Depot Days Festival 2018 – Newport, Arkansas
The Newport Area Chamber of Commerce is now accepting vendor applications for the 21st annual Depot Days Festival to be held September 28 and 29, 2018, on Front Street in downtown Newport. The festival is a showcase of local, regional and national talent paying tribute to the rich musical history of Jackson County for which Rock ‘n’ Roll Highway 67 was recognized by the Arkansas Legislature and Governor Mike Beebe years ago.
See the outstanding line up of entertainment below. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Highway 67 Museum will be open as well from noon until 4 p.m. Music, food, vendors, crafts, the Lions Club auction and children’s activities will be available for all to enjoy. Admission is FREE to the public!
For more information on the Depot Days Festival visit their website at www.depotdays.org
LODGING UPDATE
Many of the area motels are booked for the Depot Days weekend but there is camping available at Jacksonport State Park, about 4 miles away from our venue.
https://www.arkansasstateparks.com/jacksonport/
Cathy Drew is a lifelong resident of the region that she loves to promote. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late ’60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit.
Drew became associated with the Ozark Gateway Region in 1990 while working at the ad agency (The Media Market Inc.). The agency handled marketing for the regional association, where she and her co-workers produced an annual tabloid publication. She began working as the Ozark Gateway Region director in June 2000.
After Drew became director, she took the region to the next level by helping the tourism organization create a new website and moved it from the old newspaper paper tabloid publication to a color magazine format. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year.
In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. The tournament continues to grow each year, allowing the organization to expand its co-op program and helping each county have dedicated promotion. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Drew was featured in several local and statewide publications over the years, as well as the 1997 cover of the Ozark Gateway Region tabloid, along with her then 4-year-old son, Jon. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow.
She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. She now serves as their co-election coordinator, helping with behind-the-scenes management of voting equipment, day-to-day election deadlines, and poll worker training.
Drew serves on the Arkansas Travel Council Board of Directors, is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current publicity chair.
In March of 2018, Drew was honored with induction into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame for her many years of dedicated service to the tourism industry.