With over 10,000 votes cast, it was wonderful to see the southern Utah community support the inaugural year of the Indy Awards.
These awards are meant to recognize and celebrate the arts community in southern Utah. From the visual and performing arts to the literary and culinary arts, you’ve helped us find the best southern Utah has to offer.
Business
Best casual fine dining restaurant
Xetava Gardens (with 38 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Cliffside Restaurant
Best healthy restaurant
Twisted Noodle (with 87 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Wild Thyme
Best cafe
Zion Blues Café (with 45 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Perks! Espresso & Smoothies
Best festival, fair, or event
Georgefest (with 50 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Zion Canyon Music Festival
Music
Best singer/songwriter
Steven Swift (with 53 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Raven Cain
Best pop/rock band
Full Tilt Boogie (with 43 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Vinyl Fusion
Best country band
Muddy Boots (with 43 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Raven Cain Band
Best metal band
Aura Surreal (with 44 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Sleep Dealer
Best DJ
DJ Lex (with 59 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: DJ Spinz
Music (other)
Orchestra of Southern Utah (with 43 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Gary Huff
Art
Best photographer
Nick Adams (with 49 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Carl Mazur
Best painter
Steven Stradley (with 29 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Eddi Malloy
Art (other)
Matt Clark (with 43 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Deborah Durban
Theater
Best theater company
Tuacahn (with 32 percent of the vote)
Honorable mentions: Brigham’s Playhouse: Neil Simon Festival: and St. George Musical Theater
Best dancer
Rebekah Wainwright (with 56 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Tia Stokes
Best stage actor
Henry D. Ballesteros (with 35 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Brodie Perry
Best stage actress
Sceri Sioux Ivers (with 60 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Ashley Rai Benham
Best film actor
Sheldon Demke (with 42 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Dan Fowlks
Best film actress
Rachelle Hansen (with 46 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Jessica Elleen Staples
Writing
Best writer
Brian Passey (with 72 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Stephen Armstrong
Best spoken word poet
Janae Godfrey (with 63 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Ron Coulson
Best writer for The Independent
Dallas Hyland (with 33 percent of the vote)
Honorable mention: Marianne Hales Harding
