Ida Cox Music Series Gains Regional Recognition

A regional tourism group is highlighting a downtown Toccoa summer event.

The Southeast Tourism Society has named Toccoa’s very own Ida Cox Music Series as one of the society’s Top 20 Events in the Southeast for Summer 2017.

Main Street Toccoa Events Coordinator Sharon Crosby said this announcement serves as a great chance to showcase the concert series.

“They meet together and decide which different events in the Southeast United States are worthy of promotion and encouraging people to come and visit, so we were thrilled when they selected our Ida Cox Music Series to be one of their special events in the Southeast that they are going to be promoting this year,” said Crosby.

Events chosen by the Southeast Tourism Society are publicized throughout the U.S. on two websites, EscapeToTheSoutheast.com and Travel Media Press Room.

Crosby said this can hopefully draw people from outside the local area to Toccoa and Stephens County.

“One of the things that we have wanted to do is to make this a regional event, rather than just a local event,” said Crosby. “Of course, it being a local event was our first priority, but we would also like to encourage people to come to Toccoa and this is the type of event that we feel will help to bring kind of a boost to our economy.”

According to Crosby, the goal is to bring more people in to eat at local restaurants, spend the night, and shop at local stores.

“We feel this is an economic boost for our entire city, not just the downtown area,” said Crosby.

Southeast Tourism Society President and CEO Bill Hardman said the events selected represent the best, and often most unique, activities in the region.

That region includes 12 Southeastern states from Virginia to Arkansas.

Toccoa’s Ida Cox Music Series started in 2012 and brings free concerts to downtown Toccoa on Saturday nights during the months of June and July.

It is named after legendary blues singer Ida Cox, who was a Toccoa native.

This year’s Ida Cox Music Series is scheduled to begin on June 3 and run every Saturday through July 29.