The City of Katy is getting national attention -- including exposure on multiple national television shows such as “The Daytripper,” as well as a past two-page spread and future four-page spread in Travel Magazine, according to the city’s tourism leader.

At the May 28 meeting of the Katy Business Alliance (formerly the Katy Business Association), held at Main Event, 24401 Katy Freeway in Katy, Tourism Marketing & Event Coordinator Kaci Maris outlined recent successes in bringing national media attention to the City of Katy. She also cited recent regional and state awards won by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department for creative local events, such as the Taylor Swift-inspired karaoke night.

Maris also spoke about the success of the city’s new monthly Katy Exchange event, which replaced the former Katy Market Day, a privately-managed arts and crafts fair previously held monthly on Katy’s downtown square. The event has changed to a community-wide event, with activities for kids, and encourages visitors to “shop local.” Maris said. Since coming under the city’s control, the monthly event has donated over $11,000.00 to Katy-area nonprofits. All 100 percent of profits from the Katy Exchange are donated back to the community, Maris said. A special trolley, purchased by the city for $60,000.00, runs from the downtown square to Katy Heritage Park during the Katy Exchange event, Maris said.

Renovations to the historic downtown square are almost complete, including the installation of murals around the base of the water tower and the opening of the new visitors’ center, which will display brochures supporting local businesses. The new “Katy Corner” feature, which will display Katy’s “geese sculpture” formerly located along Interstate 10, is expected to start construction shortly, Maris said.

Maris gave a quick preview of other upcoming events to behosted by the City of Katy, noting that the city was “taking the hot months off:”

· A new event – “Coffee and Cars” – is planned for the morning of August 11, Maris said.

· A popular event – “Blues and Brews” -- will be rebranded as “Boots and Brews” and will take place in September, contingent on approval from city council, and will feature live country music and street dancing, along with a mechanical bull.

· Katy Rice Harvest Festival will take place on the downtown square on October 12-13. The festival, which celebrates Katy’s agricultural heritage, usually draws up to 18,000 attendees but Maris expects over 25,000 visitors this year. The carnival is returning this year, Maris said, and there will be a new “Ag Venture” feature, along with a huge rodeo exhibit and petting zoo. Maris also announced headline performers for the festival during her presentation, but later retracted the statement, telling the Katy Times that the information could not be released yet. Sunday will be a “Sunday Funday” featuring all-female entertainment. The Katy Rice Harvest Festival helps fund over $125,000.00 in college scholarships, which are awarded by the Rotary Club of Katy, Maris said.

Maris encouraged attendees to keep up with city events by following the city’s Facebook page. Business sponsorships are welcome at the city’s events, she said.