Hi Patrick, I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and that it was filled with joy and blessings. I wanted to share some exciting news with you about the growth of tourism in our county. We’ve had more visitors to our center and throughout the county and have seen several new faces. Some of these tourists have even decided to become residents.
Our county has some new key players, including a County Administrator, Economic Development Director, and Park and Recreation Director. These individuals are all working together to grow our economy and make our county a better place to live and visit. We would love to hear your thoughts on our lovely home and keep the lines of communication open for the upcoming year.
Tourism aims to see the county flourish with increased outdoor recreation opportunities, seasonal events, music festivals, and heritage festivals. We’re also excited to announce that the Star Theater is now online, and we anticipate having more to offer you. Thanks to the support of our various civic organizations and all the work and events they have, we should be able to provide fun and entertainment throughout the entire year.
As the new year progresses, Tourism is planning a Summit again. The tentative date is April 8th, focusing on strengthening our outdoor recreation. We will highlight our various trails and the trail development and maintenance work.
We also want to give a big shout-out to all lodging entities throughout the county, from primitive camping to the five-star luxury of the Primland Resort. Please check out our website and see the long list of places to stay right here in our backyard. We bring visitors in, and you provide a place for them to stay. Thank you!
Well, that’s enough said for now. I pray for peace, prosperity, and love for you, Patrick. Happy New Year! We have much to celebrate. As always, “Come get lost and find yourself here.”
Take care,
James Houchins, Director of Tourism (jhouchins@co.patrick.va.us)
