Wareham's Cranberry Harvest Celebration has been named one of the "Top 100 Events in North America" for 2013, the American Bus Association (ABA) announced on Friday.

Inclusion in the Top 100 list, which was compiled by a selection committee of tourism experts, indicates that the Celebration offers excellent entertainment value to both tour groups and individual travelers from around the world, according to ABA.

"The attractiveness of the Cranberry Harvest Celebration as a don't-miss entertainment value is only part of why its selection this year is such a distinction for the town of Wareham and the Southcoast region," said Peter J. Pantuso, CTIS, ABA's president and CEO. "The real news here is that this event has been recognized as a potential magnet for tourism dollars, at a time when reenergizing domestic tourism is so important to our spirit and our economy. The honor gives the town of Wareham an important boost in visibility among professional tour planners."

The Cranberry Harvest Celebration, now in its ninth year, is hosted by the A.D. Makepeace Company and co-sponsored by the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association and Ocean Spray Cranberries. This year's event will be held October 6 and 7.

“The cranberry industry is so important to the history, culture, and landscape of our region, and this event is truly focused on our agricultural heritage,” said Michael P. Hogan, president and CEO of the A.D. Makepeace Company. “International travelers get to see the beauty of an event that happens in our back yards, and those of us lucky enough to live here always learn something new about the industry.”

According to studies completed by researchers at The George Washington University and Dunham and Associates, one overnight visit by a motorcoach group can leave from $5,000 to more than $11,000 in a local destination's economy.

“Motorcoach groups spend more and stay longer,” Pantuso said. “That's why the Harvest Celebration is truly a local economic asset. There is no better way to jump-start tourism than to attract motorcoach groups to a great event and convince them to extend their stay."

ABA's 2013 Top 100 Events Selection Committee selected the Harvest Celebration from hundreds of event nominations submitted by ABA members. Judges considered the event's broad appeal, its accessibility to motor coaches and skill at handling large groups, and a variety of other criteria.

The Top 100 Events list is available online at http://www.buses.org/News-Publications/Top-100.