Longmire Days was recently designated as one of the Top 100 Events in North America for 2016 by the American Bus Association (ABA), which means the annual event is likely to gain additional notoriety on the national level.
Longmire Days was born from the book series by local author Craig Johnson and grew in popularity with the television series “Longmire.” The July event brought thousands of people to Buffalo.
The Top 100 Events list began as an information list for motorcoach tour operators and has since grown into “one of the most sought-after lists by travel professionals, motorcoach operators, and the general public,” according to an ABA press release.
“The attractiveness of Longmire Days as a don’t-miss entertainment value is only part of why its selection this year is such a distinction for Buffalo, Wyoming,” Peter Pantuso, president and CEO of ABA, said in the press release. “The real news here is that Longmire Days has been recognized as a potential magnet for tourism dollars, at a time when re-energizing domestic tourism is so important to our spirit and our economy. The honor gives Buffalo, Wyoming, an important boost in visibility among professional tour planners.”
Angela Fox, chief executive officer of the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce, said she was surprised and excited when she first heard the news. The Wyoming Office of Tourism nominated the event several months ago, she said.
Fox said she was pleased to know that Longmire Days has grown into an event that is able to gain recognition based on its own reputation, not just for the reputation of the book and television series it celebrates.
Longmire Days originally began as a festival to celebrate Johnson’s book series, Fox said. She and her team were trying to fill up summer weekends and give tourists a reason to stick around Buffalo. When the actors from the Longmire television show came to the event the next year, the small festival “turned into this full-blown event,” Fox said.
“It was not what we anticipated to begin with, and we’re glad it has grown,” Fox said. “I want to thank everyone for having faith in us. This event is more than just a little home festival. It’s now grown into something big.”
Fox said that Longmire Days gives people a chance to see Buffalo and Johnson County the way a local does, and that’s what makes the event so special.
“We’ve been working for (Buffalo) to be a little bit longer than a one-night stay. We wanted people to have the experience of staying here and getting to know our community the way we see it.” Fox said. “That’s what Longmire gives … a sense of the book celebration but also a sense of the community.”
Fox said she had hoped to pare back the event in the future because it requires extensive planning. She and her team work 12-to-14-hour days during the festival. But with the ABA listing, she doubts the event will become smaller anytime soon.
“I think we’re probably going to have to keep going full speed ahead until the attention dies down. We’ll keep it going full force,” Fox said.
Longmire Days was chosen from hundreds of event nominations, according to the press release.
Nominations are judged on an event’s ability to accommodate motorcoaches and large groups, the location of the event in relation to other tourist attractions and the overall appeal of the event.
“We want events that appeal to a wide group of people, both young and old. We want it to be an event that fits as many different criteria as possible,” said Dan Ronan, senior director of communications at ABA.
The timing and season of Longmire Days, the accessibility for group tours and the variety of events appealed to the judges, Ronan said. He called Longmire Days “a real well-rounded, well-balanced event.”
“It’s got an interesting hook to it, in terms of the festival, the book series, the television series,” Ronan said. “There’s something for everybody.”
Judges are selected from ABA member motorcoach and tour operator companies, and judging took place from May 31 to June 3 in Birmingham, Alabama, according to ABA.
Anyone can nominate an event for consideration.
Only two other events from Wyoming were listed in ABA’s 2016 edition: Eastern Shoshone Indian Days in Ft. Washakie and Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne.