The Southwest’s Small Town Markets

By Matt Swenson

Rich culture, local history, and spectacular scenery found in the Southwest’s small towns create grand experiences for events

Small cities in the Southwest shine for meetings and events. The abundant mountains, red rocks, and slot canyons in the Southwestern United States offer inspiring and restorative properties few destinations in the world can match. Attendees in small-town Southwestern communities come hoping to get lost amid the natural beauty, only to find themselves again. Here, we explore some of the Southwest’s small-town gems that make for grand events.

The road ahead

Meetings in the Southwest’s small towns don’t have to mean being remote or without modern conveniences. Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Reno, Nev., and Salt Lake City all provide valuable airlift to their surrounding smaller communities.

For some attendees, the journey can be part of the appeal. As Jeff Steinborn, executive director of Outdoor Economics—which held its annual conference in Gallup, N.M., in 2025—explains, Route 66 and Interstate 40 are famous for their views, making them attractions unto themselves.

“We integrate Route 66 in the conference itself,” he says. “That’s a really cool ingredient they have and, of course, we used it.”

The splendor and peace of small-town Southwestern destinations make it easy to see why filmmakers often choose the region as their movie backdrop. Classic Western movies were often filmed in Arizona, Utah, and other scenic Southwestern states. Angel Canyon, Utah, for example, often doubled as “somewhere in Texas.”

While those Southwestern destinations take pride in their place in “Old West” lore, they strive to create new, unique experiences for attendees. The region’s mix of outdoor adventure, warm hospitality, and stunning settings represents a respite from the day-to-day grind. MensHealing Retreat, for example, is held each April at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, near Angel Canyon and the Greater Zion region. By offering compassion and care to animals in need at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, the 15 retreat attendees take steps toward overcoming their own trauma. The animal sanctuary is a 45-minute drive to the east gate of Zion National Park, the second-most-visited national park in the country.

“Our area is both breathtaking and inspiring—like nothing you’ve seen before,” says Joy Schroeder, meetings and convention sales manager for Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office, based in St. George.

Unconventional settings

Large convention centers are rare in small communities. What small cities may lack in large meeting sites, they make up for in unique venues and other offerings.

Operations specialist Michael Sparrows scours the country seeking unusual sites to unlock the potential for SPARROWS’ annual event for expert lockpicks. Based in Chicago, Sparrows says he hit the jackpot with the Nevada State Prison Historic Site in Carson City, the historic state capital of Nevada.

The old prison, which served as the setting for the movie An Innocent Man, starring Tom Selleck, piqued the interest of the “colorful characters” attending SPARROWS’ Rock’ A Lock’ A Bang! Bang! event in September 2025. The old prison site is also part of a broader experience Sparrows creates.

“Conventions are stale,” Sparrows says. He had a “lightbulb moment” to take his event into a dark place, complete with tattoo artists and a macabre sense of humor. “We are all gas and no brakes for several days, so we had to find a city and a venue that makes an impact,” he says.

Carson City is easily accessible, as it is approximately a 30-minute drive from Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO), two hours from Sacramento, and four hours from San Francisco. Carson City has long appealed to some of the biggest stars; the city is where author Samuel Clemens first officially used his pen name, Mark Twain, and where actor John Wayne filmed his last movie, The Shootist.

Carson City’s sweet spot is 50 to 300 attendees for small to mid-sized meetings and events, including government meetings, corporate meetings, and conventions.

“Carson City’s walkability sets it apart,” says Lydia Beck, marketing and public relations manager for Visit Carson City. “Attendees can step out of a meeting and within minutes enjoy historic sites, craft breweries, restaurants, and arts venues.”

During the SPARROWS event, 100 attendees participated in training and ate barbecue at the prison, and enjoyed a day at an offsite shooting range—atypical activities and venues for a traditional event. Most evening activities were held at a more conventional setting: the Carson City Plaza Hotel and Events Center.

In addition to the Nevada State Prison Historic Site and Carson City Plaza Hotel and Events Center, planners can hold events at the Nevada State Museum and Nevada State Railroad Museum, Adams Hub for Innovation, Bob Boldrick Theater, Carson Nugget, and Courtyard by Marriott Carson City.

Sparrows praises the Carson City CVB for its encouragement and guidance with the lockpick gathering. The CVB helped facilitate transportation and suggested restaurants with common creature comforts valued by planners of all kinds of events.

“This is a city that cares about a small convention,” says Sparrows, who will bring the event to Carson City again in fall 2026. “We were there for the prison, but without the infrastructure and the people of Carson City wanting us to be there, this event wouldn’t have happened.”

Fresh air

Attendees looking for an escape from the ordinary will appreciate the small city of Prescott, Ariz., which served as the territory’s capital in the mid-19^th century. Prescott is a nice middle ground between the usual desert climate and heat, featuring four seasons and a lush backdrop of fir trees.

John Heiney, director of outreach for the City of Prescott, says Prescott is typically 20 degrees cooler than Phoenix and Tucson, and doesn’t get as much snow as Flagstaff. Although Prescott is close to the Grand Canyon and Sedona, attendees typically stay in town and enjoy local amenities. “We have a lot of itineraries for outdoor stuff; we have museums. There’s a lot to do here,” Heiney says.

Darryle Emerson, director of programs and events for Arizona Technology Council, chose Prescott for the company’s 80-person retreat at the historic Hassayampa Inn due to the city’s rich history, walkable downtown, small-town charm, and evolving culinary scene. The event included a golf outing at StoneRidge Golf Course.

Emerson credits the retreat’s location as a contributing factor for record attendance. Apart from outdoor amenities, Prescott has art fairs, casinos, restaurants, and speakeasies for attendees to enjoy. “As a strong advocate for exploring and supporting local destinations, I frequently visit Prescott for its rich history, walkable downtown, small-town charm, and evolving culinary scene,” he says. “Over the years, I’ve held several events in Prescott, and its unique character remains intact while the city continues to grow.”

 

Grand venues

Having a stellar meeting space can make a world of difference for a destination.

Ontario, Calif., attracts more than 40 conventions and trade shows each year in large part to the Ontario Convention Center, which features 225,000 square feet of flexible, modern space. The 11,000-seat Toyota Arena can accommodate larger gatherings and entertainment events.

Planners of association, government, and corporate meetings appreciate Ontario’s mix of hospitality, facilities, and 6,700 hotel rooms, which provides quality options without feeling as overwhelming as nearby Los Angeles.

“Ontario’s flexibility and affordability make it a good fit for groups that might otherwise be priced out of larger destinations,” says Kelsie Woodward, director of marketing and communications for the Greater Ontario CVB. “Ontario offers big-city amenities with small-city ease.”

Ontario Mills and Victoria Gardens, along with access to mountains, deserts, and beaches, are all within an hour’s drive of the destination.

In the smaller setting of Gallup, the city’s premier meeting venue, Red Rock Park Convention Center and Arena, is just steps from its main attraction: the 640-acre Red Rock Park, which features a dramatic landscape. Red Rock Park is part of the Colorado Plateau, dating back to A.D. 300. Matt Robinson, tourism and marketing manager for the City of Gallup, describes the park as “one of the most remarkable event spaces in the country.” He says Red Rock Park is the star attraction for many meetings and events in Gallup, which hosts two or three large conferences per year, as well as a dozen smaller conferences and regional meetings. The city is well equipped to host groups of up to 500 attendees at the convention center or in other downtown venues.

Planners are drawn to Gallup’s aesthetics and accessibility—it’s right on Route 66 and Interstate 40, two hours from Albuquerque, and is a major train corridor for Amtrak and other providers.

According to Steinborn, Gallup checked all the boxes for the Outdoor Economics Conference and Expo, which crisscrosses the state annually to showcase different communities. The event has grown from approximately 100 attendees in its first year to more than 350 in 2025. Steinborn says he had his eyes on Gallup for years before Robinson and the Gallup CVB assured him the city could accommodate the event.

“Gallup has long served as a meeting place for a variety of cultures, and continues to be an incredibly diverse community,” Robinson says. “Hospitality is a very important trait to our community, especially those working in the event space. We can help make events and meetings a grander experience by adding unique elements of our local cultures.”

The convention center and Red Rock Park were an ideal fit for the group of outdoor enthusiasts who attended this year’s conference. “Red Rock Park is such a special place,” Steinborn says. “We were really excited to hold our event there.”

Steinborn’s excitement translated into special experiences for attendees, including tethered balloon flights rising approximately 50 feet. The activity was inspired by the suggestion from the city’s chamber of commerce director—a balloon pilot—who noted Gallup is popular for ballooning due to its open space and scenery. Other special events included a pre-meeting mountain bike ride, a Route 66-themed welcome party at Historic El Rancho Hotel, and a guided hike to Church Rock, on the premises of Red Rock Park.

As planners seek out sites for the country’s 250^th birthday, it’s worth noting Gallup was voted  “America’s Most Patriotic Small Town” in a 2013 Rand McNally survey. Gallup has a large population of Native Americans, and was home to the Navajo Code Talkers who served in the U.S. armed forces.

Park it here

In addition to Zion National Park as a backdrop, Utah is also home to Bryce Canyon National Park, less than an hour’s drive from Zion. The sites are two of southern Utah’s remarkable “Big Five” national parks, which are huge draws for leisure and business travelers. When it comes to Instagrammable moments, walking the Narrows river trail at Zion is certainly incomparable.

Not to be outdone, Grand Junction, Colo., has a Trifecta of natural wonders: Colorado National Monument, often called the mini Grand Canyon; The Grand Mesa, the world’s largest flat-top mountain, boasting more than 300 alpine lakes and year-round recreation just 45 minutes from downtown; and Rattlesnake Arches, featuring the second-largest concentration of arches in the world.

In town, the most popular meeting venues come with remarkable views. Planners can consider an event on the rooftop patio of the Historic Avalon Theatre. Colorado Mesa University and Hotel Maverick feature versatile meeting spaces, ranging from technology-equipped classrooms to balconies and patios looking out to Colorado National Monument and the distinctive Asteria Theatre. Walking the streets is eye candy, with 100 pieces of public sculptures and murals adorning the Art on the Corner exhibit.

Grand Junction Convention Center has 24,120 square feet of meeting space in the heart of downtown and is surrounded by five hotels: Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn & Suites, SpringHill Suites, which has its own smaller meeting space; The Tru, and The Hotel Melrose. The city offers 3,000 hotel rooms and 100,000 square feet of total meeting space.

A unique attraction for attendees is Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range, one of only three U.S. national designations of land that protect wild horses.

Back in Utah, Greater Zion hosted more than 374 meeting and convention events in 2024, according to the Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office.

In addition to the “Big Five” national parks, Greater Zion has four state parks, along with celebrated venues like Tuacahn outdoor amphitheater, which is surrounded by 1,500-foot red rock and hosts Broadway shows, and Dixie Convention Center, which features 100,000 square feet of flexible meeting space.

A new addition in southern Utah, Black Desert Resort is a luxury hotel attracting professional golf tournaments and corporate and other events for up to 800 attendees. The resort’s teambuilding activities include Jeep tours, horseback riding, mountain biking, guided hikes, and stargazing tours under Greater Zion’s internationally recognized dark skies.

For the past six years, the MensHealing Retreat has been held in April at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab. The organization’s executive director, Jim Struve, discovered the sanctuary after relocating from Atlanta to Salt Lake City and began volunteering there.

The event is a win-win for retreat attendees and the facility, which plans big projects to coincide with the retreat. Attendees volunteer on Friday and Sunday, and hike at Greater Zion or Bryce Canyon national parks on Saturday.

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary features a variety of rescued therapy animals, from cats and dogs to bunnies and pigs. The group and any accompanying family members stay at Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile in Kanab. Due to the retreat’s nature and the animal sanctuary’s mission, the property allows guests to have animals in their rooms during their retreat stay. The property includes a vegan cafeteria, which serves a $5 lunch daily on-site at the sanctuary and also catered the retreat’s dinner.

Struve says the retreat is only one component of the work the MensHealing organization does for thousands of trauma survivors. “Everybody who attends the retreat comes back much more connected with the work that we’re doing.”