BEST SMALL TOWN continued from 17 Spangle picked up the tab( totalling more than $ 1,000) for patrons at one of the establishments in celebration of Nashville’ s Best Small Town title.“ We loved our time in Nashville,” he said.
“ Everyone was so hospitable.”“ Also, Ooey Gooey may be the best cinnamon roll in the state,” Spangle said.
Tourism remains a big revenue generator in Brown County. According to Rockport Analytics, visitors spent nearly $ 74 million in Brown County in 2023, including $ 36 million on lodging, $ 11.5 million on food and beverages and $ 7 million on shopping.
The spending supported more than 1,000 jobs, according to the report, paying a total of $ 21 million in wages. Tourism spending also generated nearly $ 9 million in local taxes, including $ 4.1 million in sales taxes.
Cristina Villani, marketing director for the Brown County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said Nashville’ s victory in the Small Town Showdown, along with the Get Indiana crew’ s visit,“ offered meaningful exposure for Brown County and helped us tell our story to a wider audience.”
“ Winning the Small Town Showdown gave us a unique opportunity to collaborate with local businesses and highlight what makes Brown County a one-of-a-kind destination,” Villani said via email.
“ Tourism partners like Hard Truth Distilling Co., Moontown Brewing Co., Moondance Vacation Rentals, Brown County Shuttles, and Iris Garden Lodging helped facilitate a tailored experience that showcased our community’ s charm and hospitality,” she said.
“ For the Brown County Visitors and Convention Bureau, the campaign was a success. It helped amplify awareness of Brown County, supported small businesses, and deepened partnerships within our industry,” Villani said.“ The positive engagement we’ ve seen— from visitors discovering us to locals seeing their town celebrated— speaks to the campaign’ s impact.”
Spangle, who lives in Indianapolis, said he’ s already looking forward to a return visit to Nashville.“ We will be back soon. Every Hoosier needs to go.” You can follow Spangle on Instagram at @ natespangle and visit getindiana. com to learn more about what makes the Hoosier state great. •
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18 Our Brown County • Sept./ Oct. 2025