Lights - Camera - Incentive!

I just read an exciting piece of news about the film industry in Mississippi.  According to the Mississippi Business Journal, the state's cash rebate program has been expanded by a new bill, just signed by Gov. Haley Barbour.  The legislation includes a 25-30% rebate on cast and crew payrolls, with caps of $8Million per project and $20Million per year.  That's a lot of incentive, I think, to get some cameras rolling in Natchez!
We've done it many times before, with Huckleberry Finn (twice that I know of), Freedom Road, North & South (both I and II), and Beulah Land, to name those that come to the top of my head, plus a few TV shows and music videos.
It would be great to have another movie production company in town with all that new money, but there's another cool part to this expansion; the program is expanded to include streaming video and internet delivery as qualified distribution!  That means that someone local could produce a YouTube-type video and get a cash rebate!  Did I read that wrong?  I don't think so.  To quote the article, "animation, 3D applications, video game cinematics, visual effects and motion capture within the fields of feature film, television, commercials and games, were added as qualified production."
According to this, the Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau could produce a TV or internet commercial and get a big rebate, further stretching their advertising dollars.  Local TV/Video advertising companies were already able to take advantage of these rebates, but now even more so.
By the way, apparently the 30% rebate is reserved for folks using Mississippi locals, so that's a great incentive to use local folks in your videos, and a great way for local actors to make a little extra cash.
Read the Mississippi Business Journal Article to get more information about the state rebate program.
Meanwhile, I'm ready for my close-up, Ms Durkin...


And don't forget to check out NatchezMS.com periodically to see places to stay, things to do, and where to dine in Natchez, Mississippi!

Hoopskirts, Greek Columns, and Antiques, Oh My!

It would be great if I could just describe some of the historical wonders you'll see during Spring Pilgrimage in Natchez, and have you convinced that immediate reservations were in order.  For most of you, however, those descriptions would just make your eyes glaze over.

Looking up at Longwood

Until you're standing next to the gigantic Greek columns of Stanton Hall feeling small and completely awed, or looking up 4 floors into the unfinished rafters of Longwood, or trying to figure out how the wondrously unsupported spiral staircase of Auburn holds weight...until you're actually there, it's hard to understand.  Most historic places of any significance are like that, I think.
But history is only a part of the reason folks travel by the hundreds to Natchez during this season.  Yes, the gardens are beautiful, and the townfolk hospitable, but there's even more.

Downtown Shopping

Like to eat?  Step out the door of your B&B or hotel room and you're probably just a few steps away from rich cuisine of some sort.  And what do you want?  Barbecue?  Fried Catfish?  Sure, we've got plenty and you're welcome to it.  How about some fine, white-tablecloth dining with a great wine list?  Yes, we have that, too.  Surprised?  You shouldn't be.  If you're in a group of 20 Natchezians, most likely one or two of them are world class chefs.  No brag, just fact.
Like to shop?  Natchez has been voted one of the very best places to shop in Mississippi, even in the South.  You may never have seen so many really great antiques shops in one place.  I'm not talking curios and flea markets, but yes, we have those, too.  There are book stores, coffee shops, gift shops, clothing, and fine art shops lining Main Street, Franklin Street, and most of the cross streets between the two.

Kids take part in the Natchez Pageant

Want to see a show?  Take your choice; a Gospel choir freeing you from the chains of slavery; a Pageant that dances and sings its way through the different eras of Natchez history; or stage comedians spoofing Pilgrimage itself.  Something about the folks here, we just love to entertain.
But the part you may enjoy the most?  Simply walking to the edge of the bluff, looking out over the magnificent Mississippi River some 150 feet below, and catching sight of one of the most breathtaking sunsets imaginable.

Sunset on the Mississippi

So, did my descriptions get you thinking about it, at least?  Check out NatchezMS.com's pages full of Attractions, Shopping, Restaurants, Hotels, and Bed & Breakfasts, then come on down and spend a few days with us, especially during Spring Pilgrimage.  Chances are, you'll find a lot more to excite you than just a few historical wonders.

Feathers, Females, and Fun!

This blog entry is supposed to be about Mardi Gras time in Natchez, Mississippi, but in going through my photos of Mardi Gras past, I find that practically all of them are of females having fun!  They're throwing beads, dancing, smiling, watching parades..and acting downright queenly.
Now, if you don't think you can have just bunches of fun at Mardi Gras in a small town, just look at these pictures and be convinced.

Two big parades come through town  - one of them's a night parade with lights all over the floats.  It's a sight to behold!  Floats of all kinds, marching bands, trucks and cars full of folks throwin' wampum, just about anything that can keep up with the rest of the parade.
We show a schedule of the parades - and other Mardi Gras events - on the home page of www.NatchezMS.com.

We have Call Out Balls, Grand Balls, After-Parade Parties, and lots and lots of bead-throwin', balcony-stompin', music-blarin' good times, with men and women dressed to the nines and dancing like their pants were on fire!

You'll meet kings and queens.  That person next to you who's competing for the beads thrown from parade floats may be a prince or a pauper.  And none of that will matter, because they all want to be your friends.  I know I've often sat down to drink with people I had never met before.
And since all of this happens right in downtown Natchez, you're always within a few steps of good food, refreshing drinks, shops full of goodies and a warm bed.
Want to find out about restaurants, hotels, bed and breakfasts, attractions, and shopping in Natchez?  Go to www.NatchezMS.com!

One word of warning:  save a little room in your luggage for all the pretty beads and trinkets you're gonna want to bring back with you.  And don't worry about wearing a smile.  We'll give you one when you get here - absolutely free!

The Colorful Costumes of Pow-Wow

For centuries before the first white man laid eyes on the land that is now part of the Natchez area, the Natchez Indians lived, and celebrated, and worshipped "The Great Sun." The Natchez are all but extinct now, but several village, burial and ceremonial sites have been found here. One of those is now called "The Grand Village of the Natchez Indians." It is here that the singers, dancers, and peoples of other tribes gather to celebrate a culture that will never come again.
It's a made-for-camera weekend. The dancers flail in their bright costumes, drummers beat out their heartbeat rhythm, singers chant the ancient songs, calling the people to celebrate life the old way.

This past March I was able to be there, trusty camera in hand, to take a few photos.  Enjoy the photography, but come on down yourself next year and experience this event for yourself.  Besides the music and dancing, there's also food and Native American arts and crafts for sale.  It's a fun - and maybe educating - afternoon outing that the whole family can enjoy.
It's just one more of many reasons to come to Natchez for a weekend or so.
If you'd like to see more of my Natchez Pow-Wow photos, Go to my Flickr.com Page!
And to see more about Natchez, Mississippi, click on NatchezMS.Com, The Travel and Tourism Guide to Natchez, Mississippi.

Natchez Spring Pilgrimage

It's Spring Pilgrimage in Natchez, a time when many of the antebellum homes open their doors to tours. Visitors come from all around the world to step inside these architectural and historical wonders, and hear stories about the people who built and lived in them; stories full of humor, drama, and pathos, of great riches brought by king cotton, the devastating ravages of war and the preservation of history.

I've just spent the last 3 days taking photographs at many of those historic homes, and it was a thrill.

Taking pictures was a special treat for those 3 days. The weather was beautiful, camellias were in bloom everywhere (there's one in the first picture), hostesses wearing hoopskirts and antebellum gowns graced each home, and throngs of tourists - we like to call them 'visitors' - roamed the homes and grounds.

The antebellum home Richmond was one I'd never seen before. The mansion was built in different stages and with three distinct architectural types. The front is Greek Revival, the middle is Federal, and the back, the newest portion, is 3 stories of brick.

Elms Court was another I had not seen before, though I happen to know the owners. The massive amounts of wrought iron bordering the frame of the house set it apart from all the others.

Natchez offers morning and afternoon tours, with plenty of time in between for lunch. There's time afterward for shopping and dining, too. Dining in Natchez, like most Southern towns, is a real treat, and there are plenty of restaurants to suit just about any taste.

Evenings can be spent being entertained at the Natchez Pageant, Southern Road to Freedom, or Southern Exposure.

The Natchez Pageant is a series of tableaux, or 'pictures brought to life' representing the different periods of Natchez history, beginning with the Natchez Indians and ending with the Civil War.

Southern Road to Freedom is the story of slavery - and freedom, told with music.

Southern Exposure is a theatrical spoof of Pilgrimage. Yes, we like to make fun, even of ourselves.

Combine all that with some of the most magnificent antiques shopping in the South, a panoramic view of the Mississippi River, and the kind of hospitality that makes one wish he could live here forever, and you've got what we think is the perfect vacation.

So we'd like to know, have you been to Natchez, especially for Spring or Fall Pilgrimage? What did you think? And how can we improve your experience?

What did you like best? Is there anything you didn't like?

And personally, I'd like to know what websites you looked at before you came to Natchez.

That's a lot of questions, but if you'd like to just make a comment about your experience, that's ok, too. But please, make a comment - let us know something about your experience. Better yet, take another look at the questions and answer a few of them.

You'll be helping us make Natchez a better, more fun, more interesting place to visit. And that's what it's all about!

Thanks!

Sam

See more photos of Spring Pilgrimage

>NatchezMS.com, Travel & Tourism Guide to Natchez, Mississippi

Look Who's Marketing Now!

First off, this is not a rant. I love what I do, and what I do is website development. The creativity and detail of my job make me happy, and I'm happy to help my clients.

But I've got to talk to more clients about their commitment to the internet.

Some think that once they've got a website their troubles are over. The website does all the work, the great Google god shines his blessing, and customers flock to them by the thousands.

But here's the reality: Your website just doesn't do everything automatically. You have to be paying attention and do some things that help your web presence grow.

As a developer, it's my responsibility to go through the Search Engine Optimization process with you by researching keywords, optimizing the meta tags, submitting to search engines, consulting with you on the best online directories for your business, and other technical stuff.

You, on the other hand, should be using social media like Twitter, Facebook, and any others that you have time for, to make your business shine. Sign up with business-related directories so that you can log on when you like, making changes when needed to be sure that everything is accurate.

Write a blog.

Your developer may be great at designing and SEO, but you're the one who sees your business day in and day out. Blogging about interesting customers, strange requests, a new sales tactic you tried, or even a troublesome problem you've come across can be a really good marketing tact.

Here's an example: A good friend and client who owns a bed and breakfast bragged a bit about the quality of the breakfast he served. When I checked his reviews on TripAdvisor, sure enough people were praising his food as some of the very best they'd ever had at a B&B. Now that's bragging rights! How much more could he have gained by blogging about it and linking right back to his site so folks could make reservations and taste for themselves?

It doesn't have to be bragging, it just has to be interesting enough for people to want to click the link. Another visitor and potential customer added.

And my web developing skills had nothing to do with it.

He could have done the same on Twitter or Facebook, having his followers and friends see what great hospitality he offers with just a few sentences.

My point is, a website by itself just isn't enough. It's an extremely important tool that offers information, pictures, and a sales pitch, but you are the one who makes your business shine.

If your business is important enough to have a website, then it's certainly important enough to spend a few minutes a day or a few times a week making it shine.

And if you'd like some help learning how to do that, call me and I'll offer my fabulous consulting services for a nominal fee.

What, you thought I'd do that for free? Silly earthling.

By the way, if you want to know who makes the fabulous breakfast, email travel@natchezms.com and I'll tell you.

Now for the cheap plug.

Go immediately to www.natchezms.com, see what a great getaway a visit to Natchez, MS would be, and tell the folks you make reservations with who sent you.

Ghosts in Natchez? Plenty and How!

Do you believe in ghosts? Soon it will be the season for them whether you believe or not, what with Halloween and all, and Natchez certainly has its share.
For instance, there's an article about the ghosts of Historic Jefferson College in the local paper today. It seems they're inviting "ghost hunters" to bring their paranormal-seeking equipment to look for evidence of the spirits seen and heard in the buildings and on the grounds around the old school. Here's a link to the article: http://tinyurl.com/ljubbh. I've seen the photo of the 9-year old boy and it's pretty convincing.
Natchez has a lot of antebellum homes (for you yankees, that's homes built before the Civil War) and you can bet nearly every one has a few stories about the doors shutting when no one's around, ghostly figures walking the halls, and other fairly domestic stuff. Haller Nutt is seen wandering the gardens of Longwood and his wife, Julia, climbs the unfinished stairs. The man with the top hat floats through the guest rooms of Linden, and Madeline plays tricks on the guests of King's Tavern. It's said that the woman was murdered and bricked into an old fireplace. They found her skeleton and the bones of two men. We don't know who the guys were, but you can bet there's lots of speculation about how they died. Ooh scary, very scary.
Walt Grayson of "Mississippi Roads" made a video of the walking ghost tour that existed a few years ago, but only caught a few globes of light on film.
Now the ghost tour is aboard a bus, with some stops along the way to see if you can scare up a spirit or two.
Ghost Tales Around the Campfire takes place at Jefferson College the 29th of October. Bring your blanket and/or lawn chair and sit around the bonfire while story-tellers try to scare the bejeesus out of you. Now that's fun, especially if you're the scarer not the scaree.
Intentionally made un-scary, is Angels on the Bluff. This event, held at the City Cemetery the first weekend of November, has local actors portraying the folks who reside in the graves. We've got Revolutionary War soldiers, Confederate generals, gypsies, artists, and every other kind of interesting folk, all with their own stories to tell. See more here: http://tinyurl.com/mguy7y.
So if you're a ghost hunter or just a curious visitor with a hankering to meet someone from the great beyond, come on down. Whether you see spirits or not, you're bound to have some fun trying. Visit www.natchezms.com to see lists of the hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, attractions, and lots more!