Montgomery County Celebrates American Archives Month
Montgomery County, TN – In recognition of American Archives Month this October, the Montgomery County Archives Department invites the public to take a tour and learn more about the unique services they provide.
Three open house tours of the stacks, an area not normally open to the public, offer a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into caring for the history of Clarksville and Montgomery County. The tours are available on October 11th from 10:00am to 3:00pm, October 14th from 10:00am to 3:00pm, and October 23rd, from 9:00am to 3:00pm.
Montgomery County Archives
Loaves and Fishes’ Louisiana Saturday Night set for October 16th
Clarksville, TN – On October 16th, 2021, pots of Chicken and Sausage Gumbo will bubble in the Loaves and Fishes kitchen while Zydeco music fills the spicy air. That’s because, from 4:30pm-7:00pm that Saturday evening, the local organization will host its annual Louisiana Saturday Night fundraiser.
Patrons can pick up their meals and either take them home or dine on the patio to enjoy their Cajun feast amidst the donor-decorated Gators.
This year’s meal will include hot steaming smoked sausage and chicken gumbo and rice, coleslaw, bread, and a praline candy for dessert.
Tickets are $15.00 a person and can be purchased at https://loavesandfishestn.salsalabs.org/louisianasaturdaynight/index.html
Louisiana Saturday Night fundraiser for Loaves and Fishes
Imagination Library of Montgomery County to hold live Facebook Storytime with Clarksville First Lady Cynthia Pitts
Clarksville, TN – Imagination Library of Montgomery County will host a free Facebook Live Storytime session Wednesday, October 6th, 2021 at 6:00pm on the organization’s Facebook page.
The featured reader for the inaugural Storytime is Cynthia Pitts, First Lady of Clarksville. Mrs. Pitts will read Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors aloud during this special session. Children of all ages and parents are encouraged to log on and enjoy the story together. This story will only be available during the original live recording, so you won’t want to miss it!
Clarksville’s First Lady Cynthia Pitts will serve as the guest reader for the inaugural Storytime session with Imagination Library of Montgomery County.
Downtown @ Sundown features Xtraordinary Gentlemen October 1st
Montgomery County, TN – Downtown @ Sundown will feature Xtraordinary Gentleman during this week’s concert at 7:00pm October 1st, 2021 at Downtown Commons. The band has been performing since 2009 and takes pride in bringing soul and funk to another level.
Xtraordinary Gentlemen members include: “drummer” Alex Vance Jr of Clarksville, TN; “percussion” Bryant Baxter of Stendal, IN; “bass” Dathan Cox of Hopkinsville, KY; Brandon Bailey of Nashville, TN; “keyboards” Andy Torian of Nashville, TN; Blake Ladson from Hopkinsville, KY; Tywan Mack of Hopkinsville, KY; Gerry Smoot Evansville, IN; “Horns” Sonnie Killbrew and James Crenshaw from Hopkinsville, KY.
APSU this Week: Honoring Latino Military Heroes event coming on Tuesday
Clarksville, TN – On Tuesday, September 28th, 2021, the Latino Community Resource Center (LCRC) and the Military Student Center will host the second annual Honoring Latino Military Heroes event – a part of Latinx Heritage Month – at 3:00pm-4:00pm in the Morgan University Center (MUC) Ballroom.
Roxy Regional Theatre’s Roxy Reads series features “Empanada Loca”, Wednesday
Clarksville, TN – Take a break from our full-size mainstage productions and join us as we continue our Roxy Reads series with a reading of “Empanada Loca” by Aaron Mark this coming Wednesday, September 29th, 2021 at 7:00pm. This is the perfect opportunity to sit back and listen to what makes great plays work: the story.
Now living deep under Manhattan in an abandoned subway tunnel with the Mole People, a very hungry Dolores recounts her years selling weed with her boyfriend, her return to Washington Heights after thirteen years in prison, her fortuitous reunion with an old stoner friend who lets her give massages for cash in the basement under his empanada shop, and the bloodbath that sent her fleeing underground.
Montgomery County Ranks 9th in Tennessee for Tourism Spending in 2020
Clarksville, TN – Clarksville-Montgomery County visitor spending outpaced the state and nation during 2020, despite a global pandemic.
Local tourism generated $252.14 million in domestic and international travel spending in 2020, a 28 percent decline from the previous year according to newly-released economic impact data from U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics. Tourism spending decreased 32 percent in Tennessee and 42 percent in the nation in 2020.
A visiting family masks up at the TSSAA Middle Cross County State Finals held in Clarksville in October 2020. (Visit Clarksville)
During the Governor’s Conference on Tourism, last week Department of Tourist Development Commissioner Mark Ezell announced that Tennessee’s leisure and hospitality industry was on a record track the first two months of 2020. COVID-19 was the largest crisis to hit the leisure and hospitality industry in history.
“Tennessee proved our resiliency by outperforming the nation,” he said. “During April, May, and June [2021] our tax revenue is out-performing pre-COVID numbers. And from April 2020 through January 21, Tennessee is one of only seven states with a positive percentage change in consumer spending.”
The 2020 economic impact report used a new research model that provided international data at the county level, which had previously only been available at the state level, as well as more comprehensive lodging information using mobile data. The report also breaks down spending by industry sector for the first time. All county-level reporting was adjusted back to 2015 to incorporate the more thorough and detailed data.
Between 2015 and 2019, annual visitor spending in Montgomery County increased from $281 million to $352.5 million, a 25.4 percent increase, then decreased to $252 million in 2020. Average visitor spending in Montgomery County totaled just under $689,000 per day in 2020.
“We’ve experienced record-breaking growth in tourism during the previous five years,” said Visit Clarksville Board of Directors Chairman Matt Cunningham. “And we’ve not stopped marketing, so we’re well-positioned for a strong economic rebound. Like the state, we saw the beginnings of a big bounce-back in the early summer. Visitors and residents have made excellent use of our outdoor assets and recreational opportunities. We also have such a variety of restaurants here, and most all of them adapted well to meet safety protocols. These have given visitors and residents opportunities to experience our community safely and still support the local economy.”
Data from the Tourism Economics report showed that direct state and local taxes generated by tourist activity totaled $21 million. As a result of visitor spending, each household in Montgomery County pays $290 less in state and local taxes. Counting indirect spending throughs supporting industries, that amount totals $436 per household annually.
Other report highlights for Montgomery County:
- Direct labor income, or payroll, totaled $81.46 million, with 3,300 persons directly employed in tourism sectors.
- Food and Beverage spending totaled $90.5 million
- Lodging spending totaled $44.95 million
- Retail spending totaled $36.8 million
- Recreation spending totaled $20.56 million
- Transportation spending totaled $59.3 million
Visitor spending in Tennessee’s top nine counties in 2020:
- Davidson County, $4.48 billion, down 43.2 percent
- Shelby County, $2.57 billion, down 31.7 percent
- Sevier County, $2.38 billion, down 13.5 percent
- Knox County $1.16 billion, down 31.7 percent
- Hamilton County, $1.07 billion, down 30.2 percent
- Williamson County, $775 million, down 31.1 percent
- Rutherford County, $472 million, down 27.6 percent
- Blount County, $337 million, down 33.8 percent
- Montgomery County, $252 million, down 28.5 percent
During 2020, Visit Clarksville hosted sports competitions in soccer, track & field, baseball, and softball that generated $9.3 million in visitor spending. In 2021, outdoor events kicked off again in May with baseball, track & field, and softball.
In July, Visit Clarksville hosted its first indoor sports competition with the AAU Boys National Basketball Championship, followed by another large outdoor softball tournament. This fall the TSSAA Middle School Cross Country State Finals takes place October 1st-2nd at Weakley Park, and the TACA East vs. West All-Star Football Championship happens December 7th-10th at Austin Peay State University.
“Fortunately, we weren’t completely shut down,” said Visit Clarksville Executive Director, Theresa Harrington. “Competitive sports, especially outdoor events, did still happen. We are blessed to have facilities that can accommodate those, and we worked with event organizers to make sure protocols were in place that kept everyone safe and still provided an excellent guest experience. In most cases, we are seeing fewer teams and attendance, but the good news is that people are traveling again, and that boosts the economy and benefits everyone.”
Cunningham also expressed optimism about the future of tourism in Montgomery County.
“From a tourism standpoint, we have a well-rounded economy because we’re not dependent on one primary attraction,” he said. “We have outstanding recreational assets and scenic beauty, historic attractions, family fun centers, entertainment, performing and visual arts, local shopping, a diverse food scene, and an emerging craft beverage scene. It’s been a hard year and many businesses have felt losses from reduced travel, but we’ve fared better than many places. We’ve had a good first quarter, so we’re looking ahead, planning ahead, and expecting economic prosperity again for all of our industries.”
About Visit Clarksville
The Clarksville-Montgomery County Tourism Commission was established by the State of Tennessee in 1979 to positively influences tourism in the Clarksville-Montgomery County area by promoting tourist attractions, hosting conventions and group tours, and engaging in large-scale marketing efforts. In 2015, the organization adopted the Visit Clarksville brand. Visit Clarksville is governed by a nine-member board of directors and is funded by a portion of the local hotel/motel tax.
Welcome Home Veterans Celebration holds Parade, Lee Greenwood Concert
Clarksville, TN – From September 15th–19th, 2021, Clarksville and Oak Grove welcomed visitors from around the nation to join in recognition of the service and sacrifice made by America’s Veterans. The five days of events and activities included guest speakers, exhibits, meals and social events, music, and more.
Featured exhibits for the 6th annual Welcome Home Veterans Celebration included the American Veteran Traveling Tribute Wall, the Field of Honor-Veterans Tribute, and the Traveling Korean War Memorial. All of which were set up on the spacious grounds of Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Casino.
Welcome Home Veterans Celebration Parade
Roxy Regional Theatre presents “Cumberland Winds Jazz Project: 1940s Radio Days” on October 1st and 2nd
Clarksville, TN – With a nod to yesteryear, the Cumberland Winds Jazz Project is teaming with Clarksville’s oldest professional live theatre, the Roxy Regional Theatre, this fall to recreate an old-time radio show from the 1940s.
Traditional big band music will combine with radio skits, vintage advertisements, and maybe a war newsflash or two at the “Cumberland Winds Jazz Project: 1940s Radio Days” at the Roxy Regional Theatre on Friday, October 1st, and Saturday, October 2nd, 2021 at 7:30pm.
Cumberland Winds Jazz Project
APSU This Week: Latinx Heritage Month continues with ‘In the Heights’ showing
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) will continue a monthlong celebration of Latinx Heritage Month with a free showing of “In the Heights” at 7:00pm Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021 at the Clement Auditorium. Doors open at 6:00pm and free snacks will be available.
In the Heights
