(Smithfield, NC)  -  Johnston County Animal Services will be hosting an open house on Saturday, September 13^th from 10am-4pm, and the event is open to the public with all activities free of charge.

The Animal Shelter is always in need of basic items to care for the animals that they have taken in. If you are coming out to the Open House, bring a bag of Kitty Litter, Laundry detergent, bleach, dog or cat treats and in return you can get a FREE “Paw-B-Que” sandwich and some “Purr-fect Sweet Tea!”.  Support from Chick-fil-a and Parker’s Barbecue have made this fun activity possible. 

The Johnston County Visitors Bureau has partnered with Animal Services to help raise funds for the Friends of Johnston County Animal Shelter, a 501 (c) 3 organization.  The Visitors Bureau will raffle a gift basket of wonderful gifts and services for pets and pet owners with a value well over $300, by selling $5 tickets the day of the open house. 

Items donated for the basket include:  Ceramic Pet Food bowl and Doggie Cologne from Sweet Paws, $100 gift certificate for Photography by Heidi Wood, Clayton, Dog collar and leash from Martha’s Farm and Garden Supply, $50 Gift Certificate to Texas Steakhouse and Saloon,  60 minute Relaxation Massage, by Massage Therapist Heather Looney at the Dupree House Day Spa, Jar of Blackberry Preserves from the Smithfield Ham Shop, Bottle of Wine and Two wine glasses from Hinnant Family Vineyards and Winery, Two tickets to the American Music Jubilee Show at the Rudy Theatre in Selma, Pets Supplies from Johnston Animal Hospital and Willowrun Veterinary Hospital and pet bed, food bowls, pets toys from Pet Smart.

Not only can visitors to the event enjoy barbecue and sweet tea and get a chance to win the gift basket, but there will be a host of events and services for your pet.  Here are just a few of the day’s planned activities:

• US Equine Rescue League will have horses on display as well as demonstrations with the horses.

• Johnston County Animal Protection League will be having a “Dog-Wash” $7 for the first dog, and $5 for the second dog with $5 nail trimmings.

• Pony rides for the children

• DJ with Live Music all day, provided by Langston Productions from Four Oaks.

• Celebrating World Rabies Day- Bring out your dog or cat for $5 rabies shots.

• Micro-chipping sponsored by the American Kennel Club for $10

• Appearance by NCSU’s Ms. Wuf from 11:30-1pm

• Other vendors scheduled to be at the Open House are Tupperware, Big Dogs Outlet Store, Ask a Vet table, Groomers will be on hand to answer questions, Saving Grace Pet Rescue, and Reins from Above

The staffs of the Animal Shelter and the Visitors Bureau invite you to come see your Animal Shelter in Johnston County, Saturday, September 13, 10am-4pm at 1320 N. Bright Leaf Blvd. Smithfield.  Tours will be available as well as pet adoptions!  Monetary donations are always accepted by the Friends of the Johnston County Animal Shelter, which is the 501 (c) 3, for the Animal Shelter.  For more information on the day’s events, contact Ernie Wilkinson at 919-934-8474.

As most families are getting ready for school to start in just a couple of weeks, it made me think about September and what’s happening around Johnston County.  Festival time is upon us throughout the county right after the Labor Day Holiday, so I thought I would blog about September festivals…..for a complete list of entertainment, concerts and other county events, log onto www.johnstoncountync.org and click on events.

September 6, 2008      Crush and Shag Harvest Festival at Hinnant Family Vineyards will hold their first beach music festival with The Embers in Pine Level, event time 12-6pm.  Call for ticket prices, 919-965-3350.

September 13       2nd Annual Oktoberfest sponsored by Edelweiss Bakery & Cafe hosts this German-style street festival with the 18-piece “Little German Band and Dancers” in Selma.  Free admission, event time 12N-8pm.  919-965-8170.

September 17-21      Clayton Harvest Festival will fill the streets of downtown Clayton with carnival rides, live music, arts and crafts, an antique car show and much more.  Event times, Wed-Fri, 5-11pm, Sat. 9am-11pm, Sun 1-5pm.  919-553-6352

September 24-27      Ava Gardner Film Festivalhonors Johnston County native, Ava Gardner’s connection to film and her passion for creative arts.  Enjoy films, documentaries, shorts and features Wednesday through Saturday in Downtown Smithfield.  Special exhibits will open at the Museum on Friday and the Arts & Fine Crafts Marketplace, sponsored by the JoCo Artist Guild will be Sat., 10-4pm.  For more information, visit www.avafilmfestival.comor call 919-934-5830.  Admisssion charged.

September 25-28      Benson Mule Days, has become a southern tradition and is packed with mule events, rodeos, BBQ cook-off, arts and crafts, street dances and concerts.  For a complete event schedule, visit www.bensonmuledays.comor call 919-894-3825  Admission charged.  Events held throughout the Town of Benson and Chamber Park.

September 27      5th Annual Faith Festival held in Downtown Smithfield presents a Christian rock concert for youth.  Event time, 5-10pm.  Free.  Neuse River Amphitheatre, Front Street, Smithfield. 

For the busy family (which is all of us, I am sure!), we suggest you print out this page and keep these dates on the family calendar to enjoy what’s happening in September in Johnston County!

  (Smithfield, NC) –  The fourth annual Ava Gardner Film Festival scheduled for September 24-27, 2008 will be a celebration of independent films from around the world and will showcase several of Ava’s classic films.

The Ava Gardner Museum has set the last week in September every year for this popular new festival that draws thousands of visitors to Smithfield.  From Wednesday through Saturday, the festival will feature independent films, documentaries, narratives, short films and features.  In addition to the films, there will be special museum exhibits and the JOCO Artist Guild sponsored Arts & Fine Crafts Marketplace near the Ava Gardner Museum located in Historic Downtown Smithfield.

“On the Beach”, for which Ava won the BAFTA Film Award at the Best Foreign Actress for her role as Moira Davidson will be shown, as well as, “Earthquake” starring Charlton Heston, and “The Night of the Iguana”, with Richard Burton which was shot in the remote location of Puerta Vallarta, Mexico, which has now become a resort destination.  There will be five locations around downtown Smithfield that will show films including the theatre at the Ava Gardner Museum and the Historic Howell Theatre on Third Street - the same theatre that a young Ava watched her first movies starring legends Clark Gable and Jean Harlow.

The following schedule of activities has been set for this year’s festival.  Tickets for individual films will be $2.00 each or festival patrons may buy an all inclusive pass that covers all movies, opening events and parties for $75.00 per person.  Tickets to the festival parties and special events will be available on an individual basis through the museum.

Wednesday, September 24

Kick off Party and Opening Screening Event of “Lost and Found in Mexico”, a documentary by Caren Cross at the Ava Gardner Museum, 7pm - until.

Thursday, September 25

Film screenings begin, 12N and run until

“The Night of the Iguana”, Town Commons Amphitheater, 7pm - until

Friday, September 26

Special Exhibits Open, Ava Gardner Museum, 9am-5pm

Film screenings begin 12N and run until

Reception and opening art exhibit at the Frank Creek Art Gallery at the Johnston Community College, 7pm-9pm

Saturday, September 27

Breakfast with the film makers, place TBD

Special Exhibits Opens, Ava Gardner Museum, 9am-5pm

Film Screenings Open, 10am-11pm

Arts & Fine Crafts Marketplace, Sponsored by the JOCO Artist Guild, 10am-4pm

Party at Little Brown Jug, II - 7pm

Wrap Party, Ava Gardner Museum, 11pm - until

For more information check out the Ava Gardner Museun’s web site at www.avafilmfestival.com or email Angela Lawson, Museum Director at avainfo@avagardner.org

The Ava Gardner Museum is located at 325 E. Market Street in the heart of downtown Smithfield, NC.  The Museum is dedicated to displaying and preserving artifacts from the life of screen legend Ava Gardner.  The museum’s hours are Monday-Saturday, 9am-5pm, and Sunday 2pm-5pm.  Admission is $6.00 for adults, $5.00 for Seniors and teens and $4.00 for children 5-12 years old.

Most savvy marketing executives know that a successful company must keep ahead of the trends and be ready to shift the “marketing plan” to adjust to economic conditions.  And in today’s travel and tourism market, many companies including Destination Marketing Organizations are making changes due to high gas prices, consumer concerns for housing, food expenses and the hazzle of flying. 

Based on our research, consumers are still traveling, but cutting back on spending in retail, restaurants and where they can to make ends meet.  DMOs are offering deals, gas cards and savings to consumers to encourage more travel spending. 

The Johnston County Visitors Bureau has made some marketing adjustments of our own to reach those families staying closer to home this summer or in our neighboring states of Virginia and South Carolina who may take some short trips. The Johnston County Visitors Bureau has started a multi-level targeted email marketing campaign.  In the past, we may have launched a direct mail campaign to our inquiry database or placed advertising in key target markets like Richmond, VA, but in the interest of time and budget we have chosen email.

We have pulled together two marketing programs called “Summer Savings in Smithfield and Selma” and “101 Things to Do in Johnston County”, both of which may be found on our web site, www.johnstoncountync.org.  Both these programs feature businesses, attractions and events that visitors (and residents with visiting friends and family) can enjoy this summer.  These campaigns have been promoted with publicity and email marketing to over 5,000 opt-in contacts from NC, SC and VA.

Email marketing is definitely quicker than printing postcards and postage for direct mail campaigns or launching an advertising campaign and has the right price (mere dollars per 1,000 emails).  We have decided to launch several email marketing campaigns to our niche markets of outlet shopping, civil war enthusiasts, recreational, group tours, film and famous people lists, antique shoppers and special events (arts & festivals).

Another budget saving initiative that the Visitors Bureau began over two year’s ago was reinventing the I-95 CVB Association, which now has become the I-95 Tourism Marketing Alliance.   In an effort to market the I-95 corridor as a destination and not just a “pass-through” to some other vacation point, the seven tourism organizations will be placing cooperative ads and attending tradeshows as I-95 NC Destinations.  This $65,000 campaign was supported by the Golden Leaf Foundation which provided funds for research, development of a trails brochure and a web site for the group.  The first year alone, these efforts saved our Visitors Bureau over $15,000 and with a three-year strategic plan, we hope to grow this program each year.

No one organization has the magic pill to cure the economic woes we all face in the United States, but history shows that we have weathered tough times before and remained strong and I believe we are still the greatest country in the world to live, work and play. 

What is outstanding about the travel industry in Johnston County and all of North Carolina is we not only get to market our destinations for visitors but to showcase what makes us unique, our heritage and people that make our communities attractive to visitors….and we are an economic driver for the businesses that make up our industry…hotels, attractions, shopping, transportation services, restaurants, events and festivals and meetings markets.

We encourage everyone to travel and enjoy what may be in your very own back yard.  You don’t have to travel far to experience history, museums, recreation and some fine Southern cooking…just drive to Johnston County!

For a follow up BLOG about staying close to home this summer due to high gas prices, I have compiled a list of 101 Things to Do in Johnston County. 

From recreation at Howell Woods or Clemmons State Forest, entertainment at American Music Jubilee, Johnston Community College or The Clayton Center, outlet shopping at Carolina Premium Outlets or JR’s, great food products (Johnston County Hams, Pound Cake Company, Atkinson’s Mill, Carolina Packer Hot Dogs) or just a picnic at Benson Singing Grove, there are a host of activities for the whole family to enjoy.

It was fairly easy to come up with these ideas and I bet someone else could come up with 50-100 more ideas to share with locals and visitors that have not discovered the many treasures in the county.  So I send out a challenge to the readers of the Visitors Bureau BLOG to send in your favorite things to do and we will create a “reader’s choice” list of activities around the county.  Have fun trying out the first 101 Things To Do List!!!

For a list of visitor events taking place this summer, visit the Events Page on the Johnston County Visitors Bureau web site, www.johnstoncountync.org

Tourism marketing organizations across the country are adjusting their business plans to reach the high number of consumers deciding on ”staycations” or “homecations” this year due to high gas prices.  Families may decide to stay closer to home this summer and explore destinations within a “tank of gas” away.  This offers many smaller destinations the opportunity to promote within the state to families searching for something new to “see and do”.

The Johnston County Visitors Bureau has pulled together some Summer Savings in the Smithfield/Selma area to promote our destinations to these families.  On the county tourism web site, families will find savings on hotels, outlet shopping, specialty shops, dining and admission to attractions.  They simply can print out the coupons and present them to the businesses listed.  These offers are valid through Labor Day, September 1, 2008.

To help market this campaign, the Visitors Bureau will be sending out an email blast to over 5,000 contacts from NC, SC and VA inquiries we received over the past six months.  We will be posting up new offers as they are submitted to the Visitors Bureau for consideration.  For more information or to take advantage of the coupon offers, visit our web site, www.johnstoncountync.org

If you are staying closer to home….why not visit Smithfield and Selma and enjoy some summer savings?

(Smithfield, NC)  -  Do you want to know more about how to successfully market your business to the group tour industry?  Plan to join Frank Jernigan, Director of Domestic Marketing, with the NC Division of Tourism, Film & Sports Development on July 15 in Smithfield for a Group Tour Marketing Road Show. The Johnston County Visitors Bureau is hosting the event at the Paul A. Johnston Auditorium and the program will run from 10am-12N.

Jernigan will be presenting “Successfully Marketing Group Travel in the State of North Carolina.”  This presentation will focus on the Division of Tourism’s current marketing strategies and partnership opportunities for the group tour markets.   Similar road shows have been held in Asheville, Charlotte, Concord and New Bern.  The Smithfield location was chosen to focus on the I-95 corridor and the partnership of the seven CVBs working together to promote the corridor.   “With the help of a Golden Leaf Foundation grant we (the CVBs along I-95) have focused on a three-year strategic business plan to cooperatively market the region to group tour and leisure travelers,” stated Donna Bailey-Taylor, Executive Director, Johnston County Visitors Bureau, “This road show will pull together our visitor industry along the corridor for the first time ever to talk about marketing.” The presentations are open to anyone who is interested in increasing tourism in their area via the group tour market.  All accommodations, restaurants, destination marketing organizations, attractions, and interested businesses are invited.   

Furthermore, there will be special presentations on best practices, regional partnering, and other marketing opportunities. This Road Show will be part of an ongoing effort throughout the state by the Division of Tourism to educate and collaborate with partners about best practices in the group tour market.  If you would like to attend any of these events contact Elizabeth Timberlake at (919) 715-6703 or via etimberlake@nccommerce.com. 

The Destination Marketing Association of North Carolina is the trade association for over 40 Convention & Visitors Bureau from across the state.  The Annual Meeting was held recently in Asheville with over 120 travel professionals learning from speakers, networking and exchanging ideas on how best to promote our destinations in North Carolina.

One of the annual highlights is the Destination Marketing Awards banquet and the Johnston County Visitors Bureau has received over 30 awards in the past seven years.  This year our efforts to help the county with a litter campaign resulted in banners, car decals and support from our partners to make this issue a concern for citizens as well as provide a clean community for visitors to enjoy.  Our “Don’t be a Litter Bug” promotion with Johnston County Commissioners, Ray Woodall and Tony Braswell received a Platinum Award.  This issue is of great concern across the state of North Carolina, and begins with education at home not to litter our roadways and communities.

Also receiving a Platinum Award was our Annual Report, which goes out to community leaders, chambers of commerce, elected officials and the visitor industry businesses across the county.  This publication recounts the efforts of the Johnston County Visitors Bureau to professionally market our destinations and to maintain high standards in our industry as the county’s official marketing organization. 

Angie Abrams, Sales & Services Manager for the bureau attended the conference in Asheville and accepted the awards on behalf of the bureau.  For more information on the Johnston County Visitors Bureau, our programs and general visitor content for the county, visit our web site, www.johnstoncountync.org

Smithfield, NC (May, 2008) - The Sleep Inn & Suites located at 270 North Equity Drive is ranked # 1 in its brand as of March 31, 2008.  The Sleep Inn & Suites has previously won Choice’s Platinum Hospitality Award in 2006 & 2007.  Only three percent of properties in the Choice Hotels system are awarded the exclusive Choice Platinum Award each year.   The prestigious # 1 ranking puts the Smithfield Sleep Inn & Suites at the top of the chain of 336 properties.   The Smithfield Sleep Inn & Suites earned this top ranking because it was able to meet and exceed several key thresholds important to achieving guest satisfaction.  First, the hotel scored high marks for cleanliness and property maintenance.  Next, the hotel met or exceeded Sleep Inn standards and fulfilled all promises of Sleep Inn to consumers.  Finally, guest surveys revealed that they were much more likely to recommend this hotel to friends and family following their stay because of the great experience they had.  

The Smithfield Sleep Inn & Suites should be very proud to have reached this milestone.  Their attention and dedication to providing the highest level of guest service is the very reason they are now being recognized as a distinguished and very special member of the Choice Hotels family.The Sleep Inn & Suites, owned and operated by Hank & Sarai Daniels, features 74 rooms with free high-speed Internet access, iron/ironing boards, coffeemakers, 27” cable TV with free HBO, and free local calling.   The Sleep Inn & Suites, Smithfield is rated 3 diamonds by AAA.

            For reservations at any Sleep Inn brand hotel worldwide, contact Choice’s toll-free reservation service at 1-800-4CHOICE or visit www.choicehotels.com on the Internet. 

Since 1987, the Johnston County Tourism Authority has invested over one million dollars in capital grant money to tourism related projects.  This past Wednesday, the board made a check presentation to the Benson Museum of Local History for $50,000 to help the Town of Benson renovate a building on Main Street to become the new home to the collection.

This year’s grant cycle has benefited six projects around the county and include:  $50,000 for the Benson Museum of Local History, $17,500 for Johnston Community College Arboretum’s Southern Garden Project, $15,000 for the Smithfield Recreation & Aquatics Center, $15,440 for the renovations at the Historic Hastings House in Smithfield, $5, 250 for electronic signage equipment at The Clayton Center, and $1,100 for an historical Civil War Market for the Clayton Historical Association.

The total for the 2007/2008 capital projects was $104, 290.  As the budget permits, the grants program with the Johnston County Tourism Authority will be opened for new projects as the board continues to invest in tourism development to bring visitors to the county.