Tag Archive for: #vancecountytourism

TownTalk: Pam Hester Talks Local Tourism Attractions, Events

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The executive director of Vance County Department of Tourism said she has a fear of being on the water, but she has absolutely no problem whatsoever promoting Kerr Lake and the variety of events it brings to town – and its contribution to the local economy.

Satterwhite Point is the site of Saturday evening’s fireworks display, sponsored by the local tourism authority.

Pam Hester told John C. Rose on Wednesday’s TownTalk that there will be numerous food vendors on hand for visitors to enjoy. DJ Jay will provide music for the event, she added. There’s a $7 gate fee per vehicle to enter the park and, as with all state parks, alcohol is not permitted.

The fireworks show will begin somewhere around 9:15.

A new food truck is in the lineup for the event in addition to several familiar vendors – King Southern Style Cookin’ – and Hester welcomes the owner to this year’s event.

“He has just moved into the area,” she said. “We’re lucky to have new people moving into Henderson, moving into Vance County,” she said.

“I think Vance County and Henderson have a lot to offer,” Hester added. “We are a great hidden gem.”

Apparently, not so hidden any more – Hester said the county is set to finish out the fiscal year with a record number of hotel stays. This is a sure sign that the many activities and events that happen in Henderson and in the county are attracting visitors like never before.

Although under the umbrella of county government, Hester said the tourism office is funded by the 6 percent occupancy tax that each hotel room generates per guest stay. The tax funds the staffing and events like the upcoming fireworks show at the lake.

“We’re going to have the highest amount of hotel stays (than) in the past 12 years,” Hester noted.

Some of those rooms will no doubt be reserved by folks who come to fishing tournaments at Kerr Lake – there are 24 tournaments that are taking place at the lake this year, up from last year’s 16.

She estimates that each fisherman brings $154 a day to the county. If each boat has a two-person team, that’s more than $300 a day. Multiply that number by the 200 or so boats on the water and the economic impact becomes evident.

But it’s not just Kerr Lake that is bringing in visitor revenue.

“We have things here that most little rural towns don’t have,” Hester said. Notably, McGregor Hall, a venue for concerts, live theater and dance competitions and recitals.

The young dancers who come to compete at McGregor Hall also bring their moms and dads, she said, which means stops for food, gas and other purchases as well.

“McGregor is bringing a huge economic impact” to the area, Hester said, adding that when the dance competitions are in town, the restaurants are packed.

Planning for additional events and attractions is something that she is always interested in, but Hester said she has a wish list for the future – she would wish for a convention center and more hotel space to accommodate the influx of visitors to the area.

A convention center could host a boat show or other large-scale events, she said.

“We have the perfect lake, but we don’t have facilities to accommodate it.”

Collaboration and partnerships create a strong network to keep activities vibrant in the county, and Hester attributes to local civic leader Debra Brown the following quote: “’Individually, we are one drop, but together we are Kerr Lake’. Together, we can make something,” Hester said.

Visit https://www.kerrlake-nc.com/kerrlake.php to learn more about the Vance County Department of Tourism.

 

 

Fireworks To Light The Night Sky At Satterwhite Point July 2

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The upcoming Fourth of July weekend at Kerr Lake promises to be filled with plenty of red, white and blue and all that makes summertime fun – including fireworks!

The Independence Day Celebration is set for Saturday, July 2 and Vance County Tourism is sponsoring the fireworks display. Tourism Director Pam Hester said Satterwhite Point Park is going to be THE place to be – there will be food, live music and other vendors from 4 p.m. until dark.

“Dark,” in this case, means after the sun goes down. On July 2, the sun will set at 8:35 p.m., and Hester said the fireworks will begin around 9:15 p.m.

As a reminder, alcohol is not permitted in state parks. There is a $7 state park gate fee, which is per car.

Contact Hester at 252.438.2222 vctourism@vancecounty.org for more information.

TownTalk: Vance County Fireworks and Classic Cars

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Fall is just more than a month away, and its arrival ushers in several events sure to interest locals and tourists alike.

Pam Hester and Norman Dickerson shared details about the upcoming Labor Day fireworks and the 19th annual downtown classic car show and the two tourism development authority representatives said plans are shaping up for a couple of great shows for the whole family.

The Labor Day fireworks show is set for Saturday, Sept. 4 at Satterwhite Point on Kerr Lake.

There will be a DJ providing music during the afternoon and several food vendors will be on hand, including Jerry’s Hotdogs, Peyton’s Place and Frostbites, Hester told John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk. Vendors should be ready for customers by the middle of the afternoon, and “as soon as they’re set up, they’ll be ready for business,” Hester said.

Dickerson said the fireworks display probably will begin around 8:15 p.m. or 8:30 p.m.

The July 4 fireworks show was pushed to Labor Day this year because of the uncertainty of when COVID-19 restrictions may be lifted and Dickerson said it’s been almost 20 years since there’s been a fireworks show for Labor Day. State park weekend gate fees are $7 per vehicle.

Hopefully, the recent heavy rains brought by tropical storms won’t create too much of a problem with the lake level. Dickerson said the lake is at 301 feet, just a little above normal.

If water levels are a problem, “we have a backup shoot site, so we’ll be ok,” he said.

Hester said she is trying to look at the rescheduled date in a positive light: “We gave the people of Vance County three different events to go to, because we weren’t doing it on the same night,” she said. “We’re going to make the best of it and have a great celebration” on Sept. 4, she added.

Then in mid-October, a different type of celebration returns to downtown Henderson with the 19th annual Show, Shag, Shine and Dine event. Hundreds of classic cars line the streets for folks to admire on Saturday, Oct. 16.

Hester said there has been a lot of interest in the event, which will kick off on Friday, Oct. 15 with a cruise-in at Kerr Lake from noon to 4 p.m., and then it’s on to Southern Classic Cars on Horner Street in Henderson from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“We’re having lots and lots of phone calls,” Hester said. “People are ready to come out and go to a car show.”

Registration for the car show, which is for any make and model 1988 and older, is $20. For owners who want their vehicles included in the judging, the fee is $25. Registration is Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. “We had a huge turnout in 2019,” Hester said. “I think the judges were worn out by the end of the day.”

Listen Here for Full Audio about the Vance County Tourism fireworks and Show Shine Shag and Dine.

Vance County Tourism

July 4th Fireworks at Kerr Lake Will Move to Sept 4, 2021

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The fireworks display and gathering that typically takes place on Kerr Lake July 4th weekend has been moved to Labor Day weekend, specifically Saturday, Sept 4th at Satterwhite Point.

Vance County Tourism Director Pam Hester said, “It was not practical to have it. … The Board voted to move it.”

The reason is a deadline that needed to be met, which included deposits for the fireworks, came before CDC guidance changed concerning covid and before Governor Roy Cooper relaxed state mandates.

In addition, the North Carolina Parks Service is short staffed, which was going to make it very difficult to have the necessary manpower in place to host a large event at Satterwhite Point.

As of the time of this publication, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks is planning fireworks on July 3rd, and Cokesbury is planning fireworks for July 10th.  More details as we get closer.

Vance County Tourism

Vance County Tourism Announces the Cancellation of Fireworks, Annual Car Show

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Press Release, Vance County Tourism Development Authority

The much anticipated annual Show, Shine, Shag & Dine, and East Coast Dragtimes Hall of Fame & Reunion scheduled for October 16 and 17, 2020, in Henderson will not take place this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Vance County Tourism Development Authority had remained extremely positive that the show would go on until the recent extension of Governor Roy Cooper’s Safer at Home Phase 2 mandate regarding large gatherings that is in effect until September 11, 2020.

After continued monitoring of NC COVID cases, apprehensions concerning COVID-19, observing other large scale crowd closures, day-use areas and public facilities at State Parks remaining closed, and the unknown state and/or local mandates that may still be in place at that time, the Vance County Tourism Development Authority Board of Directors made the extremely difficult decision to cancel the 19th Annual Show, Shine, Shag & Dine, and East Coast Dragtimes Hall of Fame & Reunion scheduled for October 16 and 17, 2020.

At this time, there will be no rescheduling of the event for 2020, but we are looking forward to seeing everyone on October 15 and 16, 2021 for what we hope will be the biggest Show, Shine, Shag & Dine, and East Coast Dragtimes Hall of Fame & Reunion ever.

The extended Safer at Home Phase 2 mandate has also made it necessary for Vance County Tourism to cancel the fireworks that had been moved from July 4, 2020, to Sunday, September 6 (Labor Day weekend).

Hopefully, COVID numbers will continue to go down and we can get events and activities scheduled again. We look forward to seeing everyone next year!

Pam Hester, Executive Director

Vance County Tourism Development Authority

American Flag

Kerr Lake Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration Moved to Labor Day Weekend

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Information courtesy Vance County Tourism Development Authority

Due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, the Independence Day fireworks event was postponed from July 4 and has tentatively been rescheduled for Sunday, September 6, 2020. The ability to hold the event will depend entirely on local and state mandates and guidelines in place at that time.

The Labor Day Weekend Celebration will include fireworks over the water at Satterwhite Point at Kerr Lake in Henderson, NC. Events will be held from 3 until 10 p.m.

This family-friendly event will feature a DJ providing a wide variety of music, Boho the Clown, bounce houses and other activities for kids.

The NC State Parks 2020 interpretive theme is “The Year of the Fire.” Kids can learn about fire safety from Smokey the Bear.

Food vendors will be on-site, and t-shirts and glow sticks will be sold. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and a flashlight.

Enjoy music, food and fireworks under the stars! Come by boat or by car.

$7 per car gate fee charged by NC State Parks. Use of bounce house included in gate fee.

NO ALCOHOL ALLOWED!

Vance County Tourism

Town Talk 02/27/20: Planning Underway for Kerr Lake Fireworks, Henderson Car Show

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Vance County Tourism Development Authority’s Pam Hester and Norman Dickerson appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

While seemingly a bit early in the year to discuss the Fourth of July Fireworks at Kerr Lake and the fall car show, Hester explained that the planning of these events is a “year-long process.”

The 19th Annual Show, Shine, Shag & Dine Classic Car Show will be held in downtown Henderson on Friday, October 16 and Saturday, October 17.

“We are up to our eyeballs with car show and fireworks,” said Hester. “We are hoping to make the car show even bigger and better than it was last year if that is at all possible.”

New for 2020, Southern Classic Cars will hold an additional cruise-in event on Sunday, October 18, giving car show enthusiasts another day of entertainment and providing local businesses such as hotels and restaurants another day of visitor revenue.

Located at 117 Horner Street in Henderson, Founder and CEO Charles Bowman and staff plan to hold a cruise-in the third Sunday of every month beginning in March, according to Hester.

“This will get people used to coming to car shows in Henderson and give our annual car show visitors a reason to stay one more night,” Hester said.

For the fireworks show scheduled for Saturday, July 4, with activities planned from 3 until 10 p.m., Hester and Dickerson said it takes multiple agencies and volunteers working together to make everyone’s Independence Day fun, and more importantly, safe.

“Between 14-16 agencies are involved in the fireworks show – governmental, state, other regulatory and volunteers” explained Dickerson. “It takes a good coordination of all these organizations to make the 20 minutes of kaboom happen.”

Events such as the car show and fireworks display aren’t possible without collaboration between organizations and between counties, Hester said. “Everybody in the five-county area has a unique, individual thing to offer and each of the five counties can benefit from the uniqueness of the other four counties if we all work together.”

Giving an example, Hester said Henderson does not have enough hotel rooms to accommodate all of the visitors to the annual car show. As a result, guests spill over into neighboring counties that enjoy the economic boost from hotel room rentals, restaurant meals consumed, gas purchased, etc.

“Norman and I can’t do what we do on our own,” Hester said. “We have to have collaboration, and I feel like we have formed some very valuable partnerships with other agencies and people in this county. That’s what makes us successful.”

For more information on Vance County Tourism events, please visit www.kerrlake-nc.com.

To hear the interview with Hester and Dickerson in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Annual Show, Shine Event Draws Estimated 25,000 Visitors to Henderson

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The 18th Annual Show, Shine, Shag & Dine event held in downtown Henderson this past Friday and Saturday featured over 450 cars, 20 Corbitt vehicles, two cruise-ins, four bands, two DJs, 44 vendors and an estimated 25,000 visitors, according to Vance County Tourism Director Pam Hester.

Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington said, “This was another positive, progressive day for Henderson and a testament of teamwork at its best. For the streets of downtown to be full of thousands of people shows what we truly have to offer and we are looking forward to many more days like this in the future.”

Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce President Michele Burgess said, “It was just a great day to be in Vance County on Friday and Saturday. Our Chamber was busy leading up to the event answering phone calls from folks wanting to know names of hotels, hours of operation, if dogs were allowed and other similar type questions. For the first time, our Chamber and presenting sponsor Boyd Chevrolet helped to sponsor a band on the main stage at Breckenridge Street from 3 – 6 p.m. It was well-received, but the late afternoon cool temperatures and drizzle probably sent a few home early.

I personally met and talked with visitors from Mebane, NC, Richmond and Charlottesville, VA, and Darlington, SC who drove in to visit our town. Vance County Tourism had the event well organized and there were plenty of local volunteers who stepped up to help. It was just a fun day to enjoy meeting up with local neighbors and meeting new visitors.”

The Corbitt Preservation Association’s Tom Burleson told our Susan Rose of WIZS that 39 visitors came to the old Bennett Perry house at Church and Chestnut Street to visit the Corbitt Museum, a record for a single day.

In addition to a Corbitt car, which is the only one of its kind known of at this point, the association also had a rare Corbitt fire truck on display in front of NC’s oldest operating fire station in downtown Henderson.

You can join the Corbitt Preservation Association and see lots more by typing Corbitt into the search box on Facebook.

In a Facebook conversation between WIZS and listener Rosemarie Renn, Renn said, “It was a great day and a great event. Pam Hester, Norman Dickerson and everyone involved did a fantastic job. In fact, it was the best in 18 years because there were a variety of food vendors and other vendors, something for everyone instead of just car stuff like it was in the past.”

The 18th Annual Show, Shine, Shag & Dine event held in downtown Henderson featured over 450 cars, 20 Corbitt vehicles, two cruise-ins, four bands, two DJs, 44 vendors and an estimated 25,000 visitors. (WIZS photo)

The Corbitt Preservation Association displayed a rare Corbitt fire truck in front of NC’s oldest operating fire station in downtown Henderson. (WIZS photo)

The Corbitt Preservation Association displayed the body of a Corbitt automobile, recently found in Greensboro, NC, which is the only known one of its kind. (WIZS photo)

Downtown’s 18th Annual ‘Show, Shine, Shag & Dine’ Set for Oct. 18-19

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy the Vance County Tourism Development Authority

Don’t miss the 18th Annual Show, Shine, Shag & Dine on Friday, October 18 and Saturday, October 19, 2019, in downtown Henderson. 1988 and older antique cars, classic cars, nostalgia drag cars, muscle cars, street rods, rat rods and trucks will cover a ten-block area of Garnett Street in Historic Downtown Henderson.

The weekend festivities include car judging, live entertainment, food vendors, miscellaneous vendors and much more.

The Corbitt Preservation Association will also host their annual Corbitt Truck Show and Reunion on Saturday, October 19 in downtown Henderson from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The association will have its newest find, a rare 1911-1912 Corbitt Automobile body, on display.

Additionally, the Corbitt Museum will be open to visitors on Saturday. The museum is located at 180 Church Street, Henderson.

This world-class car show is one of the largest tourism draws and economic boosts to Vance County each year. Local hotels, gas stations, restaurants, stores and places of entertainment all benefit from the dollars spent over the weekend.

2019 Show, Shine, Shag & Dine Schedule:

Friday, October 18

11 a.m. – 4 p.m. ~ Pre-show Cruise-in and BBQ cookout for $12 per plate. Meal served 12 – 2:30 p.m. Open to all makes and models 1988 and older and all spectators. Location: Satterwhite Point Park, Kerr Lake, I-85 – Exit 217.

5 – 9 p.m. ~ Southern Classic Cruise-in will be held at 117 Horner Street in downtown Henderson. A DJ will be spinning your favorite tunes from the past and Chick-fil-A will be on site. Cruise-in parking will be located in the 700 block of S. Garnett St. Watch for signs.

Saturday, October 19

7:30 – 11 a.m. ~ Car registration – enter from W. Winder Street. Open to all makes and models 1988 and older. Antique cars, classic cars, nostalgia drag cars, muscle cars, street rods, rat rods and trucks. Judged cars $25; other vehicles $20. Dash plaques to the first 400 cars.

7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. ~ MAIN EVENT – 18th Annual Show, Shine, Shag & Dine Car Show and East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame. Live entertainment, kids entertainment, DJ, food, vendors, judging and award presentations on Garnett St. in downtown Henderson.

For more information, please visit www.kerrlake-nc.com or call 1-866-438-4565.

Walser Wins T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing Tournament at Kerr Lake

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-Press Release, FLW

Boater Robert Walser of Lexington, North Carolina, brought five bass to the weigh-in stage totaling 15 pounds, 10 ounces, to win Saturday’s T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) North Carolina Division tournament on Kerr Lake. For his efforts, Walser took home $5,718.

“I fished flooded bushes and trees, mid-lake, along an approximately 20-mile stretch,” said Walser, who logged his 12th career win in BFL competition – tied for second most all-time. “I used a spinnerbait early, and then I flipped.”

Walser said he used a ½-ounce white-colored Rush Lures double-willow-bladed spinnerbait with a chartreuse and silver glitter Zoom Split Tail trailer on 20-pound-test Berkley Big Game line. He flipped a green-pumpkin Zoom Baby Brush Hog with a 3/0-sized Berkley Fusion 19 EWG hook and a 3/8-ounce Eco Pro tungsten flipping weight. For flipping, he opted for 20-pound-test Berkley Trilene 100-percent fluorocarbon line.

Boater Robert Walser of Lexington, North Carolina, brought five bass to the weigh-in stage totaling 15 pounds, 10 ounces, to win Saturday’s T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) North Carolina Division tournament on Kerr Lake. For his efforts, Walser took home $5,718. (Photo courtesy FLW)

“I caught more than 30 keepers. It was hard initially, but after it warmed up it got easier,” said Walser. “We had a severe cold front come through Friday afternoon and the temperatures dropped rapidly – maybe 20 degrees in 30 minutes. It rained following the temperature change, so we had a few hours of cold rain. I think it had an effect on the fish I was targeting, but after noontime I caught four or five limits.”

Walser said he ended up weighing one off the spinnerbait, and the rest from the Brush Hog.

“Some of those spinnerbait fish in the morning were at those deeper bushes, and my Garmin Panoptix showed me the submerged bushes I couldn’t see, which really helped me out,” said Walser.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          Robert Walser, Lexington, N.C., five bass, 15-10, $3,718 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus

2nd:         Dustin Clontz, Albemarle, N.C., five bass, 14-8, $1,909

3rd:          Jake Frye, Charlotte, N.C., five bass, 14-0, $1,388

4th:          Scott Beattie, Lincolnton, N.C., five bass, 13-10, $898

5th:          Scott Hamrick, Denver, N.C., five bass, 13-8, $655

5th:          Randy Childers, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 13-8, $805

7th:          Jason Wilson, Lincolnton, N.C., five bass, 13-6, $990

8th:          Carson Orellana, Mooresville, N.C., five bass, 13-0, $513

9th:          Michael Stephens, Gastonia, N.C., five bass, 12-8, $456

10th:        Ryan Deal, Indian Trail, N.C., five bass, 12-7, $399

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Wilson caught a 5-pound, 1-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $420.

Jeff Scism of Shelby, North Carolina, won the Co-angler Division and $1,709 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 12 pounds, 5 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1st:          Jeff Scism, Shelby, N.C., five bass, 12-5, $1,709

2nd:         Larry Freeman Jr., La Crosse, Va., five bass, 12-3, $1,105

3rd:          Wayne Smelser, Rural Retreat, Va., five bass, 11-1, $620

4th:          Charles Wood, Thomasville, N.C., four bass, 10-15, $609

5th:          Maverick Canipe, Kings Mountain, N.C., five bass, 10-1, $342

6th:          Dwayne Parton, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 9-13, $413

7th:          Mark Murphy, Salisbury, N.C., five bass, 9-12, $285

8th:          Barry Burford, Charlotte, N.C., five bass, 9-11, $256

9th:          Grant McPeters, Marion, N.C., four bass, 9-10, $228

10th:        John Cook, Matthews, N.C., five bass, 9-9, $199

Wood caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 4 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $210.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina, presented by Navionics. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.

The T-H Marine FLW BFL North Carolina Division tournament on Kerr Lake was hosted by the Vance County Tourism Development Authority.

The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.

The 2019 BFL All-American will be held May 30-June 1 at the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland, and is hosted by the Charles County Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism and the Commissioners of Charles County. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.