The month of October is filled with more than a dozen events for all ages and lifestyles, many of which have been posted on the new Lake Lanier Convention & Visitors Bureau Community Calendar at www.LakeLanierCVB.com.

As part of the bureau’s service to the community, it has created a separate listing section for community groups to post their events at no charge.

“Now there’s one website that includes major events and serves as a one-stop location for planning fun, family activities,” said Stacey Dickson, president of the Lake Lanier Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We’re encouraging community groups to list their events and the public to use the calendar to choose from the many happenings right here at home.”

The biggest entertainment day of the month is Saturday, October 4, with four events scheduled, including Art in the Square arts festival, the downtown Flowery Branch Fall Festival and two events at Elachee Nature Center. The Petit Le Mans is also taking place at Road Atlanta.

“”With the current state of gasoline prices and availability, now is the perfect time to enjoy all that Gainesville and Hall County have to offer to our residents,” Dickson said. “You can stay close to home, plan to visit several events in one day and have quality time with family and friends.”

Many of the events are free; there are admission charges for others. The bureau is offering the service to the community and encouraging groups to list their events early with complete details.

“It’s very easy to add your event to the calendar, and it’s a great way to ensure that everyone is working together to avoid conflicts,” Dickson said. “Plus members of the community have already started using the calendar at our website for planning, and as tourism increases in this area, even more people will have access to everything exciting in our area.”

The Lake Lanier Convention & Visitors Bureau was founded in 1992 and serves the hospitality and travel industry. With more than 1,500 hotel rooms, Gainesville and Hall County are major destinations for travelers to Northeast Georgia. Lake Lanier is well-known throughout the United States and attracts nearly 8 million visitors annually to boat, fish, swim, camp and otherwise enjoy the 39,000-acre lake.

The bureau is governed by a 22-member board of directors, comprised of representatives from the hotel, attraction, restaurant and business community. The bureau markets Gainesville, Oakwood, Lake Lanier Islands and other areas of Hall County throughout the Southeast and supports marketing of major events by its members.

Betsy Adams of AdMark Strategies and Rick Burnette of Holiday Inn Lanier Centre Hotel are this years co-chairs of the board.

The bureau is housed at 117 Jesse Jewell Parkway in downtown Gainesville. It can be reached at 770-536-5209, ext. 2, or toll-free at 1-888-536-0005. For information about tourism in Gainesville and Hall County, visit www.LakeLanierCVB.com.

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