Tourism director reports rising social reach; plans ‘Makers and Growers’ festival for fall

Brittney Robinson, Scott County’s tourism coordinator, told the board her office has increased organic social reach and is focusing on video and small‑business promotion while planning a new fall festival.

Robinson said Scott County’s Facebook content generated roughly 907,000 views and a 36% increase in reach over a recent period, achieved without paid promotion. She highlighted recent press mentions for Natural Tunnel State Park, Mountain View Market and Brookhaven Farms and said three new county businesses opened in recent months.

Robinson described a tentative plan for a Makers and Growers festival in September that would combine artisan booths and agricultural showcases with vocational‑school student enterprises. She said the goal is to create a regional festival that gives local producers and student makers a venue similar to county farm/garden shows and craft days. She also outlined marketing support the county receives through a corporate marketing vendor (a Bounty Trail video and a planned Facebook ad campaign directed at May–July).

Robinson said she is launching a Scott County entrepreneurial network to connect small business owners and scheduled an initial roundtable meeting. She asked for continued board support for regional marketing and said she will report back as plans develop.

Board members commended the outreach and asked Robinson to continue work on lodging coordination and deeper regional promotion.