Last week was a good week in Washington. There was an air of positivity at every turn, a quality of life unrivaled. That quality of life doesn’t just happen. It is the culmination of industry, the arts, and a municipality all working towards the same end goal. Sometimes, however, it takes overhearing strangers say nice things to remind us just how good we have it here.

A walk on the waterfront shows progress. The swings are being used for peaceful enjoyment of our Pamlico River. Construction of a new public pier is creating a buzz of even more public water access in Washington.

The Turnage Theatre brought acclaimed artist Peter Mayer, known by many for his role as lead guitarist in Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band, to its intimate stage on Thursday night. The audience, from near and far, was agog with the opportunity to see such a performer. One person was overheard to say, “I can’t believe I just saw that show on the 4th row and for $35! Awesome!”

Washington has more restaurants than ever to choose from for your next meal. One frequent visitor told us they couldn’t believe the selection. “It is hard to make a lunch recommendation now because there are so many great restaurants to choose from.”

While dining at Backwater Jack’s another table of visitors was overheard discussing the concert they were going to see that evening and their plans for the afternoon. They were delighted to spend the beautiful afternoon enjoying the breeze and views of the Pamlico River, something they don’t get in Raleigh.

And, then there is the work being done to plan improvements for the streetscapes and public spaces in Washington. A public meeting was held where input was gathered from citizens about their preferences. It was pleasing to see that people actually showed up to share their thoughts and ideas.

Our newly improved airport welcomed the likes of Jimmy Buffett last week. He was in town meeting with a local industry. His camp recently released a statement saying that Pacific Seacraft had been selected to build his next sailboat. This will certainly bring attention to the company, but also our waterfront town with vast sailing opportunities.

Again, positivity surrounds us here. Industry, economic development, culture, and tourism all collide in Washington for a quality of life that can’t be enjoyed anywhere else.

Lynn Wingate is the executive director of Washington Tourism Authority.