North Central Massachusetts celebrates Johnny Appleseed’s 250th birthday

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Celebration recognizes American pioneer, folk hero of Massachusetts born in Leominster

Johnny-Appleseed-Visitor-Center-celebrates-Johnny-Apppleseed-250th-Birthday

Sabbra Reyes, Assistant Manager, Johnny Appleseed Visitors Center, and Diane Burnette, Manager, Johnny Appleseed Visitors Center, are joined by two alpacas and staff from Plain View Farm, Hubbardston, Mass.

State and local officials, and community, business and tourism leaders joined members of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and Visit North Central Massachusetts to commemorate the 250th birthday of John Chapman (known as “Johnny Appleseed”) who was born in the city of Leominster on September 26, 1774.

While Appleseed was born and raised in Leominster, he is considered the Commonwealth’s official folk hero and an early environmentalist. He traveled for nearly 50 years across the nation strategically planting apple seeds with an eye toward a future market for crops, and sold or often gave away seeds and seedlings to settlers in communities.

Mark Bodanza, a local historian and author of “Johnny Appleseed – the Man Behind the Folklore,” spoke during the event about the history of Johnny Appleseed and its significance not only in the region, but also around the world.

“Johnny Appleseed may be one of the most enigmatic figures in American history,” Bodanza said. “People near and far from his Leominster birthplace, know of his journey. Those treks not only included planting apple seedlings for pioneers but also the spreading of his religious beliefs and minimalist lifestyle. One of America’s most unusual characters, Johnny Appleseed’s legacy speaks to us today as a gentle reminder of slowing down, consuming only what is necessary, and remaining steadfast in one’s personal beliefs despite popular opinion.”

The event was held at the Johnny Appleseed Visitors Center, which is considered by many the gateway to North Central Massachusetts and the last stop before entering Appleseed’s hometown of Leominster.

Those attending today’s event included State Representative Natalie Higgins; State Representative Meg Kilcoyne; and Jonathan Gulliver from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Members of the Leominster High School Marching Band performed American classics, and a special appearance was made by “Johnny Appleseed,” who interacted with attendees and enjoyed a slice of birthday cake.

During today’s celebration, a new apple tree was planted at the center to commemorate Appleseed’s 250th birthday.

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Members of the Leominster High School Marching Ban

“While we all have the image of Johnny Appleseed wearing a stewpot hat with a bag on his back spreading apple seeds across the countryside, he also was a successful businessman who helped many new communities flourish,” said Roy M. Nascimento, president and CEO, Visit North Central Massachusetts and the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “Today we celebrate his birth by planting an apple tree for the visitors of our region to enjoy and remember his legacy of supporting pioneers and planting seeds to provide nourishing food for generations.”

The Johnny Appleseed Visitors Center, operated by the Johnny Appleseed Trail Association (which does business as Visit North Central Massachusetts), is far from your typical rest stop. This unique destination showcases Johnny Appleseed’s legacy and North Central Massachusetts’ rich agricultural and industrial heritage through a curated collection of historical items, local art, and engaging displays.

At the entrance, visitors are greeted by a popular bronze sculpture of young Johnny Appleseed, crafted by local artist Peter Cote. The center’s grounds feature 91 apple trees, including three Rambo trees that are direct descendants of the last known tree planted by Appleseed himself. A replica colonial-era home, representative of Appleseed’s living quarters, adds historical context. The grounds also boast artistic benches, including a Johnny Appleseed-inspired ski lift chair donated by Wachusett Ski Area converted into a unique seating area and another hand carved wooden bench created by a local wood sculptor and representative of the proud heritage in the furniture industry.

Inside, the center displays local arts and crafts, seasonal murals, historical items from throughout the region, and vintage Johnny Appleseed memorabilia. A popular gift shop sells local items, including jams, jellies, candy, apple-related products, and a variety of books about Johnny Appleseed and the region’s history.

Perhaps most striking is the “Big Apple of New England,” the largest apple structure of its kind in the region, which has become a favorite spot for visitors taking selfies.

The Johnny Appleseed Visitors Center is open seven days a week, 361 days a year from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It only closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Independence Day and early on Christmas Eve.

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Tourism Update

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The Chamber’s tourism arm, Visit North Central Massachusetts (VNCM), has developed its annual marketing plan to promote the region. As a result of the pandemic, VNCM plans to strategically shift its marketing resources in FY2021 to focus on helping our regional economy recover quickly and effectively from the disruption. The restaurants, retailers, hoteliers, farms and attractions that comprise our local visitor industry have been among the hardest hit by the disruption caused by this health crisis and will take the longest to recover. Marketing strategies in FY2021 will focus on Shop/Eat/Stay/Explore Local promotional efforts that encourage companies and residents to support local businesses during the recovery.  Marketing efforts will also target the regional drive market within a 250-mile radius, including key markets like Boston, Southern Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island highlighting our advantages and safety.  Data and research from our economic development planning process suggests that we are well positioned to potentially benefit from the new environment and changing consumer demands, given our rural character, affordability and agricultural heritage. The plan was approved by the Board of Directors and submitted to the Mass Office of Travel and Tourism as part of our annual tourism grant submission. We also presented it to members during the Summer to gather input. It was well received by both MOTT and our members, however we are still waiting on state tourism funding in the state budget.

 

As part of this marketing/recovery plan, we focused our efforts in Q1 with updating our VisitNorthCentral.com website and social media platforms for the “new normal” including developing new locally focused content, developing new messaging, optimizing our site for new searches and utilizing digital and social media channels to promote, connect and engage with consumers. Messaging and themes have been centered around re-opening and supporting our businesses. “When it Matters Most” is being utilized as an overarching theme. It is important that our target audience understands why “spending local” is now more important than ever. Member-focused contests and promotions have also been utilized to drive engagement with messaging focused on the attributes of the region that appeal most to visitors, such as our safety as rural region and abundance of family-oriented activities. As we move into the traditionally busy Fall season and Q2, we plan to ramp up our paid digital advertising to promote the region and local businesses. We plan to focus primarily on digital media for now as it provides the greatest flexibility and allows us to adapt quickly if needed.  As we move into the Spring, we will start to leverage some print advertising. Our media buys will be dependent on the final receipt of our grant funding from the state.

 

Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 crisis, VNCM’s participation in several travel shows were cancelled including the Discover New England Summit in Maine, the Dream Destinations Showcase in Western Mass, and a major bridal expo in September.  We will resume these business development activities that play an important role in promoting the region to groups once it is safe to do so.

 

Visit North Central Massachusetts Participating in SkiMass Collaboration

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Visit North Central Massachusetts is proud to participate in a #SkiMass collaboration in partnership with the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, The Massachusetts Ski Resort Association, The Berkshires and Franklin County. This is in an effort to bring more ski and snowboarding travelers to North Central Massachusetts and support our partners at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area.

A mix of targeted digital media on Facebook and Instagram platforms are set in place to target key markets in Greater Boston, New Hampshire, New York and Connecticut.

 

For more information on North Central Massachusetts, please go to:

www.VisitNorthCentral.com 

Spring/Summer 2020 Guide To North Central Massachusetts Cover Reveal

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Revealing your Spring/Summer 2020 Guide To North Central Massachusetts Cover!

Interested in advertising in the guide? Please contact Diane Burnette |

Fall Guide to North Central Massachusetts Out Now!

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Get the inside scoop on all things fall season in North Central Massachusetts – from the best time to harvest apples to a craft beer trail! Find the latest edition at the Johnny Appleseed Center or any other local venue and attraction in North Central Massachusetts! For more information on the Guide To North Central Massachusetts, how to advertise, or how to get one delivered to you, please contact Diane Burnette | DBurnette@ northcentralmass.com ◊

View the latest edition here!

New Chamber Tourism Website Fall Launch

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Stay tuned! The Chamber’s tourism affiliate, Visit North Central Massachusetts will be launching a dynamic new tourism website this fall. The new website will have a fresh new look and feature a number of enhancements to help better promote members and North Central Massachusetts. This is part of our efforts around continuous improvements to strengthen our communications, member services and operations.

Chamber offers new experiential networking program

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In September 2018, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber introduced an additional networking program for members called Experience North Central. This addition styled like a Business After Hours  offers attendees yet another social networking opportunity with the inclusion of an experience at one of our many gems within the community.

The first Experience North Central featured a cider donut and fudge making lesson at the nationally renowned Red Apple Farm in Phillipston, a 100 year old destination for all things fall. In October, we featured local beer manufacturer, Moon Hill Brewing, in celebration of Manufacturing Month. Both were said to be “the best networking experience ever” by several attendees.

If you’re sick of the same old networking and also looking to learn behind the scenes secrets of local businesses, then Experience North Central is for you! Our next event will be held in January 2018. Have an idea for an Experience? Contact Events & Programs Manager, Maria McCaffrey, at 978.353.7600 ext. 235 or

Tourism Sales Mission

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The Johnny Appleseed Trail Association, the tourism arm of the chamber, participated in the New England Society of Association Executives, NESAE, 2018 Annual Management Conference where we had a table promoting our meeting venues to association executives from all over New England. In attendance were over 100 association executives and destinations looking to do business. Members who were promoting North Central Massachusetts alongside us were Great Wolf Lodge New England and the Devens Common Center.

This is an example of the many ongoing efforts of JATA to promote the region to visitors and groups in key markets. Ultimately these efforts help generate additional visitors and additional dollars to the communities in our region. In 2016, our collective regional tourism marketing strategy resulted in $131 million economic impact for North Central Massachusetts.

 

Tourism Industry Continues to Thrive in North Central

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By, Suzanne Farias Chair of the Board Johnny Appleseed Trail Association

As the third largest industry in Massachusetts, it’s no doubt that tourism has a major impact on the economy.  In North Central Massachusetts, tourism has had a profound economic impact – and throughout the last year, tourism related revenue has continued to grow.

Tourism can be looked at in many different lights: family vacations, sports and recreation, corporate travel, group tours– all things we actively see here in North Central. These travelers spend money at gas stations, restaurants, shops and stay overnight at our local hotels. Local room tax revenue is a valuable resource for municipalities. Over the last few years, North Central Massachusetts has seen tremendous growth in room tax revenue – validating that North Central Massachusetts is growing as a popular destination.

Communities use the room tax revenue to help fund parts of their budget, as well as re-investing those dollars in tourism marketing. The Johnny Appleseed Trail Association – an affiliate of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce – is a state recognized regional tourism council. Through investments by business owners, regional attractions and local and state government, the Johnny Appleseed Trail Association works to aggressively promote and market North Central Massachusetts as a tourism destination.

The addition of Great Wolf Lodge has been a boon to Fitchburg. The hotel, water park and conference spaces are an asset to Fitchburg’s growth and economic development. With that hotel online, room tax revenue spiked for Fitchburg in fiscal year 2015 to $937,000. That growth continued in fiscal year 2016, with an 8% increase bringing revenue to over one million dollars. Fitchburg continues to lead the region’s tourism economy with the help of Great Wolf.

In Leominster, room tax revenue growth is more aggressive than ever before. By maintaining a competitive environment for lodging and conference space, Leominster saw an unprecedented 27.5% growth in tourism revenue for fiscal year 2016. Gardner has also seen steady growth in their room tax revenue – climbing 12.4% over the previous year.

The tourism industry is not only alive and well in North Central Massachusetts – it’s thriving. In order to continue that growth, we need to continue to work regionally and collaboratively to promote North Central Massachusetts, continue investments in tourism marketing, and maintain competitive tax rates that attract travelers of all kind.

 Suzanne Farias is the general manager of the DoubleTree by Hilton in Leominster and serves as the Chair of the Board for the Johnny Appleseed Trail Association.

Reserve Your Spot in the Official Guide to North Central Massachusetts

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An ad in the Johnny Appleseed Visitors Guide is the best marketing decision you will make all year. This publication is the only one reaching visitors and long-time community members on a year-round basis. The publication is distributed at over 350 locations across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Canada. Work is underway now for the Spring edition. Contact Diane Burnette via email at or call 978-534-2829 to reserve your spot today. Space is limited.