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We're right in the middle of a two-week span that generates a lot of interest in our area.
The Dean Martin Festival is finishing up, with the Holy Trinity Greek Food Festival set to begin its three-day run on Wednesday.
Those events, and many others during the course of the year, help to build a sense of pride through the community -- and also generate a lot of spending.
That's important, as our area looks to attract tourism dollars, money that helps local businesses grow.
Tourism is a big business in our region.
According to the Ohio Department of Development, the state saw $53 billion in visitor spending in 2022. In Pennsylvania, meanwhile, a report prepared for the Pennsylvania Office of Tourism by Tourism Economics, showed that in 2021, direct visitor spending totaled $38 billion.
And, in West Virginia, travel spending in the state was expected to exceed $5 billion in 2022, according to a report released by Gov. Jim Justice in September.
With that kind of money being spent, it's important for our region to continue to offer events and attractions that will bring people in.
The Dean Martin and Greek festivals do just that. Thousands of people have come from around the country -- even from many points of the world -- to celebrate all things Martin, to get a glimpse of the town he was born in and the city he came from and to enjoy the feeling generated during the Cocktail Cool era.
Organizers with the Greek festival, meanwhile, are expecting as many as 20,000 people to participate in this year's event. And that will translate into a lot of money being spent in the community, especially at the festival site, located at the intersection of South Fourth and South Streets.
Having major events like those two festivals is important -- the people they bring into town are likely to visit other local businesses while they are here, grabbing a drink or something to eat in one of the local restaurants, spending the night in a local hotel, making a purchase at one of the local shops or buying a tank of gasoline at a local station.
And, while those festivals bring thousands of visitors into town in just a few days, it's important to look at the other events through the year that help to keep the local tourism industry strong.
"I love these events because of the culture that they add to our little community," explained Kate Sedgmer, president of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce. "If you think about all of your favorite vacation spots, they all have that kind of cool, cultural thing."
Consider the weekly concerts held at the Berkman Amphitheater in Steubenville, the Weirton Event Center and at the Gazebo in downtown Toronto. By the time those series come to a close, they will have attracted thousands of people from across the Tri-State Area to enjoy music outdoors.
First Fridays on Fourth in Steubenville and Wednesdays in Wintersville, meanwhile, also will draw thousands of area residents to their outdoor festivals between May and October.
"These events bring in people from out of town and from rural Jefferson County who don't necessarily see all of the new businesses that are popping up in the area," Sedgmer said.
And, while there are those people who say the Tri-State Area is going to the dogs, that's actually a good thing. In late May, the Spinone Club of America held its national specialty event in the region.
Most of the activity took place at the Holiday Inn Weirton-Steubenville Area, with some events being conducted at the Mingo Sportsman's Club. It marked the second time the club visited our area -- it also brought its show for aficionados of the Italian hunting dog to Weirton in 2021.
And, in September, the Friendship Cluster AKC dog shows will return to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. More than 800 dogs representing130 breeds are expected to be on display Sept. 1-4. A joint effort of the Fort Steuben Kennel Association, the Trumbull County Kennel Club and the St. Clairsville Kennel Club will be a big draw for dog lovers from around the region.
People come from far and wide to be a part of the Steubenville Nutcracker Village and Christmas at the Fort events that run from Thanksgiving and the end of the year.
The success of the nutcrackers led the Steubenville Cultural Trust to add the Great Steubenville Eggsibition -- which features giant eggs placed at various local businesses around Easter. The display-based projects will expand in July, when the Catfish Crawl Artwalk is unveiled. It will feature 18 uniquely decorated catfish that will be placed along city streets through August.
Plus, officials with the Franciscan University of Steubenville estimate that more than 15,000 additional visitors will be attracted to Franciscan Square as a result of the construction of the ice skating rink there.
All of the attractions though the area make a big difference for the local economy -- as Judy Bratten, executive director of the Steubenville Visitor Center, told members of Steubenville City Council during their April 7 meeting, the most recent annual numbers show that visitors had a direct impact of $129 million in Jefferson County. Visitor spending, visitor-supported jobs and businesses sales generated $29.9 million in government revenues.
All of these events, and many others, including July's Hollow Rock Camp Meeting in July, bring a great deal of money into our region. They offer quality activities -- and make a big difference for our local businesses and communities.
(Gallabrese, a resident of Steubenville, is executive editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times.)