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LEWISTOWN -- The Juniata River Valley Flight School is not your typical aviation academy. There are no airplanes coming or going. There's no runways or air traffic control towers. Heck, there aren't even any pilots on the payroll.
Instead of soaring through the friendly skies, the Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau is focused on bringing patrons a flight experience like no other right here on the ground.
The Juniata River Valley Flight School is not about planes or flight paths, it's about rewarding patrons when they indulge in carefully curated beer, wine, spirits, coffee and ice cream at participating area businesses.
"Passengers can sign up for a digital passport through the visitors bureau's website," Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau Executive Director Jenny Barron Landis said.
"The platform's user-friendly nature will help participants navigate a flight plan and keep track of their tasting adventure, regardless of the user's tech-savviness," she added.
Launching in April, patrons can start collecting points and earning prizes, starting at three flight purchases.
"The Juniata River Valley Flight School will take your taste buds on a journey they'll never forget," Landis added. "Join us as we redefine the concept of flight - no wings required."
To participate, patrons must visit www.jrvvisitors.com/flight-school where they can sign up for the flight school by providing their name, e-mail address, and mobile phone number. A link is sent to their mobile phone, which opens the passport and directs the user to add the button icon to their home screen, where they can access it any time.
Next, users must visit the participating businesses listed on the app and purchase a beverage or ice cream flight. After the purchase, the user may redeem their pass by simply asking their server for a location-specific pin number to earn their points.
"With 22 locations spanning two counties, you can explore our charming towns during a flavorful journey that combines the pleasure of savoring exceptional beverages and desserts," Landis added.
The flight school marks the first time an interactive gaming and rewards system has been used on one of the area's trails. Using Bandwango, a well-known technology company in the travel industry, a web-based page app has been created.
The Visitors Bureau can also track passport downloads, check-ins and prize redemptions. Based on the points collected by the user, a variety of prizes can be redeemed including stickers, pennants, hats and hoodies.
Patrons can "earn your wings" by receiving a golden pin, which features the flight school logo. Redeemed prizes may be shipped directly or picked up at the Visitors Bureau office at 1 W. Market St., Lewistown. All prizes must be redeemed by April 30, 2025.
"The economic impact is not limited to the participating businesses alone; the evenly distributed locations will encourage visitors to explore the entire area, fostering economic growth for the region." Landis said.
The primary goal of the branded trail is to increase visitation to Mifflin and Juniata counties, which results in increased visits, tastings, flight sales and event opportunities for participating flight school businesses.
To download the digital passport, visit www.jrvvisitors.com/flight-school. For more information, call (717) 248-6713 or email info@jrvvisitors.com
Flight School
pop-up events
to be held
LEWISTOWN -- The Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau will be holding pop-up events throughout Mifflin and Juniata Counties to promote the launch of the Flight School. The public is welcome to attend all events to learn more about the beverage and food trail, sign up for the passport, and redeem prizes.
April 27-28 -- Juniata Valley Winery's Wine Festival, 19175 Route 35 S., Mifflin. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday; noon-4 p.m., Sunday.
May 9 -- Hungry Run Wine Bar & Bistro, 10042 US Highway 522 S., Lewistown, 5-7 p.m.
June 21 -- Reedsville Third Friday, Brown's Mill Square, Main & Logan Streets, Reedsville, 5-7 p.m.
More pop-up events will be announced on the visitors bureau's Facebook and Instagram pages.