Art, Restaurant/Café/Bar/Brewery, and Environmental Stewardship. These awards are given to the individuals who are beautifying our dynamic city. 

Finally, Commissioner Carson Dailey, a longtime advocate for beautifying Knox County, will close the night by presenting the Mary Lou Horner Award to KUB’s The Miller Building. The Mary Lou Horner Award is given to a previous Orchid winner that has improved or remains “orchid-worthy.”  A list of all nominees can be found at http://www.keepknoxvillebeautiful.org/orchid-awards. 

The deadline for purchasing tickets is Friday, February 21st. Individual tickets are $85 each and tables for 8 are $750. Cocktail tickets are available for $10. Tickets can be purchased at www.keepknoxvillebeautiful.org/orchid-awards/. All proceeds benefit Keep Knoxville Beautiful programs.