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This year, The Cave City Chamber is trying something new for the Watermelon Festival, and we’re excited to share it with you first!
Thanks to the generous partnership of Bank of Cave City and First Community Bank, the Chamber has rented a beautiful vintage trolley that will operate Friday, July 24, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Sweetest Shuttle will provide FREE hop-on, hop-off transportation throughout Cave City, encouraging festival visitors to explore our shops, restaurants, attractions, and local watermelon stands.
Our hope is simple: bring more people into town and create a meaningful economic impact for our local businesses.
This is a pilot program, and we’re excited to see what it can accomplish. If visitors respond well, our hope is to continue and grow The Sweetest Shuttle in future years, creating a tradition that visitors look forward to and helping more people discover everything Cave City has to offer.
Attached you’ll find the official Sweetest Shuttle Map. Please note that this map is designed specifically for festival visitors and highlights shuttle stops and points of interest. It is not intended to serve as a complete business directory. We encourage visitors to explore our full Chamber Business Directory as well.
5 Ways You Can Help
1- Participate in Window Wars
Help us give visitors a warm Cave City welcome by participating in our Window Wars: Slice of Summer Edition! We encourage you all to decorate your storefronts with creative summer- or watermelon-themed displays.
Based on your feedback from year one, Fan Favorite voting is moving online! To be included in online voting, please submit a photo of your completed display by July 20 using the link below. The submission page also includes a printable QR code card for your checkout counter, making it easy for visitors and locals to vote during festival week.
Together, The Sweetest Shuttle and Window Wars will help create a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere throughout Cave City and encourage visitors to explore all our community has to offer.
2. Share the Event
Beginning July 1, we’ll officially launch public promotion of The Sweetest Shuttle. Please help us spread the word by sharing our posts and inviting others to experience Friday in Cave City.
The more exposure visitors have to the shuttle route, map, and event details before festival weekend, the more likely they are to plan their Friday around exploring businesses throughout town. Our goal is for visitors to arrive knowing they can park once, hop aboard the trolley, and discover everything Cave City has to offer.
3- Welcome Every Visitor
A warm “Welcome to Cave City!” can leave a lasting impression. Not every visitor will make a purchase that day—and that’s okay. Every person who walks through your doors becomes familiar with your business. Those positive experiences often lead to future visits, recommendations to friends and family, and return trips long after festival weekend.
4. Recommend Your Neighbors
One of the best things about visiting a small town is getting recommendations from the locals. If someone is looking for coffee, send them to Drifters. Looking for antiques? Recommend Red Door or D&L Discount. Looking for a unique dining experience? Point them toward Gypsy Willow. Want fresh watermelon? Direct them to one of our many local melon stands. We have so many hidden gems – help spread the love.
Your recommendations help visitors discover more of Cave City and encourage them to explore beyond just one stop. We’ll also be delivering printed copies of our official tourist maps to businesses throughout Cave City for you to share with visitors during festival weekend.
5- Collect & Share Your Feedback
Because The Sweetest Shuttle is a new initiative, we’d love your feedback after festival weekend. If you’re able, please keep track of any observations that may help us evaluate its success, such as:
- Increased foot traffic
- New customers or first-time visitors
- Customers mentioning they rode the shuttle
- Sales trends compared to previous years
- General comments or suggestions
Every piece of feedback will help us improve the program and determine how we can continue growing its impact in the years ahead. Feel free to email this info to brandi@cavecityareachamber.org. We truly hope this initiative will increase foot traffic, introduce visitors to businesses they may have never discovered otherwise, and create an experience that encourages them to return again and again.
Thank you for believing in our community and for helping us make Cave City a place visitors won’t soon forget. We can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together!
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Submit your storefront photo here: