The 25th Annual National Tourism Week, scheduled May 10-18, 2008, is an annual event sponsored by the Travel Industry Association and commemorated by states, cities and organizations across the nation. The goal of NTW is to highlight the powerful economic, social and cultural impacts of travel through events and celebrations. This year's theme is "Discover Great American Traditions."

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When you think of “Great American Traditions”, what do you think of?

Going to the state fair? Watching a baseball game? Enjoying fireworks on the 4th of July? Going on vacation?

During this year’s National Tourism Week, we are going to talk about going on vacation. Many people go places that have interesting or historical sites, like the Black Hills, Washington DC or the Alamo. Others go to places that have sunshine, beaches and outdoor recreation, like California, Florida or South Carolina. Still others go to big cities to see shows, concerts or museums, like New York City, Chicago or Los Angeles.

You may be thinking that Sleepy Eye doesn’t apply to any of these reasons to go on vacation. But think again…

Sleepy Eye has interesting and historical sites. We have a Linus statue, which Charles Schultz modeled after a former resident of Sleepy Eye. We have Chief Sleepy Eye’s Monument, which is a memorial to our town’s namesake. We have the WW Smith Inn, which was built by one of the first settlers here in Sleepy Eye, and still looks very similar to the way it did back in 1900. We also have St. Mary’s Church, which draws many tourists and visitors each year to view the ornate details and the stained glass windows.

Sleepy Eye may not be exactly like California, Florida or South Carolina, but the weather is just as warm here in the summer. Plus, this year, we have the new Sleepy Eye Aquatic Center opening up, which is better than the ocean because it has giant water slides and you won’t get sand in your swimming suit! We also have Sleepy Eye Lake and the trail which lets you and your families enjoy the weather, the lake, and being outdoors in nature, which you’d probably be doing in California, Florida or South Carolina anyway. Plus, you can always find a baseball game taking place during the summer or get in a round of golf at the Sleepy Eye Golf Club.

Although Sleepy Eye doesn’t have a million people living here, we still have shows, concerts and museums to enjoy. The Community Theatre production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers will be held in July, as well as school plays and musicals each year, which perform to sold out crowds. During the Buttered Corn Days Celebration, there is free musical entertainment at Allison Park for everyone to listen to and enjoy, while eating free corn, plus the musical acts during and after the parade. And finally, we do have a museum, which has just opened again for the summer. The Depot Museum holds our town’s history, from how it was formed to the achievements of the community.

So you see, Sleepy Eye has all the key elements for an ideal vacation spot, but the bonus part is the people! Visitors and tourists can walk into any business in town and find a smiling face ready to help them find whatever they are looking for. When people are friendly, it’s contagious. Visitors and tourists will enjoy their stay here in Sleepy Eye more and go back and tell their friends and families what a good time they had here, which bring even more visitors and tourists to Sleepy Eye, and we all benefit from that.