Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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18 UCW FEBRUARY 11-17, 2015 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM CUMBERLAND COUNTY VISITOR PROFILE Each month, the Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau collects data on our visitors at five touch points - at area attractions, at hotels, through our electronic kiosks, at each of our three visitor centers and online from inquirers that indicate they are visiting. Through this sampling, we are able to put together a monthly and year-to-date profile of Cumberland County' s visitor. Here are the results from the first half of fiscal year 14/15: - After North Carolina, Cumberland County visitors hail from Florida, New York, Texas, Virginia and Pennsylvania. - Their top reasons for visiting are: Vacation (25%), Visiting Family & Friends (23%) , Business with the Military (17%), Other (11%) and Business (7.7%) . - Visitors' top areas of interest are: Museums (19%), Historical Sites (15%), Military Sites (13%) , Outdoor Recreation (9%) and Arts (8%) - In the first six months of the fiscal year, Cumberland County's visitors have largely had a positive experience visiting our community. They ranked their experience at 4.79 (out of 5). At the end of each fiscal year, the FACVB completes a comprehensive conversion study that provides a detailed analysis of Cumberland County's visitor. We look forward to sharing those results in this column later this year. CIVIL WAR SESQUICENTENNIAL March 2015 marks the 150th anniversary of Fayetteville and Cumberland County's Civil War milestones. The Civil War Heritage Trail takes visitors on a tour of these sites, and provides insight into what happened in 1865. Developed with a panel of local historians, the trail is available for download at VisitFayettevilleNC.com/CulturalHeritageTrails. To mark the anniversary, local sites have planned special events. A brief listing of the events are below. For more details go to VisitFayettevilleNC.com/events. ¥ February 27: Red, White, Blue and Black: United States Colored Troops In North Carolina -Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex ¥ Opens March 3 : The Fall of Fayetteville-March 1865 -exhibit at the Fayetteville Area Transportation & Local History Museum ¥ March 7: Fayetteville Civil War Bus Tour & March 10: Monroe's Crossroads 150th Anniversary Bus Tour - organized by the Fayetteville Area Transportation & Local History Museum ¥ March 14: 150th Anniversary Commemoration - at Averasboro Battlefield ¥ March 14/15: Sesquicentennial Living History - at Arsenal Park ¥ March 16: In the Path of Sherman's March - author presentation at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre and sponsored by the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex. Old Bluff Church & Cemetery Organized in 1758, Old Bluff Presbyterian Church is one of the oldest Presbyterian churches in Cumberland County. The present Greek Revival structure was built in 1858. The adjacent cemetery is one of the oldest in the county. Old Bluff Church is one of 28 sites on Cumberland County's Civil War Cultural Heritage Trail. As you face north entering the Old Bluff churchyard you are pointed in the direction which the lead element of Union Gen. William T. Sherman's Left Wing advanced on March 14, 1865. Over two days, the wing's 30,000 officers and men, passed by in the face of sporadic and increasing Confeder- ate resistance. That resistance culminated in the Battle of Averasboro on March 15-16 and the Battle of Bentonville on March 19-21. Old Bluff Church Road Wade, NC 910-891-5019 FEATURED ATTRACTION Download , a mobile app for exploring Fort Bragg Communities. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Melody Foote Director of Communications Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Liberty Point Bulletin College Professors • Peer Mentors • Affordable Limited Seating 910-420-5679 www.collegeprosatprep.com Saturday Sessions • March 7-March 28 College Professional SAT PREP Enter for your chance to WIN tickets Enter for your chance to WIN tickets Name____________________________________________ Address__________________________________________ _________________________________________________ Phone Number_____________________________________ Email____________________________________________ Please send completed entry form to Up & Coming Weekly, 208 Rowan St., Fayetteville, NC 28301 or fax to 910.484.9218.