Director Leslie Ikerd named to the nominating committee for KTIA’s board of directors
SOMERSET, KENTUCKY (November 14, 2025) — See Somerset’s Moonlight Festival has become a staple of the fall season in downtown Somerset, attracting thousands from across the region and state to celebrate music, art, spirits and culinary excellence. Now, it has been recognized for excellence in tourism marketing by the Kentucky Travel Industry Association (KTIA).
See Somerset received a bronze Traverse Award at KTIA’s fall conference Nov. 5-7 in the PR initiative category for its promotion of Moonlight Festival. This category recognizes strategic communication efforts related to an event, program, entity, destination or overall tourism promotion.
Having just wrapped up one of its largest events to date, Moonlight Festival is headed into its eighth year. This free downtown event puts live music center stage, featuring locally and nationally renowned musicians who play throughout the day. Local and regional artists surround the square, creating in real time to a pre-established theme that celebrates Somerset’s rich arts culture. And festival-goers get their fill of food and spirit vendors that showcase the best of Kentucky’s flavors.
See Somerset’s Moonlight Festival is entering its eighth year, and has attracted thousands to downtown Somerset. The tourism organization was recognized for its promotional efforts for this free event, which relies heavily on a thriving organic social media following to spread the word.
The award recognizes the festival’s brand and outreach efforts, which heavily rely on See Somerset’s thriving organic social media audience to reach both locals and visitors.
“Before each festival, See Somerset slowly opens the door to everything festival-goers can expect to experience at Moonlight,” See Somerset Executive Director Leslie Ikerd said. “Food vendors, artists and musicians — the idea is to slowly build excitement about this event, while offering important information people need to know before they attend and dribbling videos throughout the day showing people what they’re missing if they haven’t yet ventured downtown. We have experienced record-high attendance as a result of this approach, and the impact has reverberated through our downtown businesses and vendors, many of whom sold out or had record gross sales for the day. I am so grateful to the judges for recognizing our efforts to promote this event, which was created as part of a series of free festivals intended to light up downtown Somerset with music, art, food and celebration.”
Entries for the Traverse Awards are judged by an independent panel of out-of-state tourism industry professionals, with evaluation criteria including concept, creativity, results, and impact. This year’s competition drew more than 200 submissions, making it Kentucky’s largest and most prestigious tourism marketing contest.
Ikerd, who has led See Somerset since its establishment in 2013, was also elected at the conference to serve on KTIA’s nominating committee for its board of directors. Members of this committee vet nominees and present a slate of directors and officers at each KTIA fall conference for consideration and election.
“It is an honor to be elected to serve on KTIA’s nominating committee,” Ikerd said. “Kentucky’s tourism industry is driven by collaboration and creativity, and KTIA plays a vital role in fostering both. To be entrusted with helping shape the leadership of this organization is incredibly meaningful. I look forward to representing Somerset and the many communities across our state that are working every day to elevate Kentucky’s tourism economy.”
KTIA represents various segments of Kentucky’s tourism industry, which contributes over $14 billion to the state’s economy. The 1,000-member association engages in advocacy and provides its members with education, information and business development opportunities. The association also works to inform the public of the enormous economic, employment and tax revenue contributions tourism makes to the people of Kentucky.