WANT TO GO?
ates both economic and non-eco- to stroll through the quaint town of
nomic gains. Summerville and visit the Festival. It
The Flowertown Festival is held
“The first impact is the publicity the is estimated that each visitor spends
the first weekend in April each
town of Summerville receives across an average of $225 per day.
the country,” McCoy says, adding The profits brought in by the Festival
year–Main Street Summerville
that this word-of-mouth advertising are used to better the community by
Summerville Family YMCA
continues to create new awareness of improving recreational facilities and
Flowertown Festival Fast Facts:
the Festival across the Southeast and providing health-oriented programs.
Nationally acclaimed festival has
beyond. In 1975, an article in the Summerville
been named one of the Top 20
“The second impact is the outpour- Journal reported a profit of $1,200
Events in the Southeast by the
ing of community spirit, as towns- toward construction of a swimming
Southeast Tourism Society.
people, booth workers, artists and pool. The following year—after the
attendees come together to help the fourth Festival—the YMCA was
Summerville Family YMCA raise able to purchase a tract of land from
The Festival always coincides money,” she adds. Westvaco, which was earmarked for
with the Cooper River Bridge Run Most dramatic, however, are the ball fields. By 1982, the Festival had
numbers. According to Al Parish of raised enough money to finish the
Produced by the Summerville
the Charleston Southern University pool, as well as the baseball and soc-
Family YMCA
Center for Economic Forecasting, cer fields.
Benefits YMCA programs
more than 223,000 visitors attended As the Festival expanded, so did the
the 2004 Festival, with a total eco- profits. In 1995, the “Y” invested in
It is a free event
nomic impact of $28 million. Dr. property for a new Wellness Center,
Bing Pan, head of research for the which opened in September 2002.
Special Events include:
College of Charleston’s Office of Members now have access to state-
Children’s Jubilee
Tourism Analysis, estimates that ho- of-the-art exercise equipment, a pool
Tennis Tournament
tel occupancy increased by as much and locker rooms with sauna and
Live Bands and Musical
as 98 percent as a result of the Festival massage rooms.
Ensembles and the Cooper River Bridge Run. Jean Gantt’s dream of raising enough
Taste of Summerville The two events are always scheduled money to provide a safe place for
for the same weekend; after sprinting Summerville’s children to play came
More than 200 Arts and Crafts
across the bridge, it seems that run- true–in a much bigger way than she
vendors participate
ners and spectators enjoy the chance could ever have imagined.
ILoveSummerville.com |
SummervilleNeighborhoods.com |
SummervilleBuilders.com
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