- City leaders and businesses are getting ready for the 103rd Annual Thomasville Rose Show and Festival.
- The tradition brings thousands of visitors to the region and sends a lot of money into locally-owned businesses.
- Watch the video above to see how the community is transforming ahead of the big event.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The City of Thomasville wants you to figuratively and quite literally stop and smell the roses. Come celebrate more than 100 years of its annual Rose Show and Festival. It's a time where this small city almost doubles in size, and its economic boosts that you can only get once a year.
Signs are out, doors are open, and roses are everywhere as our neighbors in Thomasville get ready for the 103rd Rose Show and Festival.
"We say that the rosy red carpet has been rolled out for each of you to come and experience it," said April Norton, managing director of marketing and communications.
The City of Thomasville is preparing for a large economic boost over the next few days.
"Our city for the two days, um, doubles in size, doubles in size. It's a $4.3 million dollar economic impact for the two days. And that's from accommodations, shopping, food and beverage, transportation, recreation," added tourism manager, Mary Patchunka- Smith.
And I walked the streets of Thomasville to speak to some of our neighbors receiving this one a year economic infusion.
It led me first to this art co-op.
"We're right next door to the visitor center. So people start there and then travel this way. And of course across the street from to great restaurants here in town," explained Lindajo Haythorn, artist and gallery manager.
When I stopped into The Wiregrass Gallery one of its artists Kern Cunningham was starting this painting.
"These these are oral oil paints. And I've just started doing that about a year ago, and actually didn't start painting until about four years ago," shared artist Kern Cunningham.
It's unique items like this people look forward to getting this weekend.
"We have tables set up outside people, our artists can be out there demonstrating as well. And that also draws the eye and brings people into our building to see what we have going on.
Further down the street I saw more displays. Some covering the entire shops and others taking a more historical route.
"So we have the first roadshow parade in 1948. And then we have here we have I love this one. It has the Georgia Governor and Jimmy Carter during the roadshow in 1971. And then we have the Thomasville Bulldogs shows that the school has been around for a long time in 1975," said Hannah Bruegger, His Daughter Boutique Store Manager.
At His Daughter Boutique you can browse through clothes and this history display of the rose show and festival.
"So everybody's just kind of on the streets looking around. They look at the displays, and then usually that draws them into the store. So it's really nice."
Whether one of kind art or unique boutique finds there are more than just roses to look at.
Everybody feels a part of it. You know what we are all one big happy family. And we want our visitors to feel the same way when they walk through the doors. We want them to feel a part of our family."
And it all starts with coming out and a just taking a walk through what is expected to be a busy city.
Here's a list of full activities of the Rose Show and Festival.
