ITEM 1 Prairie FestivalITEM
TO: Otsego Parks and Recreation Commission
FROM: Ross Demant, Parks and Recreation Manager
DATE: February 9th, 2015
RE: Otsego Prairie Festival
Background:
The 2014 Otsego Prairie Festival was an overwhelming success due in large part to the
Committee members. I would like to thank each of them for their time and effort in
help make the 2014 Festival a success. The Committee members included Jim
Stockamp, Kim Welter, Brandy Favilla, Dan Licht, and myself.
Kim Welter again provided media relations and website support throughout the year.
She donated many hours making the look of the Festival modern and inviting. She
again worked with our many sponsors to ensure that all of their information was
accurate and accessible.
Brandy Favilla again provided invaluable services when dealing with the 90 plus
merchants that came to the Festival. Brandy fined tuned the process from 2013 which
made check-in and take down run much smoother. Tami Loff also contributed your
talents during the check-in process which added to the process being streamed lined.
Jim Stockamp is the veteran member of the committee; his experience with past
Festivals and of course the car club is a valuable asset to the committee. The car club
continues to draw thousands of people each year. Jim is also considered the `Jack of
All Trades" of the committee as he is affiliated with Otsego Rod and Custom, Lion's
Club, and the Festival Committee.
Dan Licht was another invaluable member of this committee; Dan is another committee
member who is a "Jack of All Trades" also being affiliated with the Festival Committee,
Lion's Club, and Otsego Rod and Custom. Dan provides valuable input throughout the
planning process, and helps ensure the Festival is adhering to all policies and City
Codes!!!
The new events for the 2014 Festival included fireworks, the band Outside Recess, and
a beer garden put on by the Lion's Club. All of these events were very popular with
many requests to have them again in 2015. The committee estimated that we had
close to 6,000 people participating the in day's festivities.
Each year, the people involved with the Festival hear requests asking for more activities
for teenagers. The Committee met and discussed different possibilities to meet this
growing need. The idea was generated to propose a incorporating a carnival into the
Festival. The Committee then researched local carnival vendors and is recommending
contracting with Cody Rides.
Cody Rides is a local full service carnival vendor offering rides, games, food, and
inflatables. Cody Rides proposal includes them setting up and running their carnival
Friday night and all day on Saturday. The attached map shows their proposed location,
this location currently does not have any other Festival features on it. The proposed
agreement would include the following:
• 110 service to run rides, refrigeration, and campers for workers.
Access to water for food tents.
• Area for 4 campers to be set-up from Wednesday, September 9t" to Sunday,
September 13tH
10% of ticket sales to the Festival.
The carnival is set-up, tore -down, and operated completely by paid carnival
staff many of which are current college students.
Conclusion:
On behalf of the Festival Committee I would like to thank the City Council for all of their
support during the planning process and the day of the event. The Committee
continues to strive to make the Festival a fun family event with many free and reduced
entertainment opportunities.
2
PROPOSED 2015 OTSEGO PRAIRIE FESTIVAL BUDGET
ENTERTAINMENT
COST
Outdoor Recess
$2,100
Stage
$900
Dancing Caravan
$100
Sound
$800
Fireworks
$4,500
Naked Cowboys
$600
Petting Zoo
$1,700
Total
$10,700
MISC. EXPENSES
COST
Port -O -Potties
$400
Generators
$500
Volunteer T -Shirts
$320
Website
$500
Insurance
$500
Signage
$500
Staffing
$580
E-mails
$250
Bags/ Bag Stuffers
$1,530
Total
$5,080
Expenses $15,780
FOOD & RIDE VENDORS PROJECTED FEES COLLECTED
Vendors $1,900
Merchants (45) $2,506
TOTAL $4,406
SPONSORS PROJECTED
In -Kind Donations $9,500
Cash Donations $6,500
INCOME
City of Otsego
$5,000
Carry Over from 2014
$5,889
Vendors & Merchants
$4,406
SponsorShips(Cash)
$6,500
$21,795