Article published Oct 28, 2006 Visitors Bureau promotes teachers' winter holiday From Journal Staff reports Could visiting Ithaca be the cure for teachers' cabin fever? The Ithaca Tompkins Convention & Visitors Bureau has organized a week of discounted lodging, recreation and a series of entertainment and lectures during the February New York public-school winter break for teachers of pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, the organization announced Friday. "We've looked, and can't find a city anywhere that's tried this before," Fred Bonn, director of the Ithaca Tompkins Convention & Visitors Bureau, said in an announcement of the plan Friday. "It's risky committing your entire town to a celebration of teaching, but we feel strongly about this. Ithaca is built on education. It's our industry. With this event, we're coming together as a community to acknowledge teachers across the state and say, thanks - we get it." The CVB is the organization that promoted Ithaca summer tourism earlier this year through the city's claim to have originated the ice cream sundae, helped along by national publicity over competition for that distinction by Two Rivers, Wis. The teachers' festival is a way also to help promote tourism during a traditionally very slow time of year in the Finger Lakes. Participating lodges will offer discounted rates to teachers ranging from $60 per night for economy motels to $99 per night for luxury, four-star inns, according to the CVB. Restaurants and retail shops will also have discounts for teachers throughout the week. The discount programs are available to all public school teachers, district employees and their guests. Union membership, school IDs or letters of employment are required at check in. Details will be posted Thanksgiving weekend at a Web site now under construction, www.IthacaLovesTeachers.com, according to the CVB. The weeklong celebration will also have a series family events, headline concerts, theater performances, winter recreation and winery tours, most free or steeply discounted for visiting educators. Among the notable speakers and performers scheduled: * Louis Sachar, author of the Newbery Medal-winning "Holes" * Bluegrass artists Rani Arbo and Jerry Douglas * Comedian and Tonight Show regular Jeff Dunham * Renowned concert violinist Leila Josefowicz * From the PBS Nova series, "The Elegant Universe," physicist Sylvester James Gates Read more: www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage