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With Tourism Month in full swing, the Alabama Welcome Center in Lanett hosted the annual Tourism Day event at the center. Tourism Day is hosted by the Alabama Tourism and Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) and is sponsored by many local businesses on both sides of the state line between Alabama and Georgia.

Tourism Supervisor Laura Smith manages the center along with her staff. During the event, live music was performed by local musicians.

“The partners donate all the food,” Smith said, adding that many of the businesses in Valley, Lanett and West Point are partners. “… That’s a blessing.”

Various food and beverages were served by local restaurants such as Johnny’s Pizza, Dunkin Donuts, Pokey’s 8th Street Grill, Terri’s Mill Village Cafe, Mr. Ice, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Tasty Donuts, Givorn’s and many more.

There are nine welcome centers across Alabama. Each one chooses a day in May to host a Tourism Day. The tourism department gives out information about the area and the state and makes recommendations and reservations. They give out free tourism booklets that