Much has been made lately of Anson County’s tourism — or the lack thereof. In fact, some members of the county’s Tourism Development Authority have questioned what Anson County has to offer tourists, at least until an agri-civic center is constructed. While the ability to host larger events will definitely draw more people to the county, an agri-civic center is years — not to mention millions of dollars — away.

In the meantime, Anson County does have some treasures of its own that could draw in visitors from other areas, if not tourists. For one, since the historic 1920s-era Ansonia Theatre reopened last year, the folks at the Anson County Arts Council have been working hard to raise interest in the performing arts. Last December, the Arts Council and Ansonia hosted an all-local production of “A Christmas Carol.” If you were lucky enough to see the play, you know that it was hard to believe this was a first. The talent involved was top-notch, from the actors to the writer-director to the stage design and costumes.

Now, the arts council is looking to strike theatrical gold again with a production of “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown,” scheduled for this fall. Auditions for the musical start next week.

While it may seem a stretch, if people in the surrounding counties heard about how wonderful “A Christmas Carol” was, it’s a sure bet they would return to see the sophomore production at the grand old theatre as well.

This is one way that Anson could draw in more people to visit. Visitors to the county could have dinner at one of our local restaurants and see a play. It could be a nice change of pace, a “date night” for married couples, a night out for people of any age.

So let’s not wait for a multi-million dollar civic center to draw people in; let’s work with what we’ve got.