With Pedaler’s Jamboree Iowa starting tomorrow, the Greene County Fairgrounds and the City of Jefferson are expecting over 1,500 bicyclists.

With that many people participating in the first-ever event on the Raccoon River Valley Trail, the Greene County Chamber is hoping to capitalize on the opportunity for increased tourism.  Chamber Tourism and Events Coordinator Angie Pedersen says she created a map to help participants find places to check out in Jefferson.

“I just sent them a new map that features all of the different Chamber member restaurants and it’s a numbered map with a location so they can all see physically in town on a map where each one of the businesses are.  Any retailers that sell alcohol, I made a beer here icon, so that bikers that are looking for that can find where they can buy it.”

Along with some of the businesses adjusting their hours for the event, Pedersen notes that the Mahanay Bell Tower is extending its hours on Saturday from 10am to 7pm, along with the Greene County Historical Museum being open from 5 to 8pm tonight and 9am to 4pm tomorrow.

Pedersen hopes this kind of exposure for the County will help to draw even more tourism in the future.