Press Kit_packet - Visit Statesboro

The Statesboro Convention & Visitors Bureau cordially welcomes
you to Statesboro, Georgia, a unique city where the eagles soar.
Included in this packet is media information about Statesboro,
annual events, story ideas and facts about Statesboro. If you need
video footage, high resolution pictures or more information please
contact us! We gladly provide media services of complimentary
lodging/accommodations, complimentary meals and exclusive
behind the scenes tours of local attractions & art venues.
Statesboro Convention & Visitors Bureau
332 South Main Street • P.O. Box 1516
Statesboro, GA 30459
www.visitstatesboroga.com
Heidi Jeffers
Executive Director
800-568-3301
[email protected]
500 FUN
Statesboro
words to describe
the
You’ll Find in
Statesboro is nestled in
the middle of the South
East and in the hearts and
minds of locals and tourists alike. Its
foundation is based on a
traditional ways that
celebrate southern lifestyle
while embracing a newaged energy derived from
the local universities and colleges. The two lifestyles
merged together create a green country-side feel with
a vibrant diverse cultured background. Whichever
style you feel most comfortable in, or if you care to
mingle in between the two, Statesboro has a road to
get there and is a path that many people end up calling “home” which is over 28,500 residents.
Come see, come stay, and discover what legendary
“Blind Willie” McTell meant when he sang the
“Statesboro Blues.” Start with our Blind Willie
McTell Trail that features architecturally designed
park areas, quirky art, and cobra lighting throughout
that connects to Georgia Southern University to
Downtown Statesboro. From there, tour the
Georgia Southern
Botanical Garden
that’s filled with lush
greenery, historic
landmarks and a walk
back in time through
our cultural heritage.
And while you’re at it, say hello to a 78- million year
old Mosasaur that inhabits the Georgia Southern
Museum and Freedom, a male Southern Bald Eagle
who is an ambassador for wildlife and institutional
symbol to the Georgia Southern Wildlife Center.
End the day with a sunset at Meinhardt Vineyards
after a tour, free tasting and cheers!
But don’t think the fun stops
there. Ready to play? Then
Mill Creek Regional Park is
your playground. No
matter your age, this state-ofthe-art, 155 acre area is full
of family fun and outdoor
pleasure. The park is also a
home to Splash in the Boro,
a family water park that’s
768,000 gallons of water full of fun. Whether you
are a thrill seeker and want to race down the five
lane mat waterslides or relax in the lazy river, you’re
in for a good time.
And when your
taste buds are wet
and your thirst needs
to be quenched, head
on over to the Mainstreet Statesboro
Farmers Market on Saturdays in April through
November. This market is not only a tasty
centerpiece to Statesboro, but a treasure that
contributes to the farm-to-table movement.
And culture? Statesboro is a vibrant regional center
for the arts and culture that blends generations of
local talent with the world-class offerings of a major
university. Catch a show at the Georgia Southern
Performing Arts Center, one of the largest and
finest performing arts venues in Georgia. This 825seat theater regularly welcomes audiences for
classical music and rock
legends, Broadway shows and comedy greats, musicals and dramas, ballet and
bluegrass.Or head on over to
the Averitt Center for the Arts, an architectural gem in Statesboro’s charming
downtown. The Averitt is the
hub of a regional arts community, bringing together
visiting artists, performers and shows as well as
drawing on a rich community of artists. For those
seeking a visual arts experience, visit their changing
exhibits in various galleries.
Whatever your pleasure, you’ll find it here.
Annual Events
January
MLK Parade
Downtown Statesboro
912-764-7227
October
Kiwanis-Ogeechee Fair
Kiwanis-Ogeechee Fair Grounds
www.kiwanisogeecheefair.org
February
Wedding Walk Expo & Fashion Show
Downtown Statesboro
912-764-7227
Trick or Treat at Mill Creek
Mill Creek Regional Park
912-764-5637
bullochrec.com
March
Swing into Spring
Mill Creek Regional Park
912-764-5637
www.bullochrec.com
Scare on the Square
Downtown Statesboro
912-764-7227
April
Kiwanis Rodeo
Kiwanis-Ogeechee Fairgrounds
kiwanisogeecheefair.org
Wine, Moonlight & Magnolias
GSU Botanical Gardens
912-871-1149
georgiasouthern.edu/garden
Relay for Life Bulloch County
Kiwanis-Ogeechee Fairgrounds
relayforlife.org/bullochga
Statesboro Film Festival
Averitt Center for the Arts
912-212-ARTS
statesborofilmfestival.com
Turpentine Festival
Portal, GA
portalheritagesociety.com
November
Turkey Trot 5K Run
Downtown Statesboro, Courthouse
912-489-1869
Shopping by Lantern Light
Sea Island Bank Parking lot
mainstreetstatesborofarmersmarket.com
912-764-7227
December
Downtown Holiday Celebration
Downtown Statesboro
912-764-7227
On Going Events
F1rst Fridays
July
First Friday of every month
Firecrack Fest & July 4th Celebration Downtown Statesboro
Mill Creek Regional Park
912-764-7227
912-764-5637
bullochrec.com
Mainstreet Farmers Market
Saturdays in April-November
August
Sea Island Bank Parking lot, Downtown
Brooklet Peanut Festival
mainstreetstatesborofarmersmarket.com
Brooklet, GA
912-764-7227
www.brookletpeanutfestival.com
Story Ideas
• Statesboro’s Musical Heritage, including Emma Kelly, the Lady of 6000 Songs, Legendary
Blues Guitarist Blind Willie McTell, and the home of Statesboro Blues
• Braswell Foods, a local producer of jams, jellies, and so much more. Braswell’s hasbeen
family owned and operated since WWII
• Walk on the Wildside! Touch live bald eagles, learn about native reptiles and visit the new waterfowl exhibition at the Georgia Southern Wildlife Center
• The Backroads of Georgia: Travel U.S. Hwy. 301, Georgia’s Route 66
• Antique Alley: Discover Antiques & Uniques in and around Statesboro
• Arts and Culture: Statesboro is home to the Averitt Center for the Arts, Georgia Southern’s Center for Art and Theater, & Performing Arts Center, many independent art
galleries, and two musical icons
• Georgia Southern Museum: The Museum is home to the Camp Lawton Civil War Exhibit, which features archaeological discoveries made by the Georgia SouthernUniversity
Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the site of former Camp Lawton, a Civil War prisoner of war camp situated in Jenkins County, Georgia.
• Georgia Southern Museum: The 78-million year old, 26-foot long, fossil skeleton of a
Mosasaur (Tylosaurus proriger) dominates the Hall of Natural History. Over 85% of the
skeleton was recovered, making this world-class specimen a unique find.
• Girlfriend’s Getaways: enjoy retail therapy in one of our many shopping districts
• Wine Vacations: visit Meinhardt Winery for a free tasting, learn how wine is made, and
enjoy a breathtaking sunset
• Unconventional conventions: tour our new meeting facilities
• Georgia’s Agriculture: Statesboro is the state’s #1 row crop producer and many farms offer
tours to see peanuts, cotton, Vidalia onions, strawberries and more!
• Freeman Mills Farm: See first hand how grits and corn meal have been grounded by the
Freeman family by their 100+ year old granite mills.
Population:
Just the Facts
28,500 Residents as of 2010 Census
Incorporated:
December 19, 1803
Location:
The City of Statesboro is the county seat of Bulloch County,
Georgia, located in the southeastern corner of the state.
Distances from other Southern Cities:
Savannah, GA: 60 miles
Augusta, GA: 78 miles
Macon, GA: 125 miles
Hilton Head Island, SC: 90 miles
Charleston, SC: 150 miles
Accommodations:
Hotels, B&B and Inns: 19
Restaurants:
Around 150
Neat Thigns to Know:
• There are no other cities in the U.S. named Statesboro
• During the Civil War, General Willima T. Sherman famous March to the Sea included marching through Statesboro.
• Statesboro is sometimes referred to as the “Tourist City”.
• Georgia Southern University is ranked one of the top ten most popular universities in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. Georgia Southern is currently tied with Yale for the number seven spot on 2012’s list.
• Ogeechee Technical College Named TCSG College of the Year in 2010.
• Statesboro provided the inspiration for the blues song “Statesboro Blues”, written by Blind Willie McTell in the 1920s and famously covered by The Allman Brothers Band.