Wilkes EDC team attended the three-day Outdoor Economy Conference in Cherokee, NC, as exhibitors to represent Wilkes County’s outdoor economy. The team engaged with attendees from all over the United States, discussing our outdoor businesses, amenities, opportunities, and events to potentially draw in more businesses and visitors.
The conference drew in more than 650 members and included several guest speakers and workshops for participants. The programs were based on the conference’s theme, “Connecting the Ecosystem.” The team had the opportunity to join the Breakout Sessions, which covered various topics such as Building Vibrant Outdoor Recreation Communities, Advancing Effective and Inclusive Coalitions, Leveling Up Outdoor Businesses, and Envisioning Outdoors 2.0.
We received donations from Cook’s Sports, Raffaldini Vineyards & Winery, Wilkesboro TDA, and the Town of North Wilkesboro for SWAG giveaways at our booth. Pressin’ Buttons made our Great State of Wilkes buttons, which helped us promote and talk about the Great State of Wilkes Action Plan. We gave away Brushy Mountain Granola packets and shared more about our local businesses in a rotating slideshow. Greene Mountain Outdoors provided a medical pack and cooler as a conversational piece and to encourage connections. Our Spin-to-Win was an excellent tool to help us engage with visitors and an opportunity for them to receive SWAGs. For our visitors to spin, they were required to drop a business card or give a form of contact. Giving us this information also put them in a drawing for MerleFest tickets, a horseback riding session with Leatherwood Mountain Resort, and tickets to the Walker Center with their choice of event. We received over 100 business cards and conversations ranged well beyond that number.
We are thankful to the outdoor businesses of Wilkes and our partners who were also in attendance for helping us create a successful representation of Wilkes County at this conference. We look forward to participating in future events such as this one. Click this link or scan the QR code to learn more about the conference. Outdoor Economy Conference – September 18-21, 2023
