Jackson Free Press logo

This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
Note that any opinions expressed in legacy Jackson Free Press stories do not reflect a position of the Mississippi Free Press or necessarily of its staff and board members.

We here at the Jackson Free Press like to keep our focus on local: local people, local business, local food—you get the idea. There’s nothing to us more local than Best of Jackson. We’re officially in our 18th annual award season. Here is who you voted as the best local people, places, food and more.

Best of Jackson 2020: People

Best of Jackson 2020: Community and Culture

Best of Jackson 2020: Nightlife and Music

Best of Jackson 2020: Food and Drink

Best of Jackson 2020: Urban Living

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.