Input sought on food, cultural offerings

It’s a little-known fact that Bastrop has been designated both a cultural and culinary destination in Texas for its art galleries, tourist attractions and downtown restaurants.

The Texas Commission on the Arts recognized the city’s cultural district in 2012, and the City Council named a culinary district through a resolution in 2013.

With the help of tourism marketing company Cygnet Strategies, Bastrop’s Main Street Program has released an online survey asking residents and visitors how the city could improve its food options, recreation and attrac- tions downtown.

Responses will help shape new culinary and cultural arts improvement plans, Main Street Director Sarah O’Brien said.

Bastrop was one of the first communities in Texas to be designated a cultural arts district by the state commission, she said. Its highlights include the First Friday Art Walk, the newly christened Lost Pines Art Center, and a handful of downtown galleries.

In January, the commissionapproved new annual criteria and reporting requirements for all state cultural districts. Under the new standards, it’s possible Bastrop could lose its designation, O’Brien said. She said, it’s critical to step up promotion.

The city self-designated a culinary district in Bastrop four years ago. It’s made up of about 20 downtown restaurants and food-related businesses spanning Chestnut Street from Texas 71 to Bastrop State Park. The goal was to allow the Main Street Program to specially market the destinations and host food-related events downtown.

Cygnet Strategies will use results as well as feedback from one-on-one interviews with stakeholders to craft culinary and cultural improvement plans, which will then be given to the city’s future Destination Marketing Organization to guide its efforts.