25th Annual Labor Day Catfish Festival on Top 100 List – Kingsland, Georgia

(Kingsland, GA)—The American Bus Association (ABA) announced that the 25th Annual Labor Day Catfish Festival to be held on Saturday, September 1st – Monday, September 3rd has been awarded the distinction as one of the Top 100 Events in North America for 2007 by an elite tourism industry selection committee. Inclusion in the Top 100 list, published as a supplement to the September/October issue of Destinations magazine, indicates that Kingsland’s Catfish Festival offers excellent entertainment value to both tour groups and individual travelers from around the world, said ABA.

With the release of the American Bus Association’s 2007 Top 100 Events in North America, ABA celebrates 25 years of the Top 100 Events. What began as a way for motorcoach operators to incorporate new product into their itineraries has grown to one of the most sought-after lists by travel professionals, motorcoach operators and the general public.
“The attractiveness of Kingsland’s Catfish Festival as a don’t-miss entertainment value is only part of why its selection this year is such a distinction for the City of Kingsland,” said Peter J. Pantuso, ABA’s president and CEO. “The real news here is that the Catfish Festival has been recognized as a potential magnet for tourism dollars, at a time when reenergizing domestic tourism is so important to our spirit and our economy. The honor gives Kingsland’s Catfish festival an important boost in visibility among professional tour planners.”
According to studies recently completed by researchers at The George Washington University and Dunham and Associaties, one overnight visit by a motorcoach group can leave from US$5,000 to more than US$13,000 in a local destination’s economy. Those dollars are spent on lodging, meals, admissions, fees, shopping, souvenirs, services and local taxes.
“Simply put,” said Pantuso, “motorcoach groups spend more and stay longer. That’s why Kingsland’s Catfish Festival is truly a local economic asset. There is no better way to jump-start tourism than to attract motorcoach groups to a great event and convince them to extend their stay.”
ABA’s 2007 Top 100 Events Selection Committee selected the 25th Annual Labor Day Catfish festival from among hundreds of U.S. and Canadian events nominated by state and provincial tourism offices and convention and visitors bureaus. Judges considered the event’s broad appeal, its accessibility to motorcoaches and skill at handling large groups, and a variety of other relevant criteria.
The Catfish Festival is a three-day event held in downtown historic Kingsland that will be celebrating it’s 25th anniversary this year. Entertainment is free and headline concert this year features country music star Tracy Lawrence. The main event for the festival is always the southern fried catfish dinners. Other activities include: vendors displaying handcrafted arts and unique collectibles; an amusement area for children; a “Get the Royal Treatment” themed parade and a variety of succulent food booths.
“The Catfish Festival includes something for every member of your family. The festival is a cooperative effort from the City of Kingsland and the Kingsland Community Betterment Program”, states Tonya Rosado, the executive director of the Kingsland Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This award is quite an honor from ABA and we are proud to be a recipient”, continued Rosado.
The Top 100 Events list is available online at www.buses.org. For a complete schedule of events including the entertainment schedule, contact the Kingsland Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-433-0225 or visit www.VisitKingsland.com