The Register-News has a nice story online about the Mount Vernon Raceway there on the west side of I-57.
Owner Rick Heck has been associated with the track since he purchased it in 1999. Attendance is down these past few years with the recession, but he notes there's still 100 cars each weekend at the track for the Saturday night races.
Rural tourism resources are valuable to city-based meeting planners
Meeting planners will attempt to convey to their clients how their host destination stands out, especially if they are from out of province or abroad. The likelyhood of the meeting ever being hosted in that city again depends on how evocative their first experience is. Pre- and port-conventions tours help do that. How far is your agricultural operation from the nearest city? Are you currently working with you destination marketing organization to make meetings stakeholders aware of your potential contribution to the success of an upcoming meeting in a city near you?
This Great Excursions photo album features a special day program developed for a national meeting (and international observers) held in Regina last summer. It aimed to interpret the dynamics of the grasslands ecosystem as well as to interpret the principles behind natural horsemanship, an increasingly popular approach to esquestrian training.
Two New Wineries Starting to Advertise
I picked up a copy of Carbondale Times last week for the actual purpose of checking out the ads. As a journalist I'm shocked that I did so. People are only supposed to pick up the paper for the news (or comics), not the ads.
One of the reasons I do is to check out what's new in some of the smaller tourism attractions and amenities in the region. They (and their sister publication Nightlife) seem to get to unveil the first ads for many of these establishments in Jackson and Union counties.
Last week I noticed ads for two new wineries that actually opened last year, but are now just getting into the swing of things.
The Bluffs Vineyard and Winery hosts live music on the weekends at their location just off Illinois Route 3 at 140 Buttermilk Hill Rd, outside Ava on the west side of Kinkaid Lake.
The second is Lucas Bros.' HonkerHill Winery southwest of Crab Orchard Lake at 4861 Spillway Rd, less than a mile north of the intersection of Grassy Rd., outside Carbondale.
Another site advertising is somewhat of a surprise, at least compared to past years. The new concessionaires at Little Grassy Lake Campground and Marina are advertising as well with specials for camping and boat rentals. It's been more than a decade since I rented a boat there, but they now offer canoe and kayak rentals as well. Something else is new as well, you can now buy my books there too.
One of the reasons I do is to check out what's new in some of the smaller tourism attractions and amenities in the region. They (and their sister publication Nightlife) seem to get to unveil the first ads for many of these establishments in Jackson and Union counties.
Last week I noticed ads for two new wineries that actually opened last year, but are now just getting into the swing of things.
The Bluffs Vineyard and Winery hosts live music on the weekends at their location just off Illinois Route 3 at 140 Buttermilk Hill Rd, outside Ava on the west side of Kinkaid Lake.
The second is Lucas Bros.' HonkerHill Winery southwest of Crab Orchard Lake at 4861 Spillway Rd, less than a mile north of the intersection of Grassy Rd., outside Carbondale.
Another site advertising is somewhat of a surprise, at least compared to past years. The new concessionaires at Little Grassy Lake Campground and Marina are advertising as well with specials for camping and boat rentals. It's been more than a decade since I rented a boat there, but they now offer canoe and kayak rentals as well. Something else is new as well, you can now buy my books there too.