CVB touts marketing, lobby efforts that kept Mississippi open ‘safely’ during pandemic
The tourism industry in Mississippi, including Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau, received millions of dollars in federal money to ensure the state could safely stay open for visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic, CVB Executive Director Nancy Carpenter told members of the Columbus Exchange Club during their weekly luncheon at Lion Hills Thursday.
CVB, Main Street plan project to light downtown buildings
Main Street Columbus Executive Director Barbara Bigelow has been wanting to light up downtown for a few years now.
Local businessman, antebellum homeowner joins CVB board
Lowndes County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday morning to appoint Joe Beckett, local businessman and antebellum homeowner, to the board of the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau.
‘Sonic’ Johnson appointed to CVB board
For 22 years, Richard “Sonic” Johnson served at the Columbus Air Force Base as a pilot. For another 15, he was the public affairs director on base.
City appoints Cunningham to CVB board
Columbus-Lowndes County Convention and Visitors Bureau will soon see a new face on its board.
CVB stands by trademark despite cease-and-desist letter from Preservation Society of Columbus
The Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau will continue to use “Columbus MS Spring Pilgrimage” as the name of next month’s annual event in defiance of a cease-and-desist letter from the Preservation Society of Columbus, which registered the name “Columbus Spring Pilgrimage” in September.
Carpenter: Pilgrimage may move forward without Preservation Society homeowners
Nothing seems to be missing from the poster for the Columbus, Mississippi Spring Pilgrimage this year.
Whitehall, an 1843 antebellum home that has welcomed Pilgrimage visitors in the door for 13 years, is featured front and center. Familiar events, such as Catfish in the Alley, Tales from the Crypt and the Pilgrimage 5K Run, are listed near the bottom.
CVB will provide Juneteenth full funding in advance
The local Juneteenth Festival will receive its full $15,000 from the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau up front this year, a departure from previous CVB policy regarding festival funding.
Non-profits question CVB director’s trademarking of event names
A group of state trademarks filed in October by Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Nancy Carpenter on behalf of the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation has been viewed as a power grab by critics.
Preservation society, CVB to discuss future of Pilgrimage
When the Columbus Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors convene for a special-call meeting Monday at 3 p.m. at the CVB offices, members hope to clear up some confusion about both the immediate and long-term future of the Columbus Pilgrimage.
Cultural Heritage Foundation board shuts down talks with new preservation society
The Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation board of directors abruptly ended public discussions with members of the Preservation Society of Columbus on the future operational control of the Columbus Pilgrimage during a meeting at the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau office Monday.
New nonprofit wants to take over Pilgrimage
A newly formed preservation organization made up of Columbus Pilgrimage Tour homeowners has notified the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation of its intention to assume control of all Pilgrimage operations in 2021.
CVB debates who should fund certain festivals
Officials with Lowndes County, the city of Columbus and Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau all said they were open to a sit-down meeting to clarify language in interlocal agreements among the entities regarding the funding of local events.
Seventh Avenue Heritage Festival canceled due to lack of funding
District 41 State Rep. Kabir Karriem has canceled this year’s Seventh Avenue Heritage Festival, scheduled for Oct. 4-5, because the city of Columbus failed to comply with terms of the interlocal agreement for funding from the 2-percent restaurant sales tax.
Steve Wallace becomes CVB board chair
Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau trustee Steve Wallace has traded seats with Dewitt Hicks after board members unanimously voted Wallace board chairman Monday.
After resistance, CVB director vows to fund county festivals
The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors and the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau appear to finally be on the same page with regard to local festival funding.
Hicks stepping down as CVB board chairman
Longtime Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau trustee DeWitt Hicks is stepping down as board chairman at the end of this month.
Restaurant tax set to return on March 1
Helen Karriem will have another bookkeeping task starting March 1 — one her son helped create for her.
Still, she’s not fretting about it. Besides, she’s known for a while this was probably coming.
CVB approves agreement funding festivals
The Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau has formally agreed to fund seven local festivals this year, pending the renewal of a 2-percent restaurant sales tax.
New 2-percent tax has support of local delegation
A pre-filed bill in the Mississippi Legislature to revive the 2-percent restaurant tax in Columbus includes a little something for everybody — and significantly less funding for one entity, in particular.