Honors Band & Choir to perform on Friday

The Wabash Valley Music Association’s (WVMA) Honors Band & Choir will mark its 49th year with its performance on Friday, March 10, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. at the Honeywell Center.

and vitality of our county.”

The economic importance of tourist spending in a community extends well beyond core hospitality and transportation sectors.

Tourism Economics offers a solution to the efforts of destination marketing organizations, such as Visit Wabash County, and to industry associations that marries rigorous methodology and compelling communication to raise the profile of tourism as an economic engine.

The report concluded the following 2021 Wabash County Tourism Highlights: Spending by Visitors to Wabash County totaled $65.1 million in 2021, an increase of $9.3 million over the previous year and $6.1 million over 2019.

Visitors spent $6 million on lodging, $17.4 million on food & beverages, $19 million on retail, $8.1 million on entertainment and recreation, and $14.7 million on transportation.

The economic impact of these expenditures totaled $65.1 million.

Of every tourism dollar spent in Wabash County in 2021, $.44 ‘stayed’ local totaling a retention of $28.4 million.

Visitor Spending in Wabash County supported 958 jobs and $16.4 million in labor income.

Tourism is the 5th largest industry (4th not including Government) in Wabash County (by jobs).

Tourism-Initiated Tax Revenue generated $3.3 million in Federal tax collections, $6.1 million in State & local taxes including $3.4 million in sales taxes and $2.5 million in property taxes supporting the local tax base.

If Wabash County tourism did not exist, each of the 12,538 households in the county would have to pay an additional $490 per year in taxes to maintain current state & local tax levels.

Approximately 7.5 percent of all jobs in Wabash County are supported by tourism to the region. In addition to the hotel and restaurant industry, tourism directly supports jobs in retail trade, transportation, and the arts.

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Admission is free and open to the public; no ticket is required. A reception with refreshments will take place following the event. This concert is sponsored in part by the Howard M. Garver Wabash Valley Music Association Endowment and the Larry and Anne (Garver) Curless Endowment for Honors Band & Choir.

The Honors Band & Choir Concert uplifts the musical and artistic talent of high school students in Wabash

County. The most talented high school musicians and vocalists are brought together every spring to present a public concert. Students from Northfield, Southwood, Wabash, and Manchester High Schools spend weeks rehearsing for the performance that showcases the tremendous amount of young talent in the area. This concert allows students who have excelled in music education to work and perform with professional guest conductors and directors. The experience broadens the students’ experience and allows them to see how different music leaders work and convey their expectations. The WVMA provides artistic exposure and enrichment to area students through this program. Band students will be conducted by Dr. Daniel Tembras. Cont. on Pg. 5.