Story Ideas
The following are some interesting story ideas about Bristol for 2010.
Bristol Sign
In 2010 Bristol with be celebrating the 100th year of the Bristol Sign. The Bristol sign was donated to the Bristol Community by the Bristol Electric and Gas Company in 1910. The sign stands over State Street which is also the dividing lines for the states of Tennessee and Virginia in historic downtown Bristol. The sign was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The renowned sign began celebrating its centennial on April 30, 2010 with a community gala at the Bristol Train Station. Other festivities are planned throughout the year.
The Sunnyside of the Country
Bristol is part of two new trails; The Countryside Artisan Trial in Virginia and the Sunnyside Trail in Tennessee. The Countryside Artisan Trail is a part of Round the Mountain, an artisan network which links visitors to artisans, farms, galleries and other points of interests Southwest Virginia. The Sunnyside Trail is a part of Discover Tennessee Trails and byways. It covers 12 counties in Northeast Tennessee featuring the unique culture of music, arts, food and history that make up our part of the Appalachian Mountains.
Funny Cars, Pinks and More
The Bristol Dragway is gearing up for a blowout season starting with the Inaugural K&N Fling 20’s Bracket Racing in April. A racer’s event brought to Bristol by five-time NHRA World Champion Peter Biondo and Kyle Seipel. At the end of April fans can get ready for The Ford Blue Oval Bash as Ford fanatics from across the region descend upon Bristol. In October the popular Speed TV show PINKS with Rich Christensen comes to Bristol for the ultimate challenge for racers.
Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion
Nearly 600 volunteers and over 100 musicians, on stages in historic downtown, help welcome the over 30,000 visitors who arrive from throughout the country and around the globe. In 2009 the festival was recognized as the “Best Destination Event of the Year” by the Virginia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (VACVB). In 2010 the festival was recognized as a "Top 20 Festival of the Year" by Southeast Tourism Society. The upcoming festival is September 18-20, 2011 (third weekend in September).
Other Bristol Highlights:
NASCAR Racing, Caterpillar Crawl, Concerts & Movies in the Park, Fas Mart Street Fights, State Street Farmer’s Market, Mountain Stage and Speedway In Lights.
