Chamber meets in Hot Springs
HOT SPRINGS – The Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce came together for their July meeting last weekend on Main Street.
The main topic of conversation at the monthly chamber meeting was Homesteader’s Days, which was held in Hot Springs from June 12 through June 14.
The group recapped the 66th annual edition of the event noting there had been a positive reception to the festivities.
‘It was a fabulous Homesteaders Days in my opinion,” Leslee Smith, president of the chamber, said.
Smith also noted the car show, where retired Marine Tomy Parker received his completely refurbished pickup truck, was also a big hit with those attending Homesteaders Days.
“They loved, loved, loved the car show,” Smith said.
The chamber also touched on the annual Homesteaders dinner, held at the town’s senior center on the final day of Homesteaders.
The LaRue Hot Springs Museum donated $300 to help put this year’s Homesteaders dinner on.
Before wrapping up the recap Smith noted the chamber should consider spending more on advertising Homesteaders Days in the run up to future events.
“I think that we probably could have spent a little more money on Homesteaders advertising. I don’t think it went as far as it needs to go to get people coming back,” Smith said.
Moving on to upcoming events the chamber discussed the planned summer schedule for Hot Springs.
The Symes Hotel will be hosting their sixth annual blues festival on Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25.
According to Smith, residents of Hot Springs will receive a discount on tickets to the blues festival.
Smith stated the festival joined the Northern Rockies Blues Trail, a group that promotes blues festivals throughout the region.
She said she hoped the event would help draw a crowd to Hot Springs in late July.
“We are going to really try hard to get people to come out to town,” Smith said.
The town’s summer arts camp is also scheduled for this month, taking place at Towanda Gardens and running from Monday, July 20 through Friday, July 31.