Sara Hamlin will represent the CVB’s tourism department at the annual Destination Marketing Association International convention in Austin. This “convention of convention bureaus” is chock full of worthwhile seminars and discussions with industry peers from around the world. Other department heads will also attend. The end of July brings a trip to Louisiana Northshore for the annual “Spotlight on the Southeast” tourism conference.
Meanwhile, Chianti Cleggett will represent Birmingham at the Fraternity Executive Association in Scottsdale, AZ. Back on the home front, Chianti returns to assist Heidi Soltys with a familiarization tour built around the new Sloss Music & Arts Festival. About 50 planners and their guests are expected for the weekend of festivities. Closing out the month, Barry Hoehn and Brent Cotton will travel to San Francisco for Meeting Professionals International-World Education Congress, one of the year’s most significant meetings for generating new convention business.
The marketing and communications department is knee-deep in social media and digital giveaways and promotions. VIP passes and weekend accommodations for Slossfest has drawn hundreds of entries from digital ads promoting the city’s summer entertainment events. Be on the lookout in your favorite watering holes for cool new coasters inviting you to post Birmingham photos on Instagram (#inbirmingham). Also newly up and running is an updated Kelly Ingram Park mobile phone tour. Thousands of visitors come from around the world each year to learn about Birmingham’s painful and pivotal role in a nationwide call for civil rights. Sculptures throughout the park are vivid depictions of police dog and fire hose assaults on demonstrators, many of them children. The mobile phone tour guides visitors through the historical significance of each sculpture, using brief but powerful descriptions at each stop. The audio tour was developed by the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau and was funded, in part, by a grant from the Alabama Tourism Department. The tour is free and available to anyone with a mobile phone. The dial-in number is 205-307-5455.
Conventions and Events for July and August:
Jehovah’s Witnesses Watch Tower………..July 2-5
Greater Emmanuel Holiness Churches………..July 3-8
The Most Worshipful Olive Branch Grand Lodge…….July 9-16
Forty & Eight……….July 10-12
International Order of the Rainbow for Girls……….July 10-13
Alabama Department of Human Resources……..July 13-14
Southeastern Conference Media Days………..July 13-16
National Select 7on7 Football Championships………July 16-18
Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge Free & Accepted Masons………July 16-22
The Church of God of Prophecy………..July 17-19
United Christian Fellowship Alliance…….July 20-25
Tuskegee University Alumni……….July 22-25
National & Independent Gospel Music Association……..July 22-26
Alabama Recreation & Parks Association……July 23-26
Black American Softball Association……..July 24-26
Alabama Department of Human Resources……..July 27-28
Alabama Association for Career and Technical Education……July 28-31
Gulf South Conference…….July 29-30
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the US……..July 30-Aug. 1
Secret Stages Music Festival………July 31-Aug. 2
Associated Grocers of the South……..August 4-5
Southern Veterinary Conference……..August 6-9
Saleen Club of America……….August 6-9
Alabama Power Company Tech Forum……..August 10-13
Personnel Board of Jefferson County………August 10-14
National Pro Fastpitch Championships…….August 11-19
2015 AMVETS National Convention……….August 12-23
Alabama Association of School Boards…….August 13-14
Senior Softball USA Southern Championships……..August 13-16
Alabama Broadcasters Association………..August 14-15
Alabama Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association……….August 14-15
Greater Birmingham Festival of Hope with Franklin Graham………August 14-16
Southeastern Library Association………August 14-16
Vestavia Hills Soccer Club-Liberty Cup Boys Tournament……….August 15-16
Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants……….August 17-19
Vestavia Hills Soccer Club-Liberty Cup Girls Tournament……….August 22-23
Hoover High School – Juanita Boddie Volleyball Tournament………..August 28-29