NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 717.255.3040

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
15 January 2005

CITY 2005 SPECIAL EVENTS CALENDAR UNVEILED; EVENTS DRAW MORE THAN 3.5 MILLION ANNUALLY – PROVIDING SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR ENTIRE REGION

Harrisburg, PA – Mayor Stephen R. Reed today unveiled Harrisburg’s 2005 Special Events Calendar, which includes everything from major waterfront festivals to Farm Show Complex events, popular concert series, walkathons and running events and cultural activities. The events draw in excess of 3.5 million visitors to the city each year and provide substantial economic benefit to city and regional businesses.

Reed said he created the city’s first-ever special events office in 1984 as an economic development initiative to increase tourism to the city and provide greater entertainment and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. The city’s events calendar has since grown from a handful of events to more than 200 festivals, concerts, run/walks and more. When combined with the more than 150 events held annually at the State Farm Show Complex and at other city attractions, in excess of 3.5 million people visited the city in 2004 for tourism-related purposes.

The Mayor said Harrisburg’s special events program now exceeds that of cities much larger in size, and has garnered multiple state, national and international awards and recognitions from industry associations.

Reed said the schedule kicks off in January with the 21st Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Competition, and continues with major events each month through New Year’s Eve. Highlights include the City’s observances of Black History Month with the Black History Gala and Youth Performing Arts Showcase, Senators baseball, City Islanders Soccer, Patriot News ArtsFest, the American MusicFest, Kipona Celebration, the Levitt Pavilion and Italian Lake Concert Series, Holiday Parade and the year-ending New Year’s Eve Celebration on Market Square. Included are literally dozens of other ethnic and cultural festivals, fundraising walks and runs, sports tournaments and more.

Also adding to the city’s extensive schedule of major events and activities are those held at such city-based attractions as the State Farm Show Complex, the Pennsylvania State Museum, the Forum, The National Civil War Museum, the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, the Pennsylvania National Fire Museum, the Olewine Nature Center and the Rose Lehrman Arts Center at Harrisburg Area Community College, Susquehanna Arts Museum, Doll Museum and many more.

“Tourism was once a laughable prospect for Harrisburg,” said the Mayor. “But today we draw as many visitors and tourists as do such established regional attractions as Hershey, Gettysburg and the Lancaster Dutch Country. Together, we as a region provide an array of visitor experiences and opportunities that are unique in the nation, a circumstance which has resulted in the Central Pennsylvania region being the top tourism market in the state, exceeding that of even Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.”

Reed said the city’s special events often serve as the initial introduction to the city for visitors, who frequently return for dining and entertainment opportunities. “Our events are how most visitors become familiar with the city, and once they are here they see just how much else we have to offer," noted the Mayor.

Reed said Harrisburg’s special events program is coordinated by the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation, with a full time special events director and a sponsorship coordinator employed to oversee and administer the program and raise non-tax dollars to support it. Harrisburg is the only midstate community to have such a sophisticated special events program and full time staff to do the work.

“Our special events are fun, free and diverse, and help to enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors alike,” said Reed, “but they are also major sources of jobs and revenue for the local economy. From product suppliers to hoteliers, restaurants, rental agencies and more, the local economy and businesses benefit greatly from the audiences brought in by city special events.”

For more information on Harrisburg’s special events contact the city Department of Parks and Recreation at (717) 255.3020, or visit the city’s website at www.harrisburgpa.gov, and go to the special events page.