Licking Valley Adventures gearing up for multi-county fall event
Pictured, front row, from left: Flemingsburg mayor Marty Voiers; Bath County Judge Executive Bobby Rogers; Nicholas County Judge Executive Mike Pryor; Lisa Haubner, The Summer House Venue/Millersburg; second row, Brenda Plummer, Fleming County Museum; Ginny Reeves, Fleming County Tourism; Carolyn Schwartz, Fleming County feature writer Around Town; Brian Dickens, Paris Landing; Lorrain Smoot, Millersburg Tourism; Tracy Pratt-Savage, Carlisle, Nicholas County Economic Development director; Monica Pryor, Carlisle resident; Ethan Linville, BG ADD Georgetown Career Center director; Jay Schweitzer, Setter Ridge Outfitters; back row, Michael Galbraith, Urban and Transportation Project coordinator; Ben Fryman, Fryman Boat Dock; David Snell, Country Charm B&B; Robert Barker, Millersburg Tourism and Artcroft owner; Chris Chaney, BG Area Development District Transportation Planner; and Pat Conley, Tourism Paris/Bourbon County.
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Representatives from Nicholas, Bourbon, Harrison, Robertson, Bath and Fleming counties came together last week to continue working on a multi-county effort to promote our area of Central Kentucky to residents and visitors to help improve tourism and economic development of the region.
Licking Valley Adventures (LVA) met for dinner and a working session at the Neal Welcome Center in downtown Carlisle to work on its Vision/Mission Statement. Lori Ulrich with Fleming Mason administered the process.
LVA was co-founded by Steve Walton, Paris Main Street director and Tracy Pratt-Savage, economic development director of Nicholas County after Congressman Andy Barr’s office suggested they meet to work regionally on developing cycling events together.
Soon after Bourbon, Harrison and Robertson counties signed on. Fleming and Bath county representatives were the latest to join. And the group decided to expand its focus to cover more types of “adventures” beyond just cycling.
The group is planning simultaneous events in each of the counties the third weekend in October. Each county will determine if they will be doing cycling, walking, hiking, running, equestrian and/or canoe and kayak events.
Licking Valley Adventures will act as the advertising and marketing arm for the entire area. LVA is currently working with the Bluegrass Area Development District for help with developing a website, a Facebook presence and advice on cycling events.
AT&T has provided a $1,000 grant to the group administered through the Carlisle-Nicholas County Chamber of Commerce to use as seed money to underwrite the annual weekend event. Other sponsors will soon be solicited for a Passport book that will be produced – offering attendees discounts at various restaurants and stores in each county that they can utilize during the event week. Coupons will be good for a year to incent attendees to make return visits to our area.
The Bluegrass Area Development District Transportation Department is helping develop a web site and Facebook presence for the group to promote the upcoming weekend event and other events in the area throughout the year.
The group has also expanded membership beyond the original judge executives, mayors, chambers, tourism directors, Main Street directors and economic development to include actually tourism destination providers from Setter Ridge Outfitters, Paris Landing, Fryman’s Boat Dock, Country Charm B&B, The Treehouse at Stoner Creek Bed & Breakfast-Paris and the Summer House Venue in Millersburg.
Cycling and urban planning experts are also adding support.
The goal of the group is to erase borders and educate residents and visitors alike to all the great events, destinations and adventures there are to see, visit and enjoy in the Licking Valley Area.
