Toad Suck Daze is an International Award Winner

Kerry Kraus, travel writer
Arkansas Tourism

Conway’s Toad Suck Daze Festival came away a big winner from the International Festivals and Events Association Convention. It was held Sept. 29-Oct. 4 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Below are the accolades awarded to Toad Suck. All of them were in the $750,000 to 1.5-million-dollar category.

• Gold for Best Children’s Programming
• Gold for Best Event within an Existing Festival
• Gold for Best Food and Beverage Program
• Silver for Best Overall Merchandising Program
• Bronze for Best TV Promotion (ad Spot or PSA)
• Bronze for Best Single New Sponsorship Opportunity

The much-beloved and long-running event is known nationwide for its colorful name, based on the Legend of Toad Suck. According to local folklore, long ago when steamboats plied the Arkansas River and the water wasn’t the correct depth, the captains and their crew docked where the Toad Suck Lock and Dam now spans the river to wait until the water level rose. While waiting, they occupied themselves at the local tavern there, to the displeasure of the locals who lived nearby. The residents described the sailors this way: "They suck on the bottle 'til they swell up like toads." Hence, the name Toad Suck. The tavern is long gone, but the legend lives on at Toad Suck Daze.

The 34th annual festival will be May 1-3, 2015 in downtown Conway.