The Cullman Times
CULLMAN —
Several months after a powerful tornado rumbled through downtown Cullman, merchants banded together and hosted a spirited event dubbed “Celebrate Cullman.”
Area residents flocked to Celebrate and visited shops and enjoyed entertainment throughout the day and night. With a year to plan a followup event, the Downtown Merchants Association believe the event can grow even larger than last summer’s hit.
Some good things are actually falling into place for Celebrate, which will be Friday. Plenty of entertainment has been scheduled throughout the day. Many businesses have pledged to stay open beyond normal hours, which falls in line with Alabama’s no-tax holiday for back-to-school shoppers.
Support from the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce is in place, too. And the merchants association also entered into a partnership with the Cullman Parks and Recreation Department and St. Bernard’s, which are hosting a national archery tournament beginning Friday.
The partnership and the planning related to these events has made Cullman a top destination spot for the weekend. Area business leaders are seeing more and more opportunities to expand their market by stepping outside the normal boundaries of operation. Linking events together is a sure way to bring more traffic to local businesses in and outside of the downtown.
The great news is that talk of a new era in the Cullman area’s business community is translating into action. Many local leaders believe the best is yet to come for a community that has weathered the nation’s economic hard times so well. The continued planning and creativity that comes with this weekend’s events is evidence that the local market is moving into a productive new direction.
