City Holds Awards Presentation Party at Festival Park

A party celebrating the achievement of bringing home one of the All-America City Awards commenced Friday night at Festival Park, where the North Carolina symphony played patriotic tunes following the official presentation to kick off the Independence Day weekend. The crowd of was tightly packed in sitting on blankets or lawn chairs as they listened to 14 compositions.

Free apple pie and ice cream were offered, and a grand fireworks display closed out the evening for the masses to enjoy.

Last month, nearly 60 civilian and military delegates traveled to Kansas City, Kan., to represent Fayetteville, bringing the message that Fayetteville and Fort Bragg are not what they used to be. “Fayettenam” is no more; “Fayettenow” has been born. The new 'Fayettenow' moniker reflects the city's transformation over the years.

Videos were put together by each city competing for the award and were posted on Facebook for viewers to vote on it by selecting 'Like' on the site. Fayetteville was declared the winner of the video contest thanks to social media traffic campaigns.

"We were the second city to be announced as an All-American City and the room just went crazy," said Mayor Chavonne. "The spirit that was there was just amazing."

Winning this award gives the both the post and the city of Fayetteville a boost to their tourism campaign. Funds have already been earmarked for advertising, new signs and promotional materials. Signs and banners with the 'All-America City' logo were prominently displayed around the park and downtown.