Twilight zone - TheMoveChannel.com

(EMAILWIRE.COM, July 29, 2009 ) Washington, USA - Ever since Stephanie Meyer set her hugely popular Twilight books in the town of Forks in Washington State, the small town has been transformed, with thousands of tourists flooding in for a glimpse of their bloodthirsty heroesÂ…

Prior to the Twilight phenomenon, the only claim to fame the town of Forks had was that it had the worst weather in the United States.

Located on Washington StateÂ’s Olympic Peninsula, close to Olympic National ParkÂ’s Pacific Ocean beaches and the Hoh River Rain Forest, Forks gets more rain than anywhere else in America.

The town is named after the forks in the nearby Quillayute River, Bogachiel River, Calawah River, and Sol Duc River and for years its struggling economy was fuelled by the local timber industry and the handfuls of visitors who flocked to Olympic National Park.

All that has since changed thanks to the Twilight series. Stephenie MeyerÂ’s books, Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse, are all set in Forks, in which the town is described as being a very wet but beautiful place.

Before Twilight fell, Forks only welcomed 8000 tourists a year. Now, following more than 25 million books being sold, the town attracts a whopping 8000 visitors a month.

And of course local businesses have got in on the act. Restaurants have created Twilight-themed menus with dishes such as Bellasagne, named after the vampire heroine Bella; shops sell Twilight items and there are tours covering the booksÂ’ locations.

The town has transformed into a mecca for Twilighters. Cutouts of the stars of the film, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart linger in store fronts selling Twilight gear, while Forks High features lockers reserved just for Edward and Bella (the main characters in the books).

Mike Gurling of the Forks Chamber of Commerce, says, Â“The town has been transformed. Â“Two years ago we did not have a cash register or credit card terminal,Â” he adds.

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Dan Johnson
020 7952 7650
dj@themovechannel.com