South Shore CVA Celebrates Indiana’s Growing Tourism Industry at the Annual Holiday Party

On the evening of December 18, the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond hosted the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority (CVA) annual Holiday Party. The South Shore CVA welcomed event attendees ranging from friends and family to local and state officials. The guests were surrounded by the glowing Christmas tree display and enjoyed a night of food and friendly conversations, as everyone celebrated and closed the chapter on a prosperous year of Indiana Tourism. 

Phil Taillon, CEO of the South Shore CVA, joined in the festivities of Thursday night’s Holiday Party. Taillon, who has worked for the city of Hammond since 2008, shifted his focus to tourism and started his journey with the South Shore CVA in June of 2024.

In the night of celebration, Taillon expressed his immense gratitude to colleagues and friends while highlighting some of the many accomplishments of the South Shore CVA’s 2025 tourism season. 

“The turnout for the Gary Air Show was one of the best that we’ve had in history,” Taillon said. “The City of Gary and the Miller area hosted just under 200,000 people, marking the event as a true success story for the South Shore CVA.”

The Gary Air Show is held annually in August, with Marquette Park in Gary being a prime viewing location for the aerial performances. While the Gary Air Show was one of the biggest highlights of the year, Taillon is excited about how so many communities have seen growth over the past year.

“We’re hosting some of the largest collegiate sports events in all of the Midwest right now with the Hammond Sportsplex, the Crown Point Sparta Dome, and all of our softball and baseball fields,” Taillon said. “It is remarkable to see the number of people who are staying in our area during those events, spending money at our local restaurants and shopping while supporting our small businesses.”  

The South Shore CVA celebrated the many accomplishments of a successful year while looking ahead to the growth opportunities that Northwest Indiana has to offer for its current and future residents. Taillon spent the night thanking team members and organizers for their hard work and dedication. Not only does this night compile how much the organization has accomplished into one, but it also brings supporters of the South Shore CVA together to discuss what hopes to be accomplished in the years to come. The South Shore CVA is striving to set the bar even higher in 2026. 

“The Region is growing and thriving,” Taillon said. “Bringing new money and tourism into the Region is creating success for the future and for the younger generation.”    

With an organization like the South Shore CVA being busy all year long, being able to set aside time to celebrate before the holidays is what makes this Taillon’s favorite company event to celebrate every year.

“At the South Shore CVA, we enjoy taking this time to celebrate all the accomplishments that we’ve had throughout the year,”  Taillon said. “To me, this is one of the most important events of the year. It is not just another Christmas party. We get to bring everybody into the same room that we’ve worked with and partnered with. Tonight is a way for us to thank them for their support and their help. Without them, we couldn’t do what we’re doing.”

The Indiana Welcome Center had festive holiday decorations throughout the building for the South Shore CVA’s holiday gathering. Many of these were themed after Jean Shepherd’s “A Christmas Story”, as Shepherd grew up in Hammond, Indiana.

To learn more about South Shore CVA’s upcoming events and Indiana Tourism, you can visit southshorecva.com