Barb and her handler enjoyed a day of extra visits and feedings.
Brittany Hively | OVP
BoardRoom46 hosted free sign painting during the day, letting visitors paint an initial on a hanger.
Brittany Hively | OVP
Several students took their shot at the archery exhibit.
Brittany Hively | OVP
Children loved feeding this cute not-so-little rodent during the Discover Applachia Travel Expo.
Brittany Hively | OVP
Officer Mark still and his K9, Chapo.
Brittany Hively | OVP
The larger of the two camels at the Travel Expo did not hesitate to reach out for a snack.
Brittany Hively | OVP
Visitors from around the Ohio Valley enjoyed the different displays, booths and activities during the annual Discover Appalachia Travel Expo.
Brittany Hively | OVP
Poppy and Branch grabbed the opportunity of a picture with those from the John Gee Black Historical Center and the Emancipation Celebration Day committee.
Brittany Hively | OVP
A representative from the Our House Tavern Museum spoke about the island along the Ohio River in Gallipolis, Ohio.
Brittany Hively | OVP
One little girl works to dry her initial sign painted with BoardRoom46.
Brittany Hively | OVP
The recent 14th annual Discover Appalachia Travel Expo in Gallipolis provided visitors an opportunity to see what the Southeast Ohio region has to offer. The free event featured informational booths, demonstrations and family-friendly activities including a visit from BARKer Farms which brought a variety of animals to the Expo.
Brittany Hively | OVP
Branch and Poppy from Trolls taking pictures during the Travel Expo.
Brittany Hively | OVP
GALLIPOLIS, Ohio — Community members from across the Ohio Valley visited the 2022 Discover Appalachia Travel Expo last week in Gallipolis at Gallia Academy Middle School.
The event welcomed “just under 400” people, according to Kaitlynn Halley, assistant director of the Gallia County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The Travel Expo included a full day of activities to include the entire family. There were also a number of local businesses and creatives setup to meet with visitors.
BARKer Farms was setup with a few different animals and offered free cups of feed to children to give the animals.
The Gallipolis Police Department’s Officer Mark Still and Chapo gave a presentation, showing Chapo’s skills and Still spoke to the audience about Chapo’s continuous training, his own training and the ins and outs of a police canine.
A representative from the Our House Tavern Museum gave a presentation on the island along Ohio River that is seen while driving along First Avenue, speaking of its history and how the size has diminished over the years.
Some of the booths included were BoardRoom46 hosted sign painting; Magic Mirror Gallipolis had a unique mirror photo booth; the Racoon Creek Partnership had an exhibit full of outdoor lessons and the John Gee Black Historical Center had a booth setup for a Gallia County history lesson.
Other setups included archery, giveaways, drawings, informational brochures, books and a lot of swag for guests.
Special appearances were also made by the Easter Bunny and Poppy and Branch from the Trolls movie.
The annual event was a day full of activities welcoming community members who came out for the day.
“We would like to thank everyone for a wonderful day and we look forward to next year,” Halley said.
Also a part of the event was the Gallia County Chamber of Commerce.
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Brittany Hively is a staff writer for Ohio Valley Publishing. Follow her on Twitter @britthively; reach her at (740) 446-2342 ext 2555.
