Last week, Picayune Main Street Director Reba Beebe had the honor of speaking at the Mississippi Development Authority Asset Development Division’s annual meeting in Florence, Miss.
According to an MDA release, attendees celebrated the accomplishments of nine communities.
Pelahatchie Mayor Knox Ross, Stacy Pair of Mississippi Main Street, Mary Margaret Miller of Visit Mississippi, Connie Souto Learman of Mississippi Arts Commission, Jim Woodrick with Archives and History, Jean Caraway with Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, Melody Moody with Bike Mississippi and Donna Yowell with Urban Forest Council shared upcoming opportunities with the group, the release stated.
“I was invited to speak about the positive impact festivals have on our city,” Beebe said.
An economic impact study, made possible thought a Mississippi Main Street Grant, was conducted during the Fall Festival at the beginning of this month, Beebe said. Some festivalgoers filled out surveys that inquired as to how much money, gas and mileage they used to attend the festival.
Photographs of the crowds were taken every 10 minutes, Beebe said, in order to ascertain the number of attendees.
The results from that study are not ready yet, Beebe said.
“I wasn’t able to report on that study, but I gave the group an update on Picayune Main Street’s accomplishments and how our civic organizations are working together during each festival to promote one another’s events,” Beebe said.
She said it was an honor for to speak at last week’s event.
“Our biggest asset here in Picayune is our people and businesses,” Beebe said. “Along with the impact study, a Buxton study and asset mapping was conducted. These reports are important because they reveal what areas we need to make changes to move our community forward.”
Learn more about the Mississippi Development Authority at www.mississippi.org.