Bath County’s Director of Tourism, Maggie Anderson Is Already Working On Plans For 2012

Warm Springs, Va – Bath County’s Director of Tourism, Maggie Anderson, has been on the job for more than a year now. She accepted the newly created position in the fall of 2010. After finishing up her first full year in 2011, she’s looking ahead with plans for the New Year.

“First of all I’d like to start off by wishing everyone a Happy New Year and thanking them for their support of all the things we tried to do through the tourism initiative last year,” says Anderson. “I think we had some good successes in some of the things that we planned. And we’re going to build on a lot of what we started last year, so I’m really excited.”

Anderson coordinated the creation of two new festivals in Bath County in 2011. The first was the Mountain Strings and Arts Festival and some changes may be in the works for it in 2012.

“It was a very nice event,” says Anderson. “W e held it in the spring. It was very early and very cold, but we did have a great successful day. And so I think we’re going to try to move it back into the season and continue to have artisans and music and a celebration of all that’s arts and cultural here in our community, but we’re not quite sure of the date yet. I think we’re moving it closer into the summer.”

Anderson also coordinated the Harvest Moon Festival and Century and Metric Bike Ride last fall and this year the date is set for Saturday September 22. That festival featured a number events including long distance bike rides, music, an expanded farmers market and a hay bale decorating contest.

“Everyone that has great ideas about decorating hay bales, begin thinking about what you’re going to do,” says Anderson. “Because we intend to continue to celebrate the fall harvest with the decorating of the hay bales, a dance, an arts and crafts show, some music and we hope to plan a bigger event, a longer event for that weekend, so stay tuned.”

Moving into 2012 Anderson is working on fine tuning events she organized last year, but she’s still looking for new ideas.

“One of the things I wanted to ask the community to do for me this year, is to begin thinking about how we can expand on the wonderful assets that we have here in Bath County,” says Anderson. “If you have ideas, come talk to me. I need help, I need volunteers, I need ideas and suggestions. We’re building a tourism initiative and that’s where we’re very lucky. We can start with brand new ideas that haven’t been done anywhere else.”

Other events in Bath County on tap this year include the Virginia Blues and Jazz Festival at Garth Newel Music Center and the Bath County Triathlon, both in June. And the Wings and Wheels Festival is scheduled for the first Saturday in August.

“I have had a very rich experience in meeting people in all parts of the community,” says Anderson. “People have been very welcoming, very helpful and very encouraging. And I think that’s been the best part of the job, just getting to know folks in this community and seeing them love it as much as I do.”

Maggie Anderson’s office is located in the Bath County Courthouse in Warm Springs. Stop in or call her at 540-839-7202.