Underscoring how unique it is to have so many extraordinary, original festivals all created in one city, Visit Winona, the area’s convention and visitor bureau, has launched the Winona Originals, a collective brand that spotlights each of Winona’s festivals and the legendary city where they were born.
“Our festivals are one-of-a-kind and draw many thousands of people to Winona each year,” said Pat Mutter, executive director for Visit Winona. “We have become known across the region and in some cases across the country for our festivals, and the Winona Originals brand celebrates that by promoting these fine events together as something really special.”
While many communities boast local festivals, Winona’s are unique in that several are on a grand scale, attracting performers and an audience from well beyond the Upper Midwest. The Great River Shakespeare Festival selects its cast from national auditions each year, and the Minnesota Beethoven Festival brings in world-renowned classical musicians the likes of Yo-Yo Ma to the historic river city of under 30,000. Combined with a festival that features films one might see screened at Sundance or Telluride’s Mountain Film Festival, a music festival that draws upwards of 75 indie rock bands, two more music festivals aimed at bluegrass and jazz lovers respectively, plus local history and cultural festivals, and you’ve got a city hitting far above its weight class as an entertainment destination.
“We are proud of what has been created by this community, and this website will make it easier to tell festival lovers about the amazing experience waiting for them in Winona.”
Look for ticket information, sales, contests, news, and more on http://www.WinonaOriginals.com.
