Jackson Free Press Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd (left) poses with Best Urban Warrior winner Jeff Good (right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Jackson Free Press Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd (left) poses with Best Local Business Owner winner Dale Wilson (left) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Best Real Estate Agent winner Erica Johnson (left) poses for a photo with Jackson Free Press Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd (right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Best Teacher winner Allison Dunaway (left) poses for a photo with Jackson Free Press Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd (right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Best Dressed winner Nikki Gallagher (left) poses for a photo with Jackson Free Press Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd (right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Best Server/Waitperson winner Victoria Fortenberry (left) poses for a photo with Jackson Free Press Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd (right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Best Professor winner Robert Luckett poses for a photo with Jackson Free Press Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd (right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Jackson Free Press Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd (left) poses for a photo with Best Visual Artist winner Wyatt Waters (right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Jackson Free Press Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd (left) poses for a photo with Best Photographer winner Crystal Marie Thompson (right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Jackson Free Press Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd (left) poses for a photo with Best Facialist/Esthetician winner April Epps (right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Sexiest Bartender winner Kree’ Blackwell (left) poses for a photo with Jackson Free Press Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd (right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Best Makeup Artist winner Christine Cody (left) poses for a photo with Jackson Free Press Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd (right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Best Chef winner Nick Wallace (left) poses for a photo with Jackson Free Press Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd (right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Best Drag Performer winner Mia Chambers (left) poses for a photo with Jackson Free Press Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd (right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Best Country Artist/Band winner Jason Miller Band poses for a photo with Jackson Free Press Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd (back center) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Best Hip-Hop Artist/Group Winner 5th Child (left) poses for a photo with Jackson Free Press Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin (right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
James Kithuka (left) and Marilyn Kithuka (center), owners of Best Gumbo winner Gumbo Girl, pose for a photo with Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin (right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Stacy Spiehler (left), a manager at this year’s winner for Best New Restaurant, Fine & Dandy, poses for a photo with Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin (right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Employees of this year’s winner for Best Place to Get Coffee and Best College Student Hangout, Cups Espresso Café, pose for a photo at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Mallory Kay Palmertree (left) and Mike Richardson (front right), tattoo artists at Best Tattoo/Piercing Parlor winner Electric Dagger Tattoo, pose for a photo with Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin (back center) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Employees of Best Locally Owned Business winner Deep South Pops, along with owner Jake Franklin (far right), pose for a photo with Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin (second right) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Beau York (left) and Kourtney Moncure (right), who host Best Local Podcast winner “Let’s Talk Jackson,” pose for a photo with Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin (center) at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"
Marilyn Kithuka, co-owner of Best Gumbo winner Gumbo Girl, poses for a photo at the 2019 Best of Jackson party on Jan. 27 at South Street Live. Photo by Larry Armstrong, Osiris Photography Larry Jericho "Osiris"

Each year, the Jackson Free Press does its Best of Jackson contest, where people in the metro area vote for their favorite people, places, food and more. This celebration of Jackson culminates in an annual party on the last Sunday in January. This year’s party was on Jan. 27 at South Street Live in downtown Jackson.

Mississippi native Donna Ladd and partner Todd Stauffer founded the Jackson Free Press in 2002 in the capital city. The heavily awarded local newspaper did many investigations heralded across the state and nation and served as a paper of record due to its diversity, inclusion, in-depth reporting and deep connection to readers and dedication to narrative change in and about Mississippi. In 2022, the nonprofit Mississippi Free Press, founded by Ladd and JFP Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin in 2020, purchased the journalism assets and archives of the Jackson Free Press. A Google grant through AAN Publishers enabled Newspack's integration of the JFP archives into the Mississippi Free Press website to become part of a more searchable archive of recent Mississippi history and essential journalism.