The month of July will be a busy time in Central Louisiana. From conventions and meetings to sports tournament and events, there will be a lot of people in town over the next four weeks.
Johnny Downs Sports Complex and the Alexandria Youth Complex on Masonic will both be hopping with state and World Series softball action. Alexandria welcomes the Dixie Girls Softball Angels X-Play, Ponytails X-Play, and Debs World Series beginning July 29th through August 5th.
Ward 9 Sportsplex will see baseball action as Pineville hosts the Dixie Jr. Boys Baseball World Series August 6th through 10th. This year marks the 60th Anniversary of Dixie Baseball.
Also in the sporting event category, the Louisiana Golf Association’s Jr. Amateur Tournament will be held July 6th through 8th and an U.S. Amateur Qualifier July 11th and 12th at Links on the Bayou in Alexandria.
The National Boat Racing Association will return to Buhlow Lake July 7th through 10th for their Short Course Nationals event. This tournament will showcase top speeds for these boats.
In the meetings and conventions category, the month starts with the Pentecostal Campground’s 2016 camp meeting, expected to bring more than 10,000 people to the area. Camp-goers will be eating, shopping and exploring the area while in town.
The association convention business has seen an increase in returning events after the reopening of the Hotel Bentley and the Holiday Inn Downtown. The Louisiana Hospital Association, Louisiana Home and Foreign Missions, and Louisiana Municipal Associations will all hold events in Alexandria during the month of July. These conventions are expected to bring 100, 800, and 1,400 attendees, respectively.
“The Alexandria/Pineville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (APACVB) is excited about the upcoming events, tournaments, and conventions during the month of July,” said Sherry Ellington, APACVB Executive Director. “These tournaments and conventions are expected to bring an economic impact of more than $7 million to the area.”
Area businesses who may be affected by the influx of tourists these events may bring can request a convention calendar listing upcoming tournaments, conventions and large groups by contacting the APACVB at (318) 442-9546. The calendar can be used to guide inventory planning and staffing.
To learn more about things to do, places to eat, where to shop, or upcoming events, visit the APACVB online at AlexandriaPinevilleLA.com or “like” the Facebook page at Facebook.com/AlexandriaPinevilleCVB.
