That commission, created by a 1975 ordinance signed by then-Mayor Sam Strong, administers the proceeds it collects from two percent local businesses’ gross revenues from what are called, according to the commission’s facebook site, “hospitality purchases,” which are “foods, beverages and hotel stays.” 

The commission can spend those funds to advertise the town and to stage events designed to draw people to Hope. Examples include the annual Watermelon Festival and Trade/Train Days.  With the town falling into the zone of totality for this April 8th’s eclipse, Chambers and the commission for which she is secretary, agreed Hope needed to throw an eclipse party and expect to spend $25,000 to do so. 

“We just threw out some ideas,” Chamber said, characterizing the first meeting with the commission on the eclipse. “We knew we wanted to do it at the airport. It seemed like the best location in Hope since it’s wide open, plenty of parking spaces. And then it turned into what we’re doing, a whole weekend event.” 

The next step was to put together a planning committee and, in September of 2023, start a series of meetings.  All the planners would be local and represent important institutions that would be needed to perform tasks needed for the events.  From Hope-Hempstead County Economic Development Corporation, its director Anna Powell is included. From Hope-Hempstead Chamber of Commerce, Christy Burns. For advertising, Bren Yocom, General Manager of the SWARK.Today media company. 

From Hope Public Schools, Superintendent Jonathan Crossley is a member. From local police and firefighting, Hope Police Chief Kim Tomlin and Hope Fire Chief Todd Martin are members. For medical safety, Suzie Gresham Barham, of Pafford also is in the group. Darrell Allen, Hope’s GIS Coordinator and Airport Director consults with the group. Beckie Moore, former Hope-Hempstead Chamber of Commerce Director and former Executive Director of the Klipsch Heritage Museum also brings her experience in organizing many city events to the planning committee. 

Despite the number of members and the different interests represented, Chambers said the planning committee has worked well together. “There are quite a few ideas tossed around and narrowed down, which is kind of great because everyone has kind of taken own their own event. We've separated it into different time blocks for the weekend, and all the responsibilities have just been distributed, so no one's really overworked. It's a lot going on, but everyone can handle it. So it's been pretty good teamwork.” 

That is all based on monthly meetings since September, which will become twice monthly starting in January. Chambers said a source of valuable information has been the County Extension Office with Terrie James, Staff Chair and Betty Wingfield, County Extension Agent being key sources of help for the planning. But Chambers said the planners also use google to find out what they need to know. 

The mood of the meetings meanwhile could not be better, Chambers said, because the members  “are used to putting on events for the community. They're very community minded, and everyone works really well together. We are from a smaller community. So we do work throughout the year on every event, so this one was no different. And everyone seems excited and likes to bring new things to Hope.” 

Starting in the middle of March those new things will include signage to welcome eclipse  tourists, who will most likely come, Chambers said, from the eastern portion of Arkansas and from Louisiana, since Texarkana will be the destination for many to our west.  There’s no exact expectation as to how many will come to the Hope-Hempstead County area, but 6,000 pairs of specially filtered solar eclipse glasses have been ordered to be available. 

“We will actually be placing banners around the town the weekend before Spring Break,” Chambers said. (Spring Break for Hope schools will start March 18th.) The planners chose that weekend because the banners will be likely be seen by attendees coming to the Jonquil Festival in Washington and to the Debra McMaster Invitational High School Softball Tournament at Hope’s Kelly Field, which are scheduled for that same weekend, March 16th-17th. Flyers about the eclipse events will be placed in children’s backpacks, too.  

So what are those events? They’ll get started Saturday April 6th at 9:00 a.m. with Solar Shopping Downtown. “We would love our businesses to really shine that day and draw people downtown. We're also bringing in additional vendors and selling them indoor spaces, and we’re also going to have a food court Saturday morning with food trucks to come in,” Chambers said. 

On Saturday evening, Solar Sounds Downtown will begin. “We are offering three different live music concerts at different locations,” Chambers said. These will be posted on the eclipse events’ website when they are known. 

On Sunday evening, April 7th at 6:00 p.m., Wyatt Putnam and Mae Estes will perform contemporary country at Fair Park. Both are Southwest Arkansas natives, Estes being from Hope. 

Then on Monday, April 8th for what Chambers calls the main event, gates at the Hope Municipal Airport will be opened at 9:00 a.m. “We will offer food trucks, inflatables, music, and we also have encouraged people to treat this as a tailgating party. If you'd like to bring your grills you can bring your grills. It’s a family fun-oriented event.” 

To keep up with what’s being planned by the Hope Advertising and Tourist Promotion Commission, Chambers urges you to check on their facebook page and their hopeusa.com page as more updates are posted.