The Pulaski County Tourism Bureau welcomed the Missouri Outdoor Communicators “Fish, Float and Fun Media Event”, the first week of June. The personalized event, which was postponed in May, consisted of seminars, tours, and experiences showcasing Pulaski County Missouri’s outdoor attributes and agritourism opportunities.
Planning for “Fish, Float and Fun began in February of this year. “We’re very excited for some of our members to come back to Pulaski County,” Kyle Stewart, executive director of Missouri Outdoor Communicators said. “We worked with Karen Hood of the Pulaski County Tourism Bureau to hold our annual conference in Pulaski County in 2016 – which was a great success – and we’ve been hoping we’d get to come back ever since. For our group, a variety of outdoor activities is a must, which Pulaski County has in spades. I’m positive there will be many great stories discovered during our time in the community.”
“In addition to spending time in Pulaski County for our annual conference several years ago, I’ve returned several times since to float, fish, and hike the natural areas. Pulaski County’s reputation for being a beautiful outdoor playground is absolutely spot on,” Stewart says. “Between the excellent fishing and floating as well as all the other outstanding outdoor opportunities available in the area, I’m very much looking forward to the media event and I know many of our members are as well.”
MOC members consisted of writers, authors, and broadcast professionals seeking experiences for future stories. Sessions included Heritage Cultural Arts Center, Cold Creek Mushrooms – building an agritourism business from farming, sales operations around the state, to table, National Park Service Trail of Tears, float trip along the Big Piney, Devils Elbow, kayak fishing along the Big Piney in Duke Missouri, caving expedition, fly fishing and tombstone tour. The welcome reception featured a delicious meal of local favorites, with Honey Chile’ Please creating a special dish showcasing Cold Creek Mushrooms.
Opening reception held at the Natural Cultural Arts Center, Waynesville, MO
Missouri Outdoor Communicators, chartered in 1994, is a professional organization of media members that publish content for newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and websites. Members may be in full-time employment, educators, author/editors, or freelance with a vested interest in promoting the unique outdoor opportunities found in Missouri and throughout the Midwest. Members have opportunities to visit destinations throughout the state during a spring familiarization session, and in the fall for their annual conference. MOC previously held its annual conference in Pulaski County in September 2016.
Thank you to our area partners for providing insight into Pulaski County’s magnificent outdoors, warm people, rich history, and agritourism opportunities.
Presenters:
Heritage Cultural Arts Center – Marie Rybert and Rockman Chris
Cold Creek Mushrooms – Ron Selfors
NPS Trail of Tears – Luge Hardman
Roubidoux Grotto – Roger Preston
Roubidoux Fly Fishers – Herb Turner
Tombstone Tales – Downtown 66, Laura Huffman
Fish and Float activities
Guided kayak tour, southern Big Piney – Duke Missouri – Fallen Outdoors Kayak Anglers – Mike Unruh
Float trip, northern Big Piney – Devils Elbow, Missouri – Devils Elbow River Safari
Agritourism – Farm to Table
Host Location: Gasconade Hills Resort
For more information regarding the Pulaski County Tourism Bureau’s media, and group support services contact our Certified Travel Industry Specialist, Karen Hood-Simpson, CTIS. Services include working closely with the event planner, presentation of session options, coordinating partners, venues, catering, and entertainment, providing materials to promote the event, and attendee welcome services.
