Last Thursday I was reminded again why we set out on this crazy journey of downtown revitalization in the first place, as I witnessed kids enjoying bounce houses and the petting zoo, families going on hayrides around the downtown, couples and families exploring downtown shops and sampling chili as part of the Chili Cookoff, and the excitement of the Irey Dance Academy flash mob taking shape in Founder’s Park!
Due to a last-minute conflict, I even got tapped to join my friends Bev Ford and Kate McCleese as a judge of the 19 chili cookoff contestants spanning the entire walkable downtown! Let me just tell you, this task was more than I bargained for! First off, there were a lot of darn good chilis entered in this contest, and it was tough to choose. Second off, have you ever eaten chili
for two solid hours? Fortunately, I’ve been training for this, well forever, as a semi-professional eater; otherwise, I would have never made it.
In the end, three standout chili recipes prevailed:
First Place: White Chicken Chili from Attaboy’s Comfort Cuisine
Second Place: Meat Lover’s Chili from Baking People Happy
Third Place: Pizza Chili from Mimi’s Art Hollow
It was truly a beautiful evening for the event and a wonderful time connecting with lots of friends who were enjoying their time not only with the Fall Festival activities, but also dining at local restaurants, listening to live music at a couple different establishments, and strolling the sidewalks with a DORA drink in hand.
At one point, someone stopped me and said, “This is great! Our family had such a fun time tonight!” A few minutes later, I overheard someone inside a shop say, “I’ve never been in here before,” followed by “wow, what unique gifts”, then another who said, “I need to bring my friends back here.” Those moments might seem small, but to me, they’re everything. They’re the
spark that keeps our local businesses alive and growing…that moment of discovery that turns a visitor into a loyal supporter.
As I strolled down Main Street in between chili stops, I looked around just as the alley lights flipped on and the sun began to fade. The sidewalks were filled with people laughing, carrying shopping bags, sipping drinks, and listening as the music shifted for the flash mob dancers descending into the park. It was one of those moments straight out of a movie…the kind of
moment that makes you pause and realize how fortunate we are to live in a community filled with good people who care. Nights like this remind me that our downtown isn’t just a collection of buildings; it’s a living, breathing reflection of all of us working together to make Marion a place we’re proud to call home.
If you missed out on this event, don’t miss the next event downtown! Be sure to follow Downtown Marion Inc., Henry Development Group, Marion Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Second Saturdays in Downtown Marion to stay up to date! Going into the holiday season, there are a lot of great events that you will not want to miss!
If you have a membership at Connect Coworx, make sure to drop by so you can experience some Halloween fun early. There will be fresh cookies, a costume contest, and there is a rumor that candy may be available for our participating costumers. This is a no-pressure event, just a fun way to celebrate and get in the Halloween spirit during the day. We hope to see our members there and we really hope someone helps us eat all these cookies.
Have you seen our loft tour videos?
We recently have started a series on filming in and around our downtown lofts. We have already featured lofts from 3,000sqft to 600sqft. Want to check it out? Click the links before for a look inside some of our properties!
Facebook links below:
If Our Apartment Had a Tinder Profile
An Entertainer’s Dream- 3,000sqft Loft
All our videos are also on our Instagram and TikTok. Find us on our other platforms!
Last week I also had the pleasure of attending the Marion Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Annual Tourism Celebration. It was inspiring to hear about the preparations underway for the America 250 festivities next year, both here in Marion County and across the State of Ohio. I especially appreciated the statistics that Executive Director Bev Ford shared about tourism right here in Marion.
We may not always think of ourselves as a tourist destination, but we have some incredible assets that attract visitors from across the state and even beyond. Of course, many know about the more than 10,000 annual visitors to the Harding Home and Museum, but what about the thousands who come to performances at the Marion Palace Theatre, the out-of-town couples who celebrate their weddings at The Brickyard on Main and Urban501, or the train enthusiasts who stop by Marion Union Station? Add in the visitors to the other Marion area museums, those
exploring the Marion Tallgrass Trail, and the athletes who compete in tournaments at Lincoln Park and RV Baseball for Youth, it all adds up to a thriving tourism story right here at home.
Not only are we fortunate to have these unique experiences in our backyard, but each visitor also helps support our local economy by spending money in our stores, restaurants, hotels, and Airbnbs. Those lodging dollars help fund the CVB, and Bev and her team do a wonderful job of turning that investment into even more visitors.
Let’s each do our part to keep sharing the positive story of Marion! While we’re at it, let’s make sure we send those visitors downtown to experience the heart of our community.
Better Together,
Luke Henry Col 3:23
