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Simpson County tourism director touts car show turnout and ARPA-funded app and kiosks; youth puppetry group seeks bookings
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Summary
At its Oct. 1 meeting, Simpson County officials praised the 61st annual car show and heard that ARPA funds are financing a traveler's itinerary app and nine interactive kiosks for county tourism; a visiting puppetry group asked schools to book its $515 youth programs.
Simpson County Tourism Director Amy Ellis reported to the Fiscal Court on Oct. 1 that the county's 61st annual car show on Sept. 21 drew 170 registered cars and strong downtown business, despite a rainy start. Judge Executive Mason Barnes thanked Ellis and volunteers for their work on the event.
Amanda Guerra and Sara Kitchens of the nonprofit Kids on the Block gave the court an overview of their children's educational puppetry programs, which address mental health, bullying, vaping and tobacco prevention, substance abuse and acceptance of differences. "The cost of a presentation is $515," they told the court, which the presenters said helps cover puppeteer training and travel expenses. Guerra and Kitchens said the program delivered 309 performances to more than 36,000 children last year across 35 Kentucky counties and that child abuse prevention is their most-requested program.
Ellis said Tourism used a $250,000 ARPA grant to develop a traveler's itinerary phone app that highlights 21 attractions across a six-destination trail called Horses, Horsepower and Hollers, linking stops in Simpson and neighboring counties. She also announced a marketing campaign launching that day, The Wild West of Kentucky Bourbon, to spotlight smaller western Kentucky distilleries, naming Simpson County's Dueling Grounds Distillery as an example. Local ARPA funding has also allowed Tourism to purchase nine interactive, seven-foot touchscreen kiosks for hotels and attractions; Ellis said they should be in place by the end of November, with one kiosk outdoors at the downtown Tourism office.
The court record lists contact information for Kids on the Block and the group's website for schools or organizations seeking presentations; Ellis said the Tourism office continues work on the new office at 105 West Cedar Street and hopes sidewalk access will be restored once inspections are complete.
Next steps noted in the minutes: the itinerary app and campaign rollout are underway and the county expects the kiosks and Tourism office improvements to be operational by month-end or early November.