Podcast Episode Focuses On Tourism, Downtown
Friday, February 9th, 2024
The impact of tourism on the local economy in Dalton has grown over the past several years and officials are looking for another banner year in 2024. A big engine attracting visitors to the community is the downtown Dalton district which is booming with new restaurants, bars, and shops and also a new boutique hotel. Both are the subject of the latest episode of the City of Dalton's "Live, Work, Play" podcast. The episode was posted on Friday morning and features an interview with tourism director Margaret Thigpen and DDDA executive director Candace Eaton.
Caption: Communications director Bruce Frazier (left) interviews DDDA executive director Candace Eaton (center) and CVB tourism director Margaret Thigpen (right) in this image from the video version of the "Live, Work, Play" podcast
The Downtown Dalton Development Authority (DDDA) was established by the Georgia General Assembly to revitalize and advance the downtown Dalton district while also preserving the district's rich history. The DDDA does everything from helping businesses in the district with marketing to organizing events downtown to attract visitors to assisting owners with renovating properties. The DDDA has worked with other community organizations like the Creative Arts Guild and the Community Foundation to bring the summer concert series and other events to Burr Park to create a new summer tradition in Dalton. And the DDDA works with the Convention and Visitors Bureau to market the community to visitors from out of town and out of state. In the podcast episode, Eaton and Thigpen discuss their roles in bringing the fun to downtown Dalton and the greater community and also highlight some upcoming events for 2024 that will keep residents and also visitors coming back for more.
The "Live, Work, Play" podcast launched in the fall of 2023 and is intended to shine a light on all of the things that the City's government is doing to make the community Georgia's best community for people to live, work, and play. That will include interviews with City leaders both elected, appointed, and also those simply leading at a grass roots level. It will include profiling City employees, projects, and initiatives. And it will also involve talking about all of the wonderful things that make Dalton a special place.
The podcast is available on Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and Apple Podcasts. A video version of the podcast can also be viewed on the City of Dalton's YouTube channel at YouTube.com/CityofDaltonGeorgia and also in the window below.
A podcast is an audio program similar to a radio broadcast that's available online for download to a computer or a mobile device. Typically, podcasts are produced as a series with new episodes or installments offered on a regular basis for download. The "Live, Work, Play" podcast is produced and recorded in the new Podcast Lab at the Mack Gaston Community Center. The lab is available for use by the public free of charge. Use of the lab can be reserved by contacting the Mack Gaston Community Center during business hours at 706-278-8205.
Below: A video version of the podcast episode
