Webster Parish, Louisiana

Tourism News Archive
April, May, June 2006

Notes from Marketing Director Lynn Warnock

 

April/May 2006

The Wandering Wheels Cyclists were in Minden again this year on Friday, April 21st. This unique group rides from coast to coast each year and loves us so much they return each year for dinner and an overnight stay sponsored by the Lakeview Methodist Church. This group is the subject of numerous publications and brings our parish to the attention of another segment of potential tourists. Thank you to the ladies of Lakeview for their hospitality year after year.

The tourism office has recently purchased another major television commercial campaign with Cox Cable for our spring events for $15,000.00 based on the success we had last fall. The commercials will broadcast into South Arkansas , including Magnolia, El Dorado , and Hot Springs ; East Texas including Marshall and Longview ; and Central Louisiana including Shreveport- Bossier, Ruston , Farmerville, Bastrop, Columbia, and Winnfield.

 

The organizers of the Scottish Tartan Festival reported that the attendance this year was four times last year and felt this was a direct result of the television commercials. I personally worked the ticket sales all day at the St. Jude’s Classic Car Show and surveyed the attendees as they arrived. We had guests from as far away as Bastrop, Magnolia, Monroe, and Marshall. Cultural Crossroads reported favorably on the attendance of the Spring Arts Festival. All in all, the high attendance for both events was remarkable due to the terrible weather that day. The reports from the Germantown commission were very positive for the first Annual Bluegrass Festival and they are considering holding another this fall.

 

A Louisiana Films North promotional film, for the purpose of attracting film, both television and movie production to be done in Webster Parish for the immediate economic impact of creating jobs and increasing tax dollars for the citizens of Webster Parish and the subsequent promotions of film locations as major tourist destinations, has completed the filming portion of production. The Webster Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau was a major financial sponsor of this project. Highlights of the filming schedule included:

• An opening interview with Senator Robert Adley discussing the tax incentives Louisiana offers to film makers
• A 50’s reenactment in downtown Springhill on Saturday, April 8th featuring the renovated historic Spring Theatre, costumes and antique cars

• The Shadows Estate on Monday, April 10 th (featured on the front page of the Shreveport Times on Tuesday, April 11th)
• Camp Minden on Wednesday, April 12 th (the top story featured on Channel 12 Evening News)
• A reenactment at the Germantown Colony Museum on Thursday, April 13 th
• A civil war reenactment at the Homer Courthouse on Saturday, April 14 th

Southern Living Magazinehas a featurestory “Roadside Treasure Hunt” featuring the City of Minden in the May issue. This is a direct result from a familiarization tour for travel writers and tour directors sponsored by the Webster Parish Conventions and Visitors Bureau in January 2005.

Chef John Folse was our guest on March 30 th. He filmed a segment of a LPB series “Taste of Louisiana” at the Germantown Colony Museum. This is another terrific opportunity for Webster Parish to shine.

Webster Parish continues to get positive attention through the dedicated efforts of this office.

Lynn Warnock

Executive Director

 

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