Sept. 21, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Caryn Gresham
304-558-2288, ext. 347
cgresham@callwva.com
The American Bus Association has recognized two West Virginia events for its
2005 Top 100 Events in North America list the organization announced Sept. 1.
Additionally, the Southeast Tourism Society has named two state events to its
prestigious Top 20 list.
Bridge Day in Fayetteville and Fire on the Mountain Chili Cookoff at Snowshoe Mountain were chosen from among hundreds of nominated events from across the United States and Canada. The American Bus Association compiles the annual list to guide professional planners, visitor bureaus, tourism officials, travel writers and the general public for the upcoming year.
Bridge Day is held annually every third Saturday in October. The event is considered the largest one-day festival in West Virginia and it’s the only time pedestrians can walk across the New River Gorge Bridge, the longest single-span bridge in North America. The day’s highlight is the 400-plus BASE jumpers from all over the world who -- legally – parachute from the bridge to the banks of the famed New River below. The Taste of Bridge Day the Friday evening before features over 180 craft and food vendors. For more information about Bridge Day, contact the New River Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-927-0263 or sharon@newrivercvb.com.
Each July, more than 150 chili practitioners ascend to Snowshoe Mountain for Fire on the Mountain Chili Cook-off. With a $10,000 purse and invite to the World Chili Cook-off at stake, there are no cutting corners for the participants. But there is not a shortage of fun either. Live music, games, and other pre and post cook-off entertainment make for the fun filled day. For more information, contact Joe Stevens at Snowshoe Mountain at 304-572-5636 or jstevens@snowshoemtn.com.
The American Bus Association chose events from across 44 states and 11 Canadian provinces. The organization does not rank the events. The American Bus Association is the trade organization of the intercity bus industry with about 900 motorcoach owner and tour company members in the United States and Canada.
Bridge Day and Morgantown’s Mountaineer Week festival were named to the Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 events in the Southeast for events occurring in October through December. Mountaineer Week celebrates the colorful heritage of West Virginia and promotes Appalachian culture through entertaining events, such as a beard-growing contest, apple-butter making demonstrations, marble shooting and the PRT Cram, said Stacey Brodak, executive director of the Greater Morgantown Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The PRT Cram is a favorite event for WVU Students who try each year to break the record of 97 people crammed into one of the cars from the university's Personal Rapid Transit system. Each of the cars regularly holds only 20, she said.
“This is a great celebration of Appalachian way of life and we’re pleased more people will discover one of the state’s best festivals.”
Bridge Day marks its 25th anniversary this year, said Sharon Cruikshank, director of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce. “It’s great that West Virginia is getting noticed,” she said. “This is another way we can showcase all of West Virginia.”
The Southeast Tourism Society (STS) since 1985 has published the Top 20 Events list, in which the best events across the Southeast compete to receive the prestigious Top 20 designation. Through a nomination process, STS chooses the Top 20 events in the Southeast for each month, and publishes the winners list quarterly. The Top 20 Events publication is sent to more than 300 newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV stations and others, as well as 125 AAA publications. The combined circulation runs into the millions.
To be nominated for a Top 20 Event, an event must be at least in its third year and must have a minimum attendance of 1,000.
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West Virginia Division of Tourism • 90 MacCorkle Ave., SW • South Charleston, WV 25303
304-558-2200
or 1-800-CALL-WVA • FAX: 304-558-2459 • www.callwvanews.com