Saturday night, we headed to the Washington Hilton for the 35th annual Taste of the South gala.
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We snapped agriculture consultant Kevin Bailey with CoBank's Lauren Sturgeon and American Action Forum press secretary Patrick Hefflinger.
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The annual event brings together hundreds of attendees for a celebration all things Southern. Over a dozen Southern states were represented, with each state committee providing select food, drinks, and gifts for attendees. Here, the University of Cincinnati's Chloe Adkins joins former TOTS chair Megan Jackson with TOTS Committee-member and Kentucky's Chase Hieneman, former TOTS chairman and District City Consulting's Lesley Elliott with Texas member Kyle Jackson and Cue the Deer band member Billy O'Brien.
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This year's event theme was "A Salute to the Stars and Stripes," with all proceeds benefitting charities supporting military families. Here, Chris Hansen joins Quicken Loans' Megan Cummings, Virginia Moncure, Bockorny Group and Virginia Committee chair Allen Jamerson and Virginia Committee vice chair Erin Wilson.
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Prior to the main event, VIP guests had early access to the main ballroom. Here, Strategic Partners & Media's Nicole Drummond with Mark Szeliga, Sen. Lamar Alexander's press secretary Taylor Haulsee and his fiancee, View PAC's Katie Delzell.
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Attendees also had access to the VIP lounge, aptly named the "Officers Lounge," featuring a private reception space with their own bar, silent auction and buffet with shrimp and grits and other Southern delicacies. Here, The Tenant Agency's Lewis Sloan, Greenberg Traurig's Killoran Long, Bloomberg BNA's Mary Squire and Microsoft's Tosh Bance.
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Later in the evening, attendees danced to live music from several bands. Here, web designer Chelsea Allen joins software developer Scott Moss and Clemson student William Valainis.
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Adam Baron with healthcare consultants Jenna Riley, Charles Smith and Devin Airey, with Valerie Mack and NAM's Lauren Wilk.
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TOTS committee members Stephanie Belk and Marianna Knister with Glo Airlines' Jordan Mitchell and TOTS volunteer Justina Rusch.
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Hill staffers Quinton Scholtz, McKinley Mason, Sydney Cason and Chafer Stanley.
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DC friends Nick Pearson, Lauren O'Brien, Ben Mosely and Jacque Chevalier.
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