Visit Springfield, the official tourism and destination marketing organization for the City of Springfield, IL, is launching the Springfield Horseshoe Sandwich Trail on January 11, 2024! This new program aims to heighten the awareness of the awesome food scene in Springfield along with the long standing tradition of the “shoe” in town.
The trail is a free program that all visitors and locals alike can sign up for. With 24 local businesses included at launch, and many more expected to join. The passport showcases the best of the Springfield area in an easy, mobile-friendly way.
“As the destination marketing organization for Springfield we are always looking for fun and unique ways to engage, entertain and delight our visitors! The Springfield Horseshoe Trail speaks to the idea of a phygital experience. Phygital is the concept of using technology to bridge the digital world with the physical world with the purpose of providing a unique interactive experiences for the user. This Trail will do just that, as folks travel around the city in search of these unique Horseshoes!” Amy Beadle, Marketing Manager
Conversations around development of the passport began in early 2023 and led to Visit Springfield reaching out to a well-known technology company in the travel space, Bandwango. Bandwango technology is designed to support free and paid experiences created by destinations and marketed to visitors and locals.
Using this technology, Visit Springfield began working alongside local businesses to get their offerings loaded into the new Springfield Horseshoe Sandwich Trail program.
“I love the saying “a rising tide raises all boats,” and that is how I look at local business collaborations. Springfield is a great community with a lot to offer our residents and our visitors. When we work together to showcase something like the Springfield classic horseshoe, everybody wins! And if you don’t know what a horseshoe is, or haven’t tried all the varieties, jump on the Horseshoe Trail!.” Brent Schwoerer, Owner / Founder / Brewmaster, Engrained Brewing Company
Once launched, visitors and locals will be able to visit a dedicated mobile trail landing page where they can sign-up for the pass by providing their name, e-mail address and mobile phone number. A link is then sent to their mobile phone, which opens up the trail site and directs the user to add the button icon to their home screen, where they can access it any time. There is never anything to download and no bulky apps take up space on a user’s phone.
Once they are ready to redeem their pass, they simply check in through GPS and start earning points for their visits. Points can be collected or redeemed for unique logo trail prizes!
Restaurants wishing to be a part of the pass can contact Visit Springfield for more information on how to participate.
The pass is expected to be the first in a series of experience passes coming in the next two years.
Learn more and see pass details here: https://www.
About Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau –
The Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau (SCVB) is the official destination marketing organization for the City of Springfield, Illinois. As a department of the City of Springfield, the SCVB markets the capital city as a unique convention, meeting and leisure destination in support of our City, our community and our hospitality partners.
