Bridges and Beyond Campaign Draws Visitors to Cottage Grove, Oregon
Visitors enticed by Covered Bridges, family-friendly bike path, and murals.
COTTAGE GROVE, Ore., Aug. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The recent marketing campaign, Bridges and Beyond, has brought a new influx of visitors to Cottage Grove, Oregon, located 20 minutes south of Eugene, enticed by the many attractions described in the campaign.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140804/133287
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140804/133288
The city is known as the Covered Bridge Capital of the West and the six covered bridges and a swinging bridge are the highlight of a visit to the area. This year, for the first time, the popular Covered Bridge Festival will take place over two days instead of one, September 19th and 20th. The main attractions of the Festival will be dinners, arts and crafts booths and family activities all taking place at Bohemia Park. The art and quilt show will be presented at the nearby Armory Building.
Van tours of the bridges will leave from Bohemia Park to three of the bridges: Centennial (located in Historic Downtown), Chambers and The Swinging Bridge, all within the city limits. For those who prefer to tour the bridges individually, the bridges can be reached by car or via the Row River Bike Path that takes the bicyclist on a 16-mile trail from the city to the shores of Dorena Lake. More experienced cyclists may continue onto the connected Covered Bridge Scenic Bikeway for a 36-mile loop back to the city center.
A walking tour through Historic Downtown, the location of many boutique and antique stores, introduces the visitor to the 21 murals that enhance the outdoor walls of the historic buildings and depict the many adventures of former residents and their activities. Among the mural subjects are Opal Whitley, an internationally known author; Buster Keaton, star of the movie "The General," filmed in Cottage Grove; vintage biplanes; and scenes of Main Street from the early years of the town.
Throughout the year, visitors enjoy many festivals sponsored by the vital organizations in Cottage Grove. The Chili Cook-Off and KNND's Rock ¨N Rumble Car Show take place in July, and Christmas is highlighted with a tree lighting in early December.
During the months of May through November, Last Friday Art Walks in Historic Downtown display the works of the many local artists, and each Wednesday evening from mid-June to mid-September, locals as well as visitors gather at Bohemia Park for free Concerts in the Park. The major festival of the city takes place the third weekend of July to celebrate the gold mining history of the area. Bohemia Mining Days bring thousands of visitors to the re-enactment of the activities of the era during the Gold Rush.
Short drives from the city's center take the visitor to wineries in every direction, many of them offering concerts and other events. Towering waterfalls and popular swimming holes are within a 20-minute drive, and an abundance of watersport recreation and fishing take place at both Dorena and Cottage Grove Lakes.
The Bridges and Beyond Campaign also encourages visitors to shop and dine in Historic Downtown and to record their purchases on a tracking form available at participating businesses. The visitor is then rewarded with custom-designed ceramic coasters depicting the six covered bridges, with the number of coasters determined by the dollar amount spent.
Major sponsors of the campaign each have attractions for the visitor. Territorial Seed operates a retail store, Village Green Resort and Gardens has 14 acres of themed gardens open to the public and the City of Cottage Grove operates Middlefield Golf.
The Cottage Grove Visitor Bureau is located at 700 E Gibbs Ave. and has information on the area attractions and events. For more information, visit http://www.cgchamber.com or call 541-942-2411. Additional information about the Bridges and Beyond campaign is found at http://www.eugenecascadescoast.org/bridges/. Travel Lane County is a major sponsor of the campaign.
Media Contact – Celeste/Daniels Advertising and Design, Julie Celeste Pimentel, Email 541-344-2308 Pacific time
SOURCE Cottage Grove Visitors Bureau
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