Pike County Chamber of Commerce launches Catfish Trail
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By DAVID CAMPHOUSE
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Seventeen dining establishments are participating in the Pike County Chamber of Commerce’s Catfish Trail, which begins this Friday, Feb. 25. Participants have until Friday, June 3, to “complete” the trail by dining at least nine stops on the trail. Completed punch cards and/or maps showing completion of the trail must be mailed to the Quincy Area Convention & Visitors Bureau no later than Monday, June 6, in order to qualify for prizes. All maps, punch cards and rules can be found at participating dining establishments. The trail is sponsored in partnership with the Quincy Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. As a result of the partnership with the Quincy Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, residents of Adams and Hancock counties are encouraged to visit Pike County restaurants on the trail. In turn, Pike County residents are encouraged to visit restaurants in Adams and Hancock counties. The combined trails are referred to as the Tri-County Catfish Trail. Participants who dine at at least nine different restaurants will qualify for a drawing for prizes including Catfish Trail apparel and prizes at the end of the promotion.
The Pike County Chamber of Commerce has announced that it is launching its Catfish Trail, featuring 17 Pike County dining establishments. The trail will begin this Friday, Feb. 25, in anticipation of Lent.
The Catfish Trail is being sponsored by the Pike County Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Quincy Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. As a result of the partnership, visitors from both Adams and Hancock counties will be encouraged to visit Pike County restaurants.
The creation of the Catfish Trail was prompted by the very successful Pike County Chamber of Commerce Tenderloin Trail this past fall. The Tenderloin Trail encouraged hundreds of local residents and tourists to visit 13 Pike County restaurants in order to try the iconic fried tenderloin sandwich.
Several more dining establishments have signed on to participate in the Catfish Trail, bringing the number of participating Pike County establishments to 17. In addition, dozens of Adams and Hancock county restaurants have signed on to participate. The addition of Adams and Hancock counties to the promotion promises to draw residents from those two counties to Pike County restaurants.
According to Adams County Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Holly Cain, the Tri-County Catfish Trail celebrates the unique geography of the region and encourages customers to patronize locally-owned restaurants throughout the area. In addition, Cain said the three-county scope of the Catfish Trail will serve as a tourism draw to the area.
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Participants in the Pike County and Tri-County Catfish Trails will qualify to win fun prizes and apparel featuring the Pike County Catfish Trail mascot and logo, which were designed – along with the trail maps – by Pike County native Bill Beard. To qualify, participants must dine at at least nine participating stops between Friday, Feb. 25, and Friday, June 3. Completed punch cards and/or maps showing completion of the trail must be mailed to the Quincy Area Convention & Visitors Bureau no later than Monday, June 6, in order to qualify for prizes. All maps, punch cards and rules can be found at dozens of dining establishments throughout Pike, Adams and Hancock counties. The trail is sponsored in partnership with the Quincy Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. As a result of the partnership with the Quincy Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, residents of Adams and Hancock counties are encouraged to visit Pike County restaurants on the trail.
“With so many of our communities being river communities, we are anxious to showcase that to local customers and visitors alike,” Cain said. “With so many locally owned businesses, this is a great way to get people to experience many of our flavors and visit new restaurants for the first time. Having three counties involved, we believe extends the attraction to visitors from outside the area.”
Local restaurateurs also see value in the Pike County Chamber of Commerce’s restaurant trails.
Patty Ruble of Courtyard Café & Bakery said that she hopes more initiatives are planned by the Chamber and business owners that bring attention to towns and villages throughout Pike County.
“I think we should come up with more activities,” Ruble said. “The trails are great, because they bring attention to businesses in smaller communities that are off the beaten path. It’s gotten people to travel and go to new places that they’ve never been to. It’s a win-win for everybody.”
In order to “complete” the Catfish Trail, participants must dine at any nine participating restaurants on the trail between Friday, Feb. 25, and Friday, June 3. All maps and punch cards completed by participants on the trail must be mailed to the Quincy Area Convention & Visitors Bureau – 532 Gardner Expressway, Quincy, IL 62301 – by Monday, June 6. Maps and punch cards will be available for pick-up at any participating dining establishment on the trail.
Participants in the Pike County Chamber of Commerce Catfish Trail are: Atlas Café, Bainbridge Café, Barry Café, Copperhead Tavern, Courtyard Café & Bakery, Fat Boys, The Hook, Nucci’s, Swanie’s at Pearl Fuel Mart, Pleasant Hill Fast Stop, Riverbank Bar & Grill, Rumors Have It, StageCoach Inn, Teddy’s Bar & Grill, Wattsup Café, CJ’s Café, and the Pike County Senior Citizens Center. Complete rules will be available at each restaurant.
For extra chances to win prizes for completing the Catfish Trail, participants should post pictures of themselves dining at participating establishments at the Pike County Catfish & Tenderloin Trail Facebook group site: https://www.facebook.com/groups/531536094583370/.
While the Catfish trail is being launched to coordinate with Lent, Cain indicated the Catfish Trail would persist beyond the initial three month launch.
“We anticipate this trail to extend beyond Lent,” Cain said. “The trail will be available to see on our website, so people – visitors and locals, alike – can travel the trail year-round.”
For more information on the Pike County Catfish Trail, contact the Pike County Chamber of Commerce at 217-285-2971 or [email protected].
