Early-bird registration continues through Aug. 31 for the Kerr-Tar Council of Governments annual economic summit that will be held in Vance County on Thursday, Oct. 8.
KTCOG’s Desiree Brooks is among the planners for this event, which will take place at McGregor Hall – and outside on Breckenridge Street – from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The conference will be held indoors, and a vendor market will pop up for the community to enjoy from 12 noon to 5 p.m., Brooks said on Thursday’s segment of TownTalk.
This year’s theme, “Rooted: Grounded Locally, Growing Regionally,” reflects how tourism – and especially agri-tourism – is attracting visitors to the five-county area and affecting farmers’ bottom lines.
This is the 6th annual summit, which rotates among the Kerr-Tar region that includes Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Person, Brooks explained.
It’s a way for the counties, with their unique qualities, can work together to promote the entire region, she said.
The planning committee is still working on details, but Dr. Mary Hemphill will kick off the morning session, and N.C. State University’s Dr. Carla Barbieri will speak in the afternoon about sustainable tourism. Farmers from each county will participate in a panel discussion to share their insights and ideas about how agritourism is working for them.
Participants will have the chance to visit with numerous farmers and other vendors at the conclusion of the official part of the summit. They’ll be set up outside McGregor Hall on Breckenridge Street for a pop-up market of sorts, complete with live music from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Brooks said.
It’s a way to celebrate and promote agritourism in the area, as well as inviting the community to learn more about what’s available right in their own backyard.
“Everybody has their own niche,” Brooks said, from the Warren County vineyard to the to the buffalo farm/wedding venue in Person County, farmers are learning how to innovate and create destinations that attract visitors from near and far.
Brooks said North Carolina values our farmers and agritourism is a way to highlight the region.
Register for the summit at
https://www.kerrtarcog.org/event/2026-rooted-summit-grounded-locally-growing-regionally
CLICK PLAY!
