The festival has been the recipient of numerous awards, but one of the most significant came in 1996 when we were recognized at the Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism.

That year, the PurpleHull Pea Festival won the Henry Award, an award given each year by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism for excellence in some area of tourism.

In a category that included tourism businesses and related entities of all sorts – not just other festivals – the PurpleHull Pea Festival won what is known as the “Bootstrap Award,” given to the tourism organization that has done “the most with the least.”

It’s true, we do indeed accomplish a great deal with very little resources. But we have one major asset: A large number of individuals and sponsors from Emerson and the surrounding communities contribute to our event in a whole spectrum of ways. And they have made the PurpleHull Pea Festival & World Championship Rotary Tiller Race an event you don’t want to miss.

Just for good measure, here’s some of the other awards the PurpleHull Pea Festival has won: “Festival of the Year” (2001); “Best New Festival” (1994 – for festivals in existence 5 years or less); “Best New Idea” (1990 and again in 1999); “Community Trademark Award” (1995); all from the Arkansas Festival Association.