Penn's Peak in Jim Thorpe does a great job for local tourism, bringing concert-goers to Carbon County from as far away as New Jersey, Maryland, and New York on a regular basis.

The same can be said for the ski resorts and the Jim Thorpe rail tours which are tourist magnets for the area.Now the county itself is gaining attention as a major convention venue. Three major conventions - two of them statewide events and the third a national conference - have decided to take advantage of Carbon County's facilities and people-friendly resources.They are:• The Pa. State Firemen's Convention currently being held in Lake Harmony. Thousands of people have filled hotel rooms within a 20 mile radius.• Next month, the Alliance of National Heritage Areas, representing 49 heritage areas from across the country, will be meeting in Jim Thorpe and various other parts of the county on Oct. 11-13. Reservations have been received from folks as far away as New England, Iowa, Arizona, and Mississippi.• In 2016, the Pa. Association of County Commissioners will be holding their convention in Lake Harmony.According to convention organizers, a key drawing card is the larger number of hotel rooms available.Chuck Dickinson, project manager of The Resort at Split Rock, agrees that having adequate lodging space is important.He worked with the Lake Harmony and Albrightsville Fire Companies to win the Pa. Firemen's Association Convention, adding that this event completely fills five hotels. During a talk to the 2012 Leadership Carbon Class, he said it helps the local economy in a number of ways."People are coming here buying gas, buying beer, buying food," he said.In the Lake Harmony area, the Galleria is accommodating guests for the two conventions there with not only rooms but with meeting and training space.This is the second time the Alliance of National Heritage Areas is being hosted by the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor. Many participants will be staying at the Inn of Jim Thorpe, although some have been directed to other hotels within a five or six mile radius.Elissa Garafalo, director of the Delaware and Lehigh group, said when the convention was held locally, attendees opted to stay in the Bethlehem area.The firemen's convention in Kidder Township has attracted not only firefighters but many outside visitors and vendors. In addition to their convention schedule, many will be interested to know what the area has to offer. One place that would interest firefighters is the KME Corporation in Nesquehoning, one of the largest manufacturers of fire apparatus in the world.Garafalo said the theme of the Alliance of National Heritage Areas is "Exploring the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor." She said participants will be visiting such locations as the Number 9 Mine in Lansford, the Walnutport Canal and Lock House, the Weissport Canal, and the Lehigh Gorge State Park. On Oct. 12, when most of this traveling occurs, the participants will wind down the day by having dinner at Molly Maguires in Jim Thorpe.She pointed out that heritage corridors "are national areas." Pennsylvania has five of the 49 heritage areas. Besides the Delaware and Lehigh, they are Rivers of Steel near Pittsburgh, Lackawanna Heritage, Schuylkill River (Pottstown), and Oil, which is in the northwestern part of the state. All will likely be represented at the October event.The meeting for the heritage event will be held on Oct. 13 in the Mauch Chunk Ballroom, with a reception at the historic Mauch Chunk Opera House.Carl Strober, of Carlisle, who is attending the Firemen's Convention this week, is very pleased with what he has seen of the area."It's my first time in Carbon County," he said. "It's a beautiful area. I didn't know any thing about it before, but I traveled down to Jim Thorpe and it's a beautiful town. I'm going to be coming back. My wife will love coming here."