Post in Does Winona Lack Tourists?

Jul 13 12:23 UTC

I did a bit of an informal survey this past week. On Wednesday
my wife and I attended the King Singers concert. On our left was
a couple from St. Paul. On our right was a couple from Arcadia.
Across the aisle from the six of us were two couples from
Rochester.

On Friday, we attended the Joshua Bell concert at Somsen
Auditorium at WSU. While standing in line to enter this sold-out
concert, I reflected that people were doing the very same thing
at the GRSF event in the WSU PAC only a block away. Where did
all these people come from? We sat on the aisle at the Joshua
Bell concert and I gather from their conversation that the
couple to our right were not from Winona.  We also had a friend
with us that night who lives in St. Paul. After the concert, we
got in line to obtain an autograph and visited with a couple and
their two children who were ahead of us. They were from Eau
Claire.

Saturday, was a marathon GRSF day for us. We attended The
Merchant of Venice in the afternoon and The Taming of the Shrew
in the evening. Our St. Paul friend was with us for both events.
Sitting to our left in both plays was a couple from Blaine
(north of Minneapolis). Both of these Shakespeare events played
to sold-out houses. I understand that a busload of people came
from Northfield and that they stayed the entire day, attending
both plays.

Between the plays, we sat on the WSU Greens and listened to a
free concert put on by local artist, Simone Perrin (She's great,
by the way.) The people immediately in front of the three of us
were from Milwaukee.

Oh, yes, before attending the plays, we spent over an hour at
the Minnesota Marine Art Museum. While there are a number of
"static" exhibits, there were also many different paintings than
when we were there last. It certainly was a "do again." Perhaps
more importantly, there were many people there while we were
there - I estimate at least 15-20 moved through while we were
there and others were coming is as we left. I overheard these
people as they purchased tickets. Many were from outside Winona
(mostly from the Metro). One couple noted that articles (perhaps
advertising) in a regional AAA magazine drew them to the museum.

Even the naming of these events (which I believe is very
important) places them on regional RADAR screens. The GREAT
RIVER Shakespeare Festival, the MINNESOTA Beethoven Festival,
the MINNESOTA Marine Art Museum, Theatre du MISSISSIPPI, and the
FROZEN RIVER Film Festival all speak to the Upper Midwest and
wider audiences in ways that the WINONA Steamboat Days
celebration never will. The METRO area learned this a long time
ago (the MINNESOTA Vikings, the MINNESOTA Orchestra, etc.) These
are all continuing events that will increase their ability to
draw people to Winona for a long time. Sooner or later local
businesses will learn how to capitalize from these events,
particularly as the larger festivals take on a year-long nature
(a goal of both the GRSF and the Beethoven festivals). The hotel
industry appears to be responding already.

In the past, I have been critical of Winona's ability to draw
tourists but I have to admit that, as far as the arts community
is concerned, Winona is now getting it right. In five short
years, Winona has become a "destination of choice" for people
looking for arts entertainment. While in-line for my brat and
corn-on-the-cob between the Shakespeare plays, I overheard two
couples from out of town visiting with each other. One person
said, "You could spend a week's vacation in Winona and still not
see it all."

You bet!

-Leslie Hittner