By John W. Feary, City Manager

Building a sense of community is at the heart of all great cities, and community events are a vital component of Claremore’s continued progress.  In addition to bolstering our local economy, community events also keep our traditions alive and attract new visitors by showing off what makes Claremore unique.

Recently, Claremore hosted the annual Dog Iron Classic Dog Show, sponsored by the Claremore Kennel Club. The show attracted local, regional and national attention. According to Visit Claremore, our convention and visitor’s bureau, the show had a record number of 6,458 entries this year. Our hotels had an 85 percent occupancy rate, which equates to 396 hotel room nights a day. The RV Park had an additional 100 RVs per day, as well. Although the event wasn’t open to the public this year, it generated local revenue and provided an opportunity to showcase our great city to hundreds of new people. While here, visitors sleep, eat, shop and explore Claremore.  Additionally, the show brought our Expo event center more than $18,000 in rental dollars.

And soon, we will host Claremore’s annual food and wine tasting event, Taste of Claremore. On April 24, the outdoor event will showcase flavors from 20 local restaurants in our downtown district. Shopping begins at 10 a.m., followed by food and live music from 6 to 9 p.m. Advance tickets are available through Main Street Claremore, an organization dedicated to the ongoing revitalization of our historic downtown and an important community partner.

I’d like to thank Visit Claremore, Main Street Claremore, the Claremore Chamber and all of the individuals and organizations committed to promoting Claremore as a destination. You are increasing the economic fabric of our community and creating a vibrant Claremore for current and future generations.

Until later,

John