Hello ETA members and site visitors!  As your new Executive Director, one of my most important tasks is to reach out to communities in Eastman and get to know you and your tourism needs.  In order to do a good job, I plan on making visits to communities in our region to get to know the people, visit your current tourism assets and help plan and facilitate the development of new events and attractions.  I am pleased to report that my first official visit took place on August 10 when I had the pleasure of attending the annual Sprague Fest at the invitation of ETA Board Member Mark Bernard.

I arrived at the Sprague Community Hall in the early afternoon and took a tour across the grounds where I met and visited with many of the local residents and event visitors.  The site was bustling with activities for adults and children alike, making Sprague Fest a truly family outing.  While children were enjoying the bouncy castles and playing lawn games, adults challenged themselves to a bean bag toss while others got a workout on the Pickleball court.  For those less interested in physical, outdoor activity, the Hall provided a space for a silent auction with amazing packages donated by local businesses and supporters from neighboring communities.  In addition to the auction, visitors could partake in a 50/50 draw, have a bite to eat at the canteen or take a gamble winning prizes at a well attended Bingo game.

Live entertainment filled the grounds with music to enjoy as I checked out the Car Show and chatted with locals as we watched and cheered on the adult games.  On my next visit to Sprague Fest, I plan on arriving earlier to participate in the event parade then head to the neighboring town of Carrot to join in on their parade and take in some of the activities at the annual Carrot Days event.