Making magic in Gadsden, tourists’ paradise
Story by Roxann Edsall
Photos by Graham Hadley
Submitted Photos
Unusual, exciting, bold … all positive terms for the adventurer. If you seek exciting escapades, exhilarating exploits or prodigious pursuits, the Gadsden area is a place you should check out.
With a renewed passion for sharing all the area has to offer, Greater Gadsden Area Tourism invites adventure-seekers of all levels to explore their expansive list of upcoming cultural, recreational and adventure-filled special events.
“Adventure Begins Here” is the new tourism slogan, one which is punctuated by events like the annual Barbarian Challenge. The six-mile race is scheduled for June 15 through rugged terrain, including 20 obstacles and through the gorge of the 90-foot waterfall at Noccalula Falls.
If that’s not to your liking, then maybe the thrill of finding treasures in the World’s Longest Yard Sale is a better fit. Held the first weekend of August, this 690-mile odyssey offers six states worth of pre-owned plunder stretching from Gadsden to Hudson, Michigan.
The city’s most well-known treasure is the 500-acre Noccalula Falls Park, situated at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains. The park’s iconic falls are prominently featured in the new Greater Gadsden Area tourism logo.
Activities beyond viewing the falls include camping, mountain biking, mini golf, fly fishing, a petting zoo, a miniature train, botanical gardens, Veterans’ Park and a wedding chapel. They host an art event twice a year called “Art on the Rocks,” the next one scheduled for September. At this event you can view and purchase all types of art and craft items.
“Christmas at the Falls,” featuring over a million lights illuminating the park, drew over 80,000 visitors this past year, opening on Thanksgiving night and running through New Year’s Eve.
Attracting visitors to the greater Gadsden area to spend one or more nights is the goal of the tourism board, whose website touts the city’s offerings as “boundless opportunities for outdoor recreation.” Funded through the lodging tax, the tourism board is celebrating its 15th year of existence promoting the greater Gadsden area, which, in addition to Gadsden, includes Rainbow City, Southside, Attalla, Glencoe, Hokes Bluff, Sardis City, and Altoona.
Executive Director of the Greater Gadsden Area Tourism Tina Morrison came to the job less than a year ago from a similar position in Athens, Alabama. The nameplate on her desk reads, “Tina Morrison, Magic Maker,” and she makes it a priority to live up to that.
She traveled the world with an engineering and construction firm for 10 years before returning to the United States and taking a job in Perdido Key, Fla., as their chamber and visitor’s center executive director.
Six weeks after taking the Perdido job, she was mitigating a crisis caused by a huge oil spill, which seriously threatened the tourism industry. She secured a $1 million grant and led a campaign called “The Coast Is Clear,” which helped people see the conditions of the beach. “We would go across the street every single day and take video of the beach and post it on the website.” That effort was a major victory for tourism in the Perdido area.
Morrison brings that same enthusiasm and head-on problem solving to Etowah County. She got right to work in Gadsden, developing the new logo and branding following the ribbon cutting on their new location on Broad Street. They are in the downtown civic center, a building which also houses the City of Gadsden Parks and Recreation department and the city’s event rental office.
“We’re also working on a brand-new visitor’s guide,” says Morrison. “It will have less text, more pictures, and lots of QR codes. You’ll be able to click on the QR code and immediately get more information about that event or restaurant. Information to make a visitor’s stay more complete and enjoyable will be just a click away.”
The Alabama Department of Tourism has declared 2024 the Year of Alabama Food. “To promote that, we’ve produced an awesome print ad promoting area food establishments and are working on some special restaurant events in August,” adds Morrison. “We’re also working on producing some packaged itineraries for guests, so they can have a list of things for them to do to spend the day, the weekend, or longer.”
Morrison is quick to credit Administrative Assistant Cheryl Pate, the other half of the tourism staff, as her partner in progress. “She’s great. She’s been here for five years and is amazing.”
She also credits the mayor’s office with inspiring a new sense of excitement in the city. “He (Craig Ford) has been here about two years and is lighting a fire under the town,” says Morrison. “We’re working together as never before.” They also work closely with the Gadsden special events department and Downtown Gadsden, a member-based group that promotes the downtown area.
Communicating scheduled events to prospective visitors and to service providers within the area is a priority for Morrison and Pate. They host quarterly lodging meetings with hotel and campground operators to listen to their needs and to share information on upcoming events that could draw in visitors.
The tourism board has taken over the Etowah County Event Calendar, where visitors can see all the upcoming events in one comprehensive listing. “Since we started that in September, our visitor numbers on that site have increased from 6,000 to 10,000,” said Morrison. “People can scan the QR code in our new visitors guide or go to www.greatergadsden.com/events to view the whole list.”
Morrison admits that when she moved to the area, she was shocked by the area’s diversity in cultural arts. “It’s the biggest secret,” she said, telling of the incredible collections currently housed at the Gadsden Museum of Art and its next-door neighbor, Mary G. Harden Cultural Arts Center. “There’s a pretty amazing cigar box guitar collection on permanent display there.” Twice a year, Noccalula Falls hosts an event called “Art on the Rocks.”
This summer, the Downtown Gadsden group will continue hosting First Fridays, with businesses staying open late, followed by free concerts at The Amp. Country group Nash County will perform July 5 and Rubik Groove (80s and 90s rock) is scheduled for Aug. 2. In October, you can enjoy wine and cheese overlooking the water at “Sunset Sips.” During this event, Memorial Bridge is temporarily closed and transformed into a pedestrian gathering spot.
Enjoy that wine. Hike that trail. Challenge your body to perform like a barbarian. Refine your artistic acuity. There are so many options for fun and adventure throughout the year. Go ahead and check out their calendar. You may want to add it to yours.
