(upbeat music) - Hello and welcome to "The Journal."

I'm Steve Kendall.

If you're looking for something to do, perhaps Bowling Green, Ohio is the place to go.

Visit BG Ohio wants you to think about BG, Ohio.

Joining us to talk about everything that Bowling Green has to offer, from food to events, to places to go, to great architecture, is Kat Patterson from Visit BG Ohio.

So Kat, thank you for being here today.

- You're welcome.

It's great to be here, Steve.

- Yeah, now Visit BG Ohio, fairly recent organization, about a year old, roughly.

- [Kat] Correct.

- Talk about what its goals are and what the idea behind it is and how it came about.

- Right.

So it's the former Convention and Visitors Bureau.

- [Steve] Okay.

- We came under the Chamber of Commerce back in 2021 and I've been there since late August, early September of last year.

- [Steve] Ah.

So about a year.

- So about a year.

- Coming up on a year.

(Kat chuckles) - Yes, so.

And the main goal is just to allow people to know everything that BG has to offer.

So a lot of what you already said, but we really believe that BG has what everyone is looking for.

They just have to be able to find it and discover it and then become a part of it.

- Yeah, and I know that a lot of your approach, as I was looking at some of your internet, your digital material, and it really is, when you look at that, you are kind of surprised by how much is here.

- [Kat] Correct.

- And for those of us who live around here, we sort of tend to take it for granted.

- [Kat] Right.

- But for someone who sees that, you know, they have to be impressed by the array of things that are available, places to eat, places to go, all of that.

- Yes.

Yes.

So we want, not just the travelers to discover Bowling Green, but yes, the residents too, because sometimes you just need to be able to visit your neighborhood.

- Yeah, and we tend to get in kind of a rut where we go at the same places over and over or whatever, and maybe don't go down, you know, a certain street or a part of downtown because we go to one place.

- Right.

- So it's good to see that.

And it is pretty impressive.

And plus, when you look at the downtown, and we've got some images behind us here, that people can see, the downtown is really vibrant.

- Yes.

- And so is all of the neighborhoods around it.

- Yes.

- But downtown especially, because in a lot of cities, downtowns, you know, struggle to be successful and be attractive and draw crowds.

But that's not the case here.

- Correct.

Our downtown is definitely thriving, we have lots of restaurants, we have lots of shopping and businesses.

We have places for people to rent, we have places people can have different activities.

The green space is really great too.

And then, one of my favorite things about our downtown is that we all work together so well to make really great festivals come into downtown as well.

- Yeah.

And you can see, when you see those events take place, and we're gonna talk a little bit about Firefly Nights, which were really huge and then of course, the pandemic kind of slowed those down- - [Kat] Right.

(Kat laughs) - Like it did a lot of events like that.

But that's just one of the examples, but there seems like, you know, there's the Farmers Market, there's all sorts of things going on.

And just when you drive through or walk through the downtown, you can see how much activity there is.

- [Kat] Right.

- There's a real good mixture of places to go.

- [Kat] Yeah.

- As you said, restaurants, shopping, and kind of unique things, too.

And one of the things I think that people overlook, and you mentioned here too, is there's a lot of great architecture in the town.

- [Kat] Oh, yes.

- You just, and again, you have to know where to look for because, you know, especially when you're driving you tend to, you know, you should be watching the road, obviously.

- [Kat] Right, yeah.

(Kat laughs) - But if you happen to glance and see a lot of the houses, especially along Wooster and South Main and things like that- - [Kat] Yes.

- There are some very nice houses and people can take advantage of that as well.

- Correct, yes.

I think our architecture and also we have a lot of public art, which is just really great.

Our murals are ever expanding.

Every time I think I know how many murals we have, there's a new one pop up, which isn't such a good problem to have too, so, yeah.

- [Steve] Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, and I think, you know, part of it too, we obviously have, not just with the university, obviously, with its School of Art, but then we have a lot of artisans- - [Kat] We do.

- In the city and the area, really.

- [Kat] Correct, yeah.

- So that's a big advantage, too.

- [Kat] Yes.

- When someone asks you about, you know, why should I come to Bowling Green?

What are the first couple of things you tell them?

What's the point thing you want them to know?

- Yeah.

I think there's so many reasons to come to Bowling Green, but I think one thing that makes us unique is Snook's.

- Oh yeah, yeah.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

- [Steve] Yeah, yeah.

- [Kat] The car museum.

A lot of people forget that that's there.

And it's definitely a diamond that we have in Bowling Green that you can't find in other places.

And then the Wood County Museum.

- [Steve] Right.

- Having that right here.

And those are both really close in proximity, correct.

- [Steve] Yeah, they're sort of on the south and east of town- - [Kat] Correct.

- Out near Dunbridge, Napoleon Road, out that way.

- [Kat] Correct, so.

- Yeah, and that's a good point because you tend not to think of those.

It's like outta sight, outta mind- - [Kat] Right.

- Which is unfortunate because both of them, and especially the Wood County Museum, and Snook's as well, but Wood County Museum really has doing a lot all the time.

- [Kat] Oh, yes.

- You can't turn around- - [Kat] Oh, yeah.

- And not see if they have some event going on that, you know, hey, it'd be good to see.

And if you just go out there on a whim- - Correct.

Right.

- Not on a day when they're doing anything out of the ordinary, it's still a pretty incredible place.

- Oh, yeah.

Their new display is really great.

I don't know if you've been out there- - [Steve] No.

- To see their new display, its just really interesting.

I'm a big history buff, so anything like that interests me but to see, they have all these wedding gowns from different centuries- - [Steve] Right.

- And it's really pretty, yeah.

- And it really is a great storytelling- - Correct.

- Situation there, too.

And likewise, if you look at Snook's, which is, for people who don't know, is sort of like a collectible car, sort of like a vintage gas station- - It is, yeah.

- Look to the outside.

And that's available for events and things, or at least it was- - Correct.

I'm not sure if it is now, but- - Yeah.

- At one time you could lease that and have a party out there, things like that.

But they are two sort of, gems on the outskirts of town as well.

- Yes.

Yeah.

- And that's the kind of things that people just, you know, you just sort of forget about- - [Kat] Right.

- If you're not focused on that.

Did you have any, when you first started out, were there any challenges you had to put all of this together?

I mean, there had to be a little bit because you were really- - [Kat] Right.

- With all the things that go on, getting everybody involved, and keeping them involved, can be sometimes a little bit of a trick.

- [Kat] Correct.

- Yeah.

- I've had a great support system.

So we work out at the Four Corners- - [Steve] Oh, okay.

- So I'm under Mary Hinkelman with the Chamber of Commerce and she has, ah, just a ton of experience, which has just been really, really helpful.

And then, we also work really closely with Economic Development and Tony Vetter is out there as well with the Special Improvement District downtown.

So that's really great when you have so many people there that can really help and work cohesively.

- Yeah, and I think one of the things you touched on a little bit is the fact that, especially in the downtown, the people that own businesses, run businesses, they're a great group too- - [Kat] They are.

- Because they are really together on what they want to do with the downtown.

- [Kat] Yes.

- And that helps, 'cause sometimes you don't get that level of agreement on everything.

- [Kat] Right.

Yes.

- I'm sure there are discussions sometimes that, you know, they talk things out but in the end, they seem to come up with a pretty good package- - [Kat] I agree.

- Of things for the downtown.

- [Kat] Yeah.

- When we come back, we can talk a little bit more about some of the specific events yet- - [Kat] Okay.

- Because, you look at the calendar and on your website and your Facebook page, that sort of thing, I mean, it is amazing when you see what's going on- - [Kat] Yes.

- In Bowling Green.

So, back in just a moment with Kat Patterson from Visit BG Ohio, here on "The Journal."

Thank you for staying with us here on "The Journal."

Our guest is Kat Patterson from Visit BG Ohio.

One of the big events that just took place, and we're recording this, you know, on a Monday after kind of a holiday weekend, was the fireworks in Bowling Green.

- [Kat] Yes.

- It's called BOOM- - [Kat] Yes.

- And it really was an explosion of activity and great times for everybody.

- Yes.

It went so well.

So, this year we expanded the event.

In the past few years, it has just been fireworks.

- [Steve] Right.

- Last year, it moved from BGSU to the fairgrounds.

- [Steve] Right.

- And also on the National Tractor Pull- - [Steve] Site.

- Association site.

- [Steve] Right.

- So, that allowed the ability to have an expanded event- - [Steve] Right.

- Out at the fairgrounds.

So again, working with others, so we were working with the Chamber Foundation, we worked with the National Tractor Pull Association and we worked with the fairground board and were able to expand the event.

- [Steve] Right.

- And I mean, we had thousands of people come out and I think a big reason that we were able to really encourage people to come was so much of it was complimentary as well.

We had numerous inflatables, we even had a corn maze.

- Ah, okay.

(Steve laughs) - That was inflatable.

And all of our inflatables were complimentary and then we also had some festival games, and those were again, free.

And we had prizes donated by the local VFW and so we were able to do so much of that at no cost to the attendees.

And to come into the event itself was also complimentary.

- Yeah, and people were looking for, as I said, we're coming out of the pandemic.

- Correct.

- People want to get out and do things and get back to those kind of events like that.

- Right.

- And so to really, you know, reward them with an expanded event made it even better.

- Yes.

- Because people are thirsting for things to do and places to go- - Right.

- And enjoy being back out together with other people.

So that's a big event.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

- Yeah, with that event, you know, that's a one-time year event, but then one of the things that's come back too, is Firefly Nights.

- [Kat] Correct.

- And those were extremely popular, you know, prior to us kinda having to close 'em down a little bit, but they're back- - [Kat] Yes.

- And in full swing.

- Yes.

So those came back last month in June, was our first one.

And we're going to be back in July and August as well.

And, it's been great fun.

So I've been actually on the Firefly Nights committee as well.

So, we've been planning since January, getting everything together and it's just been, it's great to see all of the ideas and, come into fruition.

We expanded that as well, to include Worcester Green and so, that's given us a great space.

We've added inflatables on Worcester Green and this month we're also adding that onto South Main.

We're working with a company called GLOvation out of the Toledo area, and they do face painting and then they're gonna do some balloon animals, and they also have some stilt walkers and- - [Steve] Oh, that'll be cool.

Yeah.

- So LED things.

So that's just, it just adds to that whole like, atmosphere.

So that's really fun.

And then we've got our live music, we've moved that off the main street and over into the parking lot by MacKenzie's Flowers.

- [Steve] Right.

Okay.

- And that really added a great atmosphere as well.

So then we had, the kids were out in the street with the bubbles and the chalk, while their parents were listening to the music, which was really great.

And we have just, really excellent community support.

Thayer Family Dealership- - [Steve] Sure.

- And State Bank, they're our presenting sponsors.

And then State Bank, and they are also besides, you know, being presenting sponsors, they're also super involved.

Thayer does a movie- - [Steve] Right.

- Out in the green and then State Bank comes with their gifts truck.

- [Steve] Oh!

So it's, yeah, yeah.

- Yeah, so they really participate as well.

- [Steve] Yeah, they get involved.

Yeah, they're not just a paper sponsor- - Correct.

- They're an involved sponsor.

- [Kat] Correct, which is really awesome.

- You know, now when you look at those events, do you have any way of like, tracking where people are coming from to attend?

- [Kat] Right.

- Because obviously, it's gonna attract people outside of your city- - [Kat] Correct.

- In the near area.

- Correct.

So there's not really a good way yet, to track that completely.

- [Steve] Sure.

- We can tell, you know, if people are staying in the hotels, but we can't necessarily track like, at the event per se.

- [Steve] Sure, mm hmm.

- We're trying to figure some of those details out, and especially, I mean, the same thing, we know people came from outside of Bowling Green- - [Steve] Right.

- To, like, BG BOOM, but just tracking that and keeping track of that is not always the easiest, but yeah.

- Sure.

Yeah, and I guess maybe anecdotally, depending maybe I might be wearing- - Correct!

- A school shirt from somewhere.

- [Kat] Right.

- Or something that said, yeah.

- [Kat] Or you just happen to have a conversation with someone.

- Yeah, yeah, But yeah.

And as you said, you know, the word is out there and yeah, and obviously you wanna bring people from outside the city, as well as the people who live here- - [Kat] Right.

- Because you said it's easy to overlook what's going on- - [Kat] Absolutely.

- Or not know that something is going on unless, and this is a great way to find out.

With some of the other events, and obviously, you mentioned the Wood County Museum, but there are a lot of other things that go on the city.

- [Kat] Correct.

- You mentioned tractor pull- - [Kat] Yes!

Yes.

- Which obviously is a huge one.

- [Kat] Yes, yes.

- And then, you know, the Wood County Fair will kick off in a few more weeks.

- [Kat] Correct.

Yeah.

- But tractor pull, that's obviously a big draw- - That's a big draw.

- And a big promotional event.

- [Kat] Correct.

- It puts the city on the map in that regard- - [Kat] Correct.

- Not just for that event, but for, and while people are here they see- - [Kat] They do.

- The rest of the town.

- Yes.

Both that and the Black Swamp Arts Festival.

Those are probably like, our biggest national, international events.

So, and for both of those, so Visit BG Ohio also has grant money that we have that we can give to other organizations and National Tractor Pull Association and Black Swamp Arts Festival have both applied and received grant money to help with shuttles, which helps encourage some of that.

- [Steve] Sure.

Yes, yeah.

- So for the National Tractor Pull we'll have a shuttle that'll run from our hotels to the fairgrounds, but that also will make a stop- - [Steve] Just by chance, make a pass through downtown.

- Downtown!

(Steve laughs) And that weekend is the biggest weekend in Bowling Green, as many people know, so we will have National Tractor Pull Championship, we will have move-in weekend and we will have Firefly Nights.

- Ah, so wow, that'll be- - So it's a big weekend.

So it's exciting though, 'cause there's so much activity that goes on and it gives people something else to do as well.

And then, for Black Swamp Arts Festival, we also provide a shuttle for people that are staying at the hotels, to make it a little bit easier.

- [Steve] Sure.

- Yeah, so.

- Yeah, because one of the things with events like that that are so successful- - [Kat] Yes.

- Sometimes they almost become, from a logistical point of view for people- - [Kat] Right.

- Too successful, where we don't want people to go, oh, it's just a big pain to get around, I'm not gonna go.

- [Kat] Right.

- But if you can solve that for them- - [Kat] Correct.

- Which you obviously have, it makes them enjoy it more.

Because there's nothing worse than going to an event, it's like, it's just trouble to get in and out or do whatever.

- [Kat] Right, right.

- And this way, you've helped manage that a lot.

- [Kat] Correct, yeah.

- And I think that's one of the nice things, you know, the town can be, I say, you can bring them through the downtown to get to the fair ground.

- [Kat] Right.

- You can do this and they go by the university, they see all the other things that are there.

So it's, yeah, but that's it.

And managing that, and I guess when you look at this, when you have an event like that, staffing wise, do you have lots of volunteers?

Or how do you go about managing, or do the other groups take care of that?

- Right.

So, it's multifaceted with that.

So with like, BG BOOM, we had lots of volunteers to run that.

We actually, for the shuttles we'll hire a company that's part- - [Steve] To take care of that, yeah.

- Right, that's part of the financial end of the grant.

So that really, so it's a little bit of both, but yeah.

We always, we do, we need volunteers for a lot of those events.

- [Steve] Sure.

- Just like, I mean, Black Swamp, they live on volunteers as well as like, Firefly Nights too.

- Yeah, absolutely.

Because there are all those things that people take for granted that have to be done.

- [Kat] Yeah.

- Not even in the background, but actually just the people that are, you know, at tents and helping people with information- - [Kat] Exactly.

- Helping get them from one place to another, directing them, that kind of, answering questions, helping things like that.

When we come back, we can talk more about some of the other things that are going on with Visit BG Ohio.

Back in just a moment with Kat Patterson, here on "The Journal."

You're with us on "The Journal," and our guest is Kat Patterson from Visit BG Ohio.

And one of the things, I happened to look at your online presence- - [Kat] Okay.

- And of course all the digital presence, that's obviously very important, but I thought it was interesting because one of the first things you see is a graphic and some nice imagery and it says, "Oh, that Bowling Green.

Yeah, that's us.

The BG in the great state of O-H-I-O, the funky little college town up north, the small city with great big ideas, and we're ready to share everything we have to offer with the rest of the world."

And it's a great line because you look at that and go, oh yeah, Bowling Green.

'Cause a lot of people know the name, they know where it is- - [Kat] Right.

- It's along I-75, but this draws 'em into- - [Kat] Correct.

- There's more than just as you drive by I-75- - [Kat] Correct.

- If you get off to do whatever, to get gasoline or eat or whatever, that there's a lot more here.

And your website really goes into some really great presentations of events and food and activities- - [Kat] Right.

- And all those things you can do.

Trails, that kind of thing.

So, the online presence obviously, is really successful and really- - [Kat] Thank you.

- A big part of marketing.

- Yes.

It is, it is.

And so, a lot of that comes and, but fortunately for me, because I came in, the Bowling Green magazine was actually done before I came.

- [Steve] Right, mm hmm.

- And, I have actually utilized a lot of the verbiage from that to also put into our online presence so that it matches.

- [Steve] Sure, yeah.

- So that when people see it, they're like, oh yeah, I've read that before, I've seen that before, so.

- [Steve] Yeah.

- So you kind of want it coordinated.

And then, so we have two print pieces.

We have our magazine and then we also have our visitors guide.

- [Steve] Mm hmm.

Right.

- And the visitors guide is just really simple, lists all of our restaurants and all of our shopping (paper rustling) and it has a great map inside of it, too.

- [Steve] It has a map and a key- - Yeah.

- [Steve] And you can see the numbers and say- - Right, yeah.

- [Steve] Oh, okay, that's where you can eat, that's where you can go for this.

- Yep.

- Yeah.

And I thought it was, you know, like I say, when I looked online and obviously with the website, you can click on the events thing and get a whole- - Right.

- An idea of all the events, you can click on the food link, get all the food locations.

Other things, you know, shopping, 'cause I know, you know, in the downtown there's some things that not, you know, very few towns have a record store anymore.

- That's true, that's true.

- And the one we have here and I'm a good friend, you know, transparency, of the guy that runs it.

But you just don't see those kind of opportunities almost anywhere anymore.

- Correct, correct.

- And especially in a downtown, in a city.

They're usually in like, a strip mall someplace.

- [Kat] Right.

- Not really someplace that you walk by and go, oh, I'll just stop in.

You go there for a destination.

Whereas, this, like a lot of the things in downtown where you're walking by go, oh, what's this?

- [Kat] What's this?

Yep.

- And you stick your head inside and go, oh, okay, this is kind of cool.

And all the other things we want.

So that's an advantage, too.

- But I think- - Correct.

- And as you said, most of your market, or a lot of your marketing is online, but then the print pieces are important, too, and especially the BG guide.

- [Kat] Right.

- Because that does give you a sense of where everything is.

- [Kat] Where everything is, correct.

- And the nice thing too, if you look at it, the downtown has become, with parking, always a question, but they, you know, the parking now is, for the most part, free- - [Kat] Correct.

- In general locations.

And now you can dine.

The restaurants, have the parklets.

- [Kat] Right.

- So there's a lot of things that make the downtown more walkable, more pedestrian friendly, I guess.

- I agree, yeah, yeah.

- Yeah, yeah.

- [Kat] It definitely makes it that way, yeah.

- And that's probably something too, when people see that it's like, oh, you can just, you don't have to pull in, park your car, go in, run back out to your car.

- [Kat] Right.

- You can walk through the downtown, you can sit and eat, you can do those sort of things.

- [Kat] Right.

- So that's gotta be a helpful thing for you, as well.

- I agree, I agree.

It makes it really accommodating and welcoming.

- [Steve] Mm hmm.

Yes.

- It feels warm- - [Steve] Right, right.

- Instead of cold and you know, just come for this and leave.

(Kat chuckles) - And it's, you know, and especially with, with a downtown that has, you know, it's always difficult because downtowns tend to be a main street of the town- - Right.

- So obviously there's traffic, but this kind of makes that a little less, as you said, a little less feel like, oh, I'm on a street.

You're more in a, kind of a downtown versus, oh, I'm just on a street with buildings, kind of a thing.

- Mm hmm.

Right.

- And I think that's really important.

When, and you touched on this too, that you started planning things out back in January for Firefly Nights- - [Kat] Correct, yeah.

- Sometimes people don't understand how much effort goes into getting that it's a one day thing for them- - [Kat] Right, right.

- Or a seven- or five- or six-hour thing.

You guys put in a ton of time to get that four or five hours to work the way it's supposed to.

- [Kat] To work well, yeah.

- Yeah.

- It does, it takes a lot of details and again, it takes so much work from, not just the committee, it takes a lot of work and agreements with like, the city.

We, again, we're so fortunate because the city wants to see these things succeed as well.

It takes partnerships with places like Thayer and the State Bank- - [Steve] Sure.

- So that we can see it succeed.

And we've just been so welcomed by the community.

To see that happen and I mean, it takes so many volunteers to be able to see each of those happen.

The goal is to have Main Street back open by 11:00 pm.

- [Steve] Right.

Okay.

- And I mean, that takes real coordination.

- [Steve] Sure.

- And so, yeah, yeah.

- Yeah, because these are two, you know, basically two state highways.

- [Kat] Yes.

- But you don't get when the events are going on, you don't have that feel that, oh, I'm on a highway.

- [Kat] Correct.

- If you're in downtown it's like a street neighborhood- - [Kat] Right.

- And it's almost like a pedestrian area that is good.

Now, one of the things, and you touched on this just now, the fact that there's a lot of coordination with the city, with law enforcement, with the fire department, with, you know, the city.

Even, you know, the guys that go around, the men and women that go around and clean up- - [Kat] Correct, correct.

- And do other things, all of that.

And you know, and they have to be on board with this too, the people that do that.

So it is a pretty major undertaking to get those things done.

- It is.

It is, yeah.

- Yeah.

When you look at things that you're doing now, are there any things in the future that you've, you know, obviously you're probably watching, seeing what other places do- - [Kat] Right.

- Because there's nothing wrong with stealing a good idea.

You know, you don't wanna steal a bad idea, so.

(Kat laughs) But, are there other things that you look at or there's other opportunity that you're always looking for to say, oh, maybe this would be a good event for this time of year, because I know during the winter, there's the Winterfest event or that sort of thing.

- [Kat] Right.

- So, you have to almost develop a year-round group of events.

- Right.

And that's just what we're trying to figure out is what the great rhythm is.

'Cause we want it to be a really good rhythm for everyone, for the whole community, we don't wanna wear a population out either.

- [Steve] Right, mm hmm.

- That was what was great about like, the BG BOOM because it is in a different location.

- [Steve] Right.

- So it's giving other people opportunities, you know, it's walking distance for another group of people.

- [Steve] Right, yeah.

- It's in a different location.

So it's adapting that and so I think right now our main focus is for BG BOOM next year is like, how can we take the current events and expand upon them and make them even better?

- Sure, sure.

- So, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, and you mentioned a good point with the fireworks, you know, with BOOM because yeah, you can walk to the university.

That was a good site, all of that, lots of space, all of that.

- [Kat] Right.

- But having it at the fairgrounds, there are lots of neighborhoods where you're within walking distance of that, in an easier fashion and possibly.

And so you have to look for opportunities like that to say, how can we make this better?

Well, if we move it over here, yeah, it's easier for people to get to, it makes it more convenient, it's different, it's a new experience for them and that kind of thing.

- [Kat] Right.

Yeah, yeah.

- Yeah.

And I think the other thing, when I was looking through all those lists, of course, you know, there's bike trails, there's walking trails, all those things you can do that are just, you know, walk out and enjoy nature.

- [Kat] A hundred percent.

- And the city has incredible park system, as well.

- Oh my goodness, we do.

- Yeah.

- We are so lucky with our parks.

I think, so I actually don't live in the city.

I live in Van Buren, which is 20 minutes away.

- [Steve] Sure.

Just, mm hmm, yep.

- So, I'm right off the highway too, so it's easy.

And my kids, we've come up to like, Simpson Garden Park.

- Oh, yeah, yep.

- Oh my gosh, it's gorgeous.

- Beautiful.

- It's beautiful.

And then to have a water park in your city.

- [Steve] Yes.

Yeah.

(Kat laughs) - I don't think we understand how great our city pool is, as well.

So that's really great just to have those opportunities.

- Well, and that's true because there's things, you know, we were talking about a lot of these events and you know, some of them are focused more on adult, but the thing is, it looks like what you've been able to do is provide that experience for whether you're six months old or whatever, there's something there for you to do, a family event, that kind of thing.

- Correct.

- It isn't just, oh, adults show up for this or it's a kids' event, there's a good blend.

- Right, its very inter-generational.

- Yep, yep.

Very good, yeah.

- Yes, that's really what we're trying to make.

And I think a lot of times the demographic that feels a lot left out is that like, middle school age.

And I will tell you at Firefly Nights, those middle schoolers were out.

They were everywhere.

And I love my middle, like, I love middle schoolers.

- [Steve] Mm hmm, sure.

- So it was so fun to see them and just having fun and in a great environment, their parents know they're safe- - [Steve] Yep, mm hmm.

- They're making good choices, they're still able just to be middle schoolers.

And that's really fun to see 'cause so often I feel like that demographic gets like, pushed to the side.

(Kat laughs) - Sure.

Well, you know, they're kind of between little kids and big kids.

- [Kat] Yeah, right.

- They're sort of, they think of themselves as both.

They sometimes act like little kids, but they're really getting close to being bigger kids.

- [Kat] Correct.

Yeah, yeah, so.

- So, yeah, and you're right.

And you know, we even, with our educational programming, have to figure out how do we reach them the best way- - [Kat] Right.

- Because they're in a different slot, and yeah.

But you don't want to overlook them as well.

- [Kat] Correct.

- Now, if somebody wants to get more involved with Visit BG Ohio, what's the easiest way to do that?

- So the easiest way would be to email me.

My email is marketing@visitbgohio.O-R-G or you can find us on our social media.

We're on Facebook, we're on Instagram and we're on Twitter.

- [Steve] Yeah.

- And then our webpage is visitbgohio.O-R-G. - [Steve] Okay, great.

- Yeah.

- [Steve] Well, Kat Patterson, thanks so much for coming on.

- Thank you.

It was great to be here.

- [Steve] It was a great talk and yeah, it seems like everything is going really well and the future looks bright- - [Kat] Thanks.

- So that's good, so yeah.

Thank you so much.

- [Kat] You're welcome.

- You can check us out at wbgu.org and of course you can watch us every Thursday night at 8:00 pm, here on WBGU PBS.

We'll see you again next time.

Good night and good luck.

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