Use Website, Not Facebook for Promotions Hub
By P.A. Geddie (NOTE 08.23.23: This article was originally written in 2016! I am happy to say that most of our tourism towns now have great websites. The problem outlined below remains an issue with others all these years later.) I've noticed lately that several of...
Four Essential Elements to Effective Event Promotions
By P.A. Geddie Promotional strategies for events are primarily designed to build attendance. Done right, they also build good community relations, and have a long-term effect on an organization’s brand. Once an attendance goal is set, there are four main elements to...
Find Summer Fun on These Five Adventures
By Lisa Tang The Upper East Side of Texas is home to many adventures. Thousands of folks take short trips to the region each year to see animal parks; ride historic trains; boat, ski, or fish on area lakes; tour cultural districts; or pick their own produce at local...
Building a Media List for Successful Promotions
By P.A. Geddie Most media outlets want to help promote your towns and events. You just need to make it easy for them. With hundreds of topics to cover daily, they don't often have time to chase down every story. Help them gather the news and they'll appreciate it and...
Spend ‘Healing Time’ With Ruthie Foster
By P.A. Geddie The joyful energy coming off any stage lucky enough to hold Ruthie Foster wraps around audience members like a warm quilt on a cold and rainy day. Her passionate Texas blues and Americana vibe brings a sense of peace to listeners that makes them feel...
Ally Venable Releases New Album
Kilgore native Ally Venable is releasing a new album March 24. Real Gone is the 23 year old Texas blues/rock guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter’s latest solo effort. The album features guest appearances by Joe Bonamassa and Buddy Guy, two of her biggest influencers....
History: It’s the New Thing For Local Entertainment
By P.A. Geddie Is it just me or have you too noticed a surge of interest in area history? Not just from the “old” folks, but from millennials and other generations. Tourists have long looked to towns and regions for quirky historical markers and other signs of...
Hampton House: Jewelry Business Creates Lasting Success
By Julie Parker With five children, a husband, and a family insulation business, Angela Hampton registered for jewelry classes during a busy time of her life. “Wesley (her husband) told me to chase my dream,” Angela says. Having taken numerous art courses at the...
Building Nonprofit Leadership for Success
The East Texas Center for Nonprofits (ETCN) offers training throughout the year to help the regions nonprofits achieve their important work. The organization offers a wide range of topics and speakers during the year including grant research and writing, board...
The World According to Hank O’Neal
By P.A. Geddie Hank O’Neal is a music producer, author, and photographer. Named for his father, Harold L. O'Neal Jr. was born June 5, 1940, in Kilgore, Texas. Although the family moved away from East Texas when he was a boy, his deep roots, memories, and many return...
Savor Latin-Inspired Hot Cocoa With Coconut Whipped Cream
Chocolate was originally described as "the drink of the gods" by ancient Aztecs and Mayans and has a long history in Central American culture. For more than 4,000 years, cacao plants have been harvested for their delicious, bitter components that are a key ingredient...
Slip Into Summer at State Park Lakes
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) invites visitors to take a dip at the region’s state parks to beat summer’s heat. Cooper Lake State Park and Lake Tawakoni State Park in the Upper East Side of Texas top TPWD’s list of swim-friendly lakes. Cooper Lake State...
Coming Summer 2025
County Line Magazine archives are going to The Portal to Texas History, a gateway to rare, historical, and primary source materials from or about Texas. Look for the County Line issues there soon.