It was a stormy night, but a few people did show up at the B.B. King Museum last Thursday for the public forum component of the museum’s five-year strategic planning.
A lot of seats were empty though.
Alright, they get a pass because of the rain, but anyone who was not able to make the meeting, who has input for the museum’s planners, should reach out.
The epicenter of Indianola’s tourism industry is just over a decade old, and it is at a critical juncture in its history.
It has received both visitors and praise from all over the world.
Last year, it was named the state’s No. 1 tourism attraction.
Just a few years ago, there was no museum, but during its short existence, it has woven itself into the community’s DNA.
Many residents rely on the museum for its free educational programs, it’s work to help stem the tide of diabetes in the Delta and many other things.
The community looks to the museum as a catalyst for Indianola’s tourism industry, as it drew around 26,000 visitors in 2017 (the last fiscal year data are available).
The B.B. King Museum staff also acts as the Conventions & Visitors Bureau for Sunflower County.
What happens at the museum matters, and the community’s input matters.
I heard a lot of great suggestions and points from those in attendance, ranging from the revitalization of Club Ebony to the need for more educational programs.
A major point of interest has to do with the B.B. King Homecoming Festival, which is held each year in Fletcher Park in Indianola.
The museum’s Executive Director Malika Polk-Lee was transparent about the fact that attendance to the festival has been dismal in recent years.
Low attendance is a major factor in the festival losing money.
For decades, B.B. King drew thousands to the City of Indianola each year for the Homecoming Festival.
Without King, the event has struggled to gain traction, especially with locals, who tend to stay home during the festival.
Many last year blamed the heat, and while that was surely a deterrent, many other festivals in other towns thrive during the summer months.
Polk-Lee mentioned the possibility of shuttering the festival, noting it could “not continue to lose money.”
The museum will ultimately have to decide what is in the best fiscal interest of the museum, which needs to remain sustainable for years to come, but a more concerted effort needs to be made to save Homecoming.
That effort begins with us locals.
We need to get out and support the festival in 2019.
Many support Homecoming in a variety of ways, but this event needs numbers.
That is the only way it will be able to attract major sponsors, which will allow the lineup to blossom.
The bigger the crowds, the bigger the sponsors. The bigger the sponsors, the bigger the acts.
Polk-Lee, Robert Terrell and the museum’s entire staff work hard to make sure the festival is a safe place for people to go and have fun.
So go and have fun.
Buying a ticket does help the festival financially, but showing up will pay greater dividends in the future.
