The Fall Report

October 2, 2007

 

The 1^st Annual Minden Motorcycle Rally sponsored by The Bayou Triker’s Motorcycle Club was reported a success by the organizers, Rick and Kathy Roberts. They reported 145 visitors for this new event. The rally was open to all types of motorcycles and held at the Minden fairgrounds, September 7^th through 9^th.  The tourism office provided a formal welcome at the opening dinner on Friday night. Our office made all arrangements, maps, and instructions for the poker run through Webster Parish on Saturday morning.  Mayor E. L. Edwards was on hand to greet and pass out pins to the motorcyclists as they stopped on the poker run in Sarepta. Banners were placed at all stops and welcome announcements were on the city marquees in Springhill and Minden. The turnout for the Light Parade in downtown Minden on Saturday night was respectable considering it was the opening night for the LSU football season. The club reported 85 motorcycles in the parade.  The organizers announced their plans to return next year at the Saturday night awards program after the parade.

 

In effort to promote Webster Parish as a desirable destination, the tourism office purchased an ad and was featured in “The Times Living Here” community guide magazine on Sunday, August 26^th. This publication is an insert in The Shreveport Times to all subscribers. Our ad was placed in the “Annual Events” section along with listings of Webster Parish major events. There is also a wonderful article featuring the major events in Webster Parish throughout the year. The publication is an annual magazine provided free to the Shreveport and Bossier City Chambers for them to distribute free to newcomers and visitors. Our office has received complimentary copies which we have provided to our chambers in Webster Parish to distribute to our newcomers as well. This was the first time Webster Parish was offered an opportunity to be included in this publication.

 

 Additionally, the tourism office has signed a 12 month contract with Louisiana Life Magazine. This publication is distributed to members of Louisiana Public Broadcasting, by the Louisiana Office of Tourism, and area Chambers and Convention and Visitor’s Bureaus. The publication is sold at more than 300 newsstands and even on Amazon.com.

 

The tourism office is trying new ways to get the word out about the wonderful things we have to offer to potential visitors to our parish. As of this report, we are now financially participating in The Official Louisiana Travel Guide, Louisiana Life Magazine, the Shreveport Times “Living Here” Community Guide, The Minute Magazine, the I-20 billboard and a major cable television campaign. Our hotels report the highest occupancy rates ever.

 

Fall marks a very busy time of the year for tourism in our parish. The tourism office will have three different overlays listing major events on our I-20 billboard for the balance of the year. Last year we had one in the fall. Also, the Minden Medical Center has requested that we submit our major events to them for their I-20 sign again this fall. This will give travelers on the I-20 corridor two chances to view upcoming major events in Webster Parish.

 

Once again the tourism office began our fall cable advertising campaign with the Germantown Bluegrass Festival followed by the Springhill Lumberjack Festival, Main to Main Trade Days, the Ghost Walk and the Christmas Home Tour in early December.

 

 

Over the last month the tourism office has visited the Dorcheat Museum to inspect the progress of work. During the last few weeks we have seen remarkable progress. We have had meetings with Larry Milford and discussed the addition of an exhibit focused on movies filmed in Webster Parish. The proposed exhibit would be reminiscent of the ticket booth at the old Rex Theatre. Three weeks ago, Schelley Brown and I met with Sarah Haynes of the Minden Medical Center and requested the donation of a trade show exhibit they had retired and put in storage. The exhibit has been delivered to the museum. The exhibit is a front porch with a place for a TV monitor in the window. Schelley is in process of purchasing TV monitors to show our tourism commercial on the front porch exhibit and possibly the promotional film on the movie kiosk. The proposed movie kiosk could show still photographs or a slide show of locations as the filming was in process and actual segments from the actual movies.

 

The 2^nd Annual Germantown Bluegrass Festival was held on Saturday, September 29^th at the historic Germantown Colony Museum. There was continuous live entertainment, great food, and unique crafts. The organizers were pleased to confirm the number of visitors doubled for the second year. The Germantown Colony was established in 1835 and has many of the buildings remaining containing items used by the colonists in the early days of the 19^th Century. The museum is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 to 3:00 during the months of March through December. The entrance fee to the museum is minimal, only $3.00 for adults and .50 cents for children under 12 years of age. I would like to encourage you to take the time to see “first hand” the value of this historic site as the tourist attraction and the treasure it is for our parish.

 

The tourism office was actively involved in supporting the Germantown Bluegrass Festival Committee. Additionally, our office worked with Sheriff Gary Sexton to coordinate the construction of cypress benches and covers for trash receptacles by prisoners for the historic museum grounds. Lamar Smith with Springhill Land and Timber has donated the cypress logs needed. The benches and trash receptacle covers will be constructed from rough hewn logs in keeping with the time period and a wonderful permanent addition to the grounds of the museum. Please thank Sheriff Sexton and Lamar Smith for their contributions when you see them.

 

The Annual Webster Parish Fair is coming October 9^th through 13^th at the Minden fairgrounds. The fair begins on Tuesday, October 9^th with the Fair Parade at 5:00 PM in downtown Minden. There will be daily events including live entertainment each night through October 13^th. The gates will open each evening at 5:00 PM Activities will include livestock competitions, the pet costume contest, the junior livestock luncheon and sale, and a pizza eating contest. Be sure to bring your entire family and enjoy the food and fun at this wonderful fall event. For more information call Donnie Irby at 377-6250.

 

 

The Annual Springhill Lumberjack Festival is gearing up for its 24^th year on October 12^th and 13^th. One of the highlights of the Lumberjack Festival is the Timber Sports competition.  Local timber man, Terry Warlick, has organized this event for many years and plans are taking shape for the greatest competition ever with entrants from all over the United States.  The action begins at 12:00 noon on Saturday, October 13^th, with prize money being awarded to the top competitors in 12 different events. For more information contact Cliff Carter at (318)539-2071

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Additionally on Saturday, October 13^th will be the Springhill Main Street’s 9th Annual Street Rod, Classic Car and Motorcycle Show, located in the Springhill-North Webster Chamber of Commerce parking area. This event is offered by Springhill Main Street, local endorsers, and directed by Springhill Main Street Manager, Jan Corrales. Jan has added another event to compliment the Street Rod Show. This year Springhill Main Street will sponsor the third Antique Tractor and Engine Show. There will be a parade at 10.00 am featuring antique tractors driving through downtown Springhill. For more information contact Jan Corrales at (318)539-5699.

 

Be sure to mark your calendar now so that you can come and see how tourism is growing in Webster Parish. I hope to see you there.

 

Lynn Warnock-Dorsey

Executive Director

Webster Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau

 

 

 

 

 

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