Small Town Summit - Experiential Tourism

Get ready to dive into the world of experiential tourism at the Small Town Summit! This is your chance to explore how small towns create unforgettable experiences for travelers as they partner with local historic, agricultural and rural destinations. Join us in person to connect, learn, and share ideas with folks who are passionate about turning local culture into amazing adventures. Whether you're a local or just curious, this summit is all about celebrating the unique charm of small-town tourism!

Following a highly successful launch last year, the Small Town Summit returns with its 2025 theme: Experiential Tourism – Agricultural, Historical & Rural. This year’s event will be hosted as a Lunch & Learn on January 12th from 11 AM–1 PM at Deeply Rooted Ranch, located at 5255 Ganske Road, Burton, TX 77835.

Featured Speaker: Jennifer EckermannCity of Brenham Tourism and Retired Marketing Director

Jennifer Eckermann brings more than two decades of leadership in community revitalization, heritage tourism, and cultural preservation. In 2025, she was honored with the Anice B. Read Award of Excellence in Community Heritage Development from the Texas Historical Commission.This award recognizes “exemplary work in community revitalization, preservation planning and protection, or heritage tourism which significantly advances the impacts of historic preservation in Texas.”Eckermann led Brenham’s Main Street Program from 1999–2022, serving as the guiding force behind many of the positive improvements the community enjoys today.

Her work helped establish Brenham as a Certified “Tourism Friendly Texas” Community.In receiving her statewide honor, Eckermann emphasized that the award reflects the power of community collaboration, noting that none of the progress would have been possible without the people and teams working alongside her.Eckermann was also instrumental in Brenham being chosen as only one of 8 cities in Texas who hosted the traveling exhibit from The Smithsonian.

At the summit, she will share how Brenham’s commitment to hospitality, heritage and tourism-driven economic development has shaped its success—and what other small towns can learn from that journey.

The summit will also feature a dynamic panel of leaders in experiential tourism, each bringing firsthand knowledge of developing memorable visitor experiences:

• Sherrie Cooke – Busted Oaks Cellars
• Stephanie Jarvis – Texas Cotton Gin Museum
• Jana Huffman – Deeply Rooted Ranch

Event Highlights

• Insights from award-winning tourism leader Jennifer Eckermann
• Panel discussion with local experts in rural, agricultural, and historical tourism
• Fresh, farm-to-table lunch prepared by Chef Chris of Deeply Rooted Ranch
• Networking with small-town advocates, business owners, and tourism professionals
• Actionable ideas for strengthening small-town destinations

🎟 Tickets: $30 — includes a farm-fresh lunch served by Chef Chris.