Greetings partners,

Spring is just around the corner, and we’re eager to welcome even more visitors to our beautiful, blossoming city. With Winston-Salem continuing to post record-breaking tourism numbers, we look forward to another busy and exciting peak season.

A special thank you to everyone who joined us for our recent winter workshops—our AI Workshop in January and PR Workshop in February. Up next is our second annual Spring Reveal on April 24 at Robert Hall, where we’ll share updates from key attractions and invite you to showcase what’s new with your organization. You'll find more details along with an RSVP link below. We hope you’ll join us!

We always appreciate hearing from you. Please keep us in the loop by adding our team to your press release list or simply sending us an email. We’re happy to share industry news in this newsletter, which reaches nearly 900 tourism partners (and counting) each month.

Again, thanks for all you do to make Winston-Salem a welcoming and thriving destination. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Partner Forum: Spring Reveal

Thursday, April 24, 9:00–10:30AM

@Robert Hall, 874 N Liberty St.

Spring brings fresh opportunities—and plenty of visitors—to Winston-Salem. To stay in the know, make plans to attend our Spring Reveal on Thursday, April 24, at Robert Hall in downtown Winston-Salem. This free, 90-minute program is your chance to hear firsthand what's new and noteworthy at our area's top attractions.

Nearly a dozen attractions—including Old Salem, Reynolda, Kaleideum, Korner’s Folly, and Tanglewood—will share quick-hit presentations on what's new at their sites this season, whether that means new programs, enhanced offerings, upcoming events, or anything else. After the initial presentations, all attendees will have a chance to share updates from their organizations. Coffee and doughnuts will also be served.

 Space is limited, so RSVP today! If you have any questions, contact Amy da Luz, Visitor Services Manager at Visit Winston-Salem. We hope to see you there!

2025 Partner Summer Social 😎

Thursday, July 24, 3:00–5:00PM

Join us at Wise Man Brewing for our second annual Summer Social. Enjoy an easy-breezy afternoon of light bites, cold drinks, music, and networking with partners. 

Curious what others are saying about Winston-Salem? Here are a few earned editorial pieces that appeared in various media outlets recently.

Winston-Salem Magazine featured VWS President Stephanie Pace Brown on the March cover as part of its Women's History Month spotlight on strong female leaders. In the article, she describes tourism as a "team sport" that creates life-enriching experiences for visitors while benefiting the community. Read here.

Forbes.com included Ryan’s Restaurant and JOLO Vineyards in an article on the "Top 100 Romantic Restaurants in the U.S." The article, which has over 75M impressions online, was written by Michele Hermann, who attended a recent media dinner hosted by VWS in New York. Read here.

Cape Fear Living, the Wilmington, NC lifestyle magazine, profiled Kimpton Cardinal Hotel in its latest issue. It was written by former VWS-hosted guest Colleen Thompson, who stated, "If you’re looking for a city that’s balancing history, style, and a little bit of whimsy, Winston-Salem has arrived." Read here.

We wrapped up our Winter Forum series with an engaging PR Workshop on February 25 at the Historic Brookstown Inn. A big thank you to our presenters — Scott Carpenter and Steve Bumgarner of Capture PR, and Maria Hayworth of Hayworth PR — for sharing their expertise, and to our panelists — travel writer Anna Cook, digital producer Caleb Owolabi, and FOX8 reporter Shannon Smith — for their lively, candid discussion. Most of all, we'd like to thank the dozens of partners for not only attending but actively engaging in the Q&A. 

The Visit Winston-Salem Marketing Team has been rolling out elements of its "Twice as Nice" campaign, engaging audiences and driving connections. The efforts are paying off, with impressive results emerging in recent weeks. Here are a few highlights from the past month.

The sales team has spent the first few months of 2025 doing what they do best — meeting with clients, hosting site visits, and closing contracts. In February, the team generated 22 new leads with 14 definite bookings representing 2,081 room nights. A few highlights:

The state’s top high school basketball teams will be in town, March 10-15, for the NCHSAA Regional and Championship rounds at LJVM Coliseum. Schedules and ticket details will be released later this week as teams qualify.

As always, the Benton Convention Center will be bustling this month, hosting several events expected to draw 500-plus attendees. This includes:

Updates and accolades from across the community.

ABOVE: Cheryl Harry of Triad Cultural Arts at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Shotgun House Legacy Project on Feb. 27. The house is at  716 Humphrey Street in the Happy Hill area.

Shotgun House Legacy Site Unveiled in Happy Hill
Triad Cultural Arts recently celebrated the ribbon-cutting of the Shotgun House Legacy Site, a fully restored 120-year-old home in Happy Hill, Winston-Salem’s first planned Black community. Now a living museum, the site offers insight into life during the Jim Crow and Civil Rights eras. The museum is set to open full-time by fall 2025, but Triad Cultural Arts has more plans in the works for the site. Phase II of the project includes adding an events center, welcome pavilion, and a 60-foot observation tower overlooking Happy Hill.

Belews Lake Park opens in Forsyth County

Belews Lake Park, a scenic 216-acre recreational area in northeast Forsyth County, opened to the public in recent weeks. Just 25 minutes from downtown, the park features two miles of trails (including an ADA-accessible option), a fishing pier, and picnic shelters. Future plans call for interactive nature displays, a playground, and additional trails. 

Salem Adds Beach Volleyball to Athletics Program

The nation’s oldest women’s college just added something new: beach volleyball. Salem College recently held a ribbon-cutting for its new beach volleyball complex, which includes multiple sand courts, ahead of its inaugural season of beach volleyball. The school will field a 12-player team and compete against other NCAA Division III squads. This expansion builds on the momentum of Salem’s indoor volleyball team, which capped off a stellar 30-6 season by earning a share of its first USA South Conference regular-season title.

Reynolds Marks 150 Years at Historic Site

Reynolds American kicked off its 150th anniversary with the unveiling of a historic marker at the site of its original Little Red Factory, where R.J. Reynolds began tobacco production in 1875. That modest two-story building laid the foundation for what would become one of the world’s largest tobacco companies. The marker now stands on Chestnut Street, just blocks from Reynolds’ downtown headquarters at Fifth and Main Streets.

UNCSA Grad Makes Oscar History

UNC School of the Arts alum Paul Tazewell just made history at the 2025 Academy Awards, becoming the first Black man to win Best Costume Design for his dazzling work on "Wicked." Tazewell crafted over 1,000 costumes for the blockbuster musical, including Glinda’s iconic bubble dress and Elphaba’s black gown. No stranger to accolades, he also won a Tony Award in 2016 for his work in the Broadway hit "Hamilton." Tazewell graduated from UNCSA's Design & Production school in 1986. He often returns to campus as a guest lecturer and speaker, inspiring the next generation of artists.

Were you forwarded this newsletter? You can sign up to receive future editions by emailing Amy da Luz, VWS Communications & Visitor Services Manager, at amy@visitwinstonsalem.com, and we'll add you to our subscriber list.