2025 Award of Merit: Elizabeth City

Bassmaster Elite Series – Hooked on the Harbor

2025 Main Street Award: Promotion

Best Downtown Special Event or Event Series

• Visit Elizabeth City

• Elizabeth City Bassmasters

• Elizabeth City Downtown, Inc.

• City of Elizabeth City

• Pasquotank County
  

Watch The Award Video

In April 2025, Downtown Elizabeth City was the host of a groundbreaking event that redefined what’s possible for their waterfront, the Bassmaster Elite Series Fishing Tournament and Hooked on the Harbor Festival.

For the first time, Elizabeth City welcomed a national sporting event of this scale. Over four days, 103 professional anglers and their crews transformed the Pasquotank River into a competitive arena— while downtown became the stage for a vibrant, family-friendly festival.

This wasn’t just a fishing tournament. It was a bold reimagining of their waterfront as a destination for sports and activity tourism. With no convention center to rely on, Elizabeth City proved that their streets, their shoreline, and their spirit could host a national event—and do it with style.

The Hooked on the Harbor Festival brought together 30 vendors, food trucks, kids’ activities, and even free bass boat demo rides. It welcomed 15,800 visitors to the downtown waterfront during the 4 days of the event. The average visitor stayed over 100 minutes—proof that people weren’t just passing through; they were experiencing downtown.

And the exposure? Unprecedented. With 260 million national impressions through Bassmaster’s televised coverage, FOX Sports, and social media from celebrity anglers, the event generated an estimated $3.1 million in marketing value—a reach they could not afford on their own.

The economic impact was equally impressive: over $215,000 in lodging revenue, $214,000 in food and retail spending, and 1,000 volunteer hours valued at more than $34,000. But perhaps most importantly, this event introduced Elizabeth City to a national audience of anglers, outdoor enthusiasts, and travelers—and positioned their waterfront as a premier destination for future events.

This success was only possible through deep collaboration. From Visit Elizabeth City and Elizabeth City Downtown, Inc., Parks & Recreation, — Public Safety, and countless volunteers this was a community effort in every sense.

And the best part? They’re coming back. June 2026 will bring the Bassmaster Elite Series back to their waterfront—this time with even more excitement, including a free concert and a Bass-mast-HER event hosted by a local business.