Scoring big with special events
What makes a special event successful? With input from regional directors of the Ashburn, Va.-based National Recreation and Park Association, American City & County posed that question to communities large and small. From Honolulu to Lee County, Fla., participants revealed that their best events often are unusual, usually entertaining, sometimes educational and always memorable.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S GLEAM
July 20, 2002
Honolulu Parks & Recreation Department
City and County of Honolulu
Population 850,000
The event, which features an evening at Foster Botanical Garden (one of five botanical gardens owned and maintained by Honolulu), was introduced more than 30 years ago. It is designed to increase garden visitation and to create a positive community perception of the gardens. It features entertainment, children’s activities and vendors, plus its hallmark: 3,000 luminaries along the garden pathways.
The 2002 Gleam opened with a Chinese Lion Dance around the garden to catch the attention of passersby. Three staging areas offered entertainment (e.g., hula groups, Chinese fan dancers and jazz music); family activities (e.g., children’s crafts, story telling, face painting); and a Mongolian exhibit that presented belly dancing, archery and sword fighting demonstrations, fishing, face painting and fortune telling.
More than 3,150 people attended the 2002 event, donating more than $1,100 to the Friends of the Honolulu Botanical Gardens (FHBG), a volunteer support organization.
Planning: Honolulu Botanical Gardens, a division of the Honolulu Parks & Recreation Department, partners with FHBG to stage the event. The Gardens staff is responsible for providing the site, staff, equipment, materials, site construction and cleanup; FHBG chairs the event, and it provides financial assistance and volunteers. FHBG’s planning committees focus on budget, programming, logistics, luminaries, parking, permits, volunteers and publicity.
Promotion: Promotion began in May and included distribution of flyers to parks, gardens and libraries across the island. Organizers also mailed flyers to FHBG members and delivered them to downtown businesses. They placed public service announcements in publications and on television and radio, and they contacted newspapers for feature coverage. The week before the event, Foster Botanical Garden displayed a colorful banner and gate sign announcing the event.
Staffing: Gardens staff provided 116 man hours on the day of the event. Local Boy Scout and Cub Scout troops volunteered to place, light and manage the luminaries. More than 200 community volunteers worked at the event.
Cost: Planning, promoting and staging A Midsummer Night’s Gleam cost $6,726. Expenses included candles, glass candleholders, staffing, cleanup, volunteer lunches and drinks, and supplies. FHBG covered most of the costs, paying for staffing ($2,280), portable toilets ($10) and supplies ($1,500).
Secrets of success: The event’s success is rooted in its tradition, according to Joyce Spoehr, recreation specialist for the Honolulu Botanical Gardens. The garden setting and the luminaries bring a magical quality to the nighttime event.
GONE TO THE DOGS
Sept. 2, 2002
Bozeman Recreation Department
Bozeman, Mont.
Population 30,000
The day before the city’s outdoor swimming pool closed for the season, the city invited residents to bring their dogs for a swim. Sixty-five dogs and 208 people participated in the event, which was scheduled from 6:00 to 7:30 in the evening.
Dogs followed only their owners’ rules and were free to do as they pleased. Some went off the diving board; some went down the slide; some swam underwater; some swam with toys and noodles; and some did not like the water.
“The event was like a 20-ring circus,” says Sue Harkin, director of the city’s Recreation Department. “The community loved it. It was great fun to watch, but be prepared to get wet, as there is always a dog shaking water on you.”
Planning: Gone to the Dogs was first held at the end of summer 2001, and the city repeated it this year. The event required minimal planning; the department had to secure a time slot at the pool; schedule lifeguards; and publicize the event.
Promotion: The department began promoting the event in its summer brochure, which the local newspaper printed at no charge. The department followed up with press releases two weeks before the event. Additionally, it produced posters and placed public service announcements on the radio and in the local newspaper.
Staffing: Three people staffed the event. They included two part-time lifeguards and a full-time parks employee who manned the gate and collected fees.
Cost: In addition to paying for staff time, the department spent $50 to plan, promote and stage the event. That total covers facility use and printing. It does not include the water aerobic noodles, which the lifeguards let “go to the dogs.”
The department charged $3 per dog, and owners attended free. Revenue from the event totaled $195.
Secrets of success: The event tapped into pet owners’ pride, according to Harkin. “Dog owners love their dogs, and they want to show them off to other dog owners,” she explains. “The dogs come in all sizes and breeds, and everyone has fun showing how unique and special their dog is, and how well the dog can swim and do tricks.”
WRITE ON THE SOUND
Oct. 6-7, 2001
Edmonds Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department
Edmonds, Wash.
Population 40,000
Attracting writers and would-be writers from across the Pacific Northwest, Write on the Sound (WOTS) is a two-day conference that features workshops with authors, instructors and trade professionals, as well as a writing contest. It is open to people of all interests and skill levels.
The event began as a one-day conference 17 years ago, and it has grown into an annual regional event, held the first weekend of October. Part of the proceeds support literary and performing arts scholarships for graduating high school and college-bound arts students.
Planning: The Edmonds Arts Commission (a division of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department) began planning the 2001 event in January of that year, securing a keynote speaker even earlier. It recruited local businesses for in-kind services and financial support for contest prizes and hospitality. It also partnered with a local bookstore to handle on-site sales of presenters’ books.
Promotion: In May 2001, organizers mailed a “Save the Date” card to past participants and people requesting information about the event. They followed up in August with a brochure mailed to the same mailing list as well as to libraries, bookstores and colleges. They distributed posters and issued press releases to the media, including arts publications. Several writers posted show guides on their Web sites and online bulletin boards.
Staffing: One full-time Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services employee, one contract coordinator, 15 community volunteers and six Arts Commission volunteers staffed the event. The staffers worked with the event steering committee and secured presenters, wrote and mailed the brochure and press releases, set up the event facility, coordinated book sales, processed registrations and assembled attendee packets.
Cost: The total cost of the 2001 event was $11,200, which covered the coordinator’s pay, presenter and keynote speaker fees, costs for printing, hospitality, signs, awards and supplies. Promotional costs, which are included in the total, were $400 for advertising and $1,500 for brochures and flyers.
Costs were offset by $675 in private cash donations, as well as by event fees. Attendees paid $85 each for both days of the event ($95 if they registered after Sept. 11) and $50 for one day. Participants in the writing contest paid $10 per entry. The Arts Commission also appropriated part of its annual funding from the Washington State Arts Commission to support the event.
One-hundred-eighty-two people attended the 2001 conference, and approximately half of those were first-time attendees. Net revenue for the weekend was approximately $7,000, and $3,000 of that was used to support arts scholarships.
Secrets of success: Community partnerships are essential to the event’s success, but class size and attention to detail create a high-quality, comfortable environment that drives the event, says Kris Gillespie, arts assistant for the Arts Commission. “Classes are small enough to afford contact and interaction with presenters and others,” she says. “We add new features, little by little, and we really try to meet and anticipate the needs of our presenters and participants.”
BLIZZARD! THE FINAL SLIDE
Jan. 20, 2001
Lee County Parks and Recreation
Lee County, Fla.
Population 400,000
Mild weather is a staple of Florida winters, so what better way to create a memorable event than by importing a cold snap? That was the thinking behind Blizzard, a one-day event offering snow, sledding, in-line skating and ice skating, as well as live entertainment, carnival rides and fireworks. Introduced in 1991, the event enjoyed instant popularity, ensuring a 10-year run. Six-thousand people attended the 2001 Blizzard.
Planning: Lee County Parks and Recreation began planning the event in July 2000. It partnered with the Fort Myers Skatium (a skating facility) to host the event, and with Fort Myers Parks and Recreation to provide utility support and some staffing. Television station WB6-WTVK and Beasley Broadcast Group, the owner of multiple radio stations, were sponsors.
In addition to choosing a site and arranging sponsorships, the department ordered bales of hay for molding the outdoor snow “mountains,” and it ordered blocks of ice for creating the snow.
Promotion: Promotion began approximately one month prior to the event and included banners, billboards, flyers, commercials and advertising on Pepsi trucks. (The company, which has a bottling facility in the area, had a year-round contract with the county to promote special events.) Additionally, Special Events Supervisor Mary Beth Krause made promotional appearances at schools and at radio and television stations.
Staffing: The county provided 60 full-time and part-time employees to staff the event. (The skating facility used its own staff, and the city had three staff members on site.) Together with 20 volunteers, they sold tickets, parked cars, provided security and stage management services, and shoveled snow.
Cost: Planning, promoting and staging the event cost Lee County Parks and Recreation $41,928, including staff pay, equipment rental, contracted services, food and recreational equipment. Revenue from admissions ($1 per person) and concessions totaled $15,691. (Admission fees for skating were paid to the skating facility; all other revenue went to the county.) The revenue went to the county’s general fund for parks and recreation.
Secrets of success: According to Krause, the event was successful because it was unique, giving people who had never had a snow day the opportunity to experience one. The Blizzard days were so popular that nearby communities recently instituted similar events, affecting Lee County’s attendance and prompting the decision to make 2001 the Final Slide.
SUNSET LADIES IN ‘HOT’ WATER
Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District
Seaside, Ore.
Population 5,000
Lacking funds to complete a warm-water therapy pool, the Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District was treading water. That was before participants in one of the city’s aquatic exercise classes laid bare their plan for action. The participants — all women, aged 60 to 93 — proposed that they pose naked for a community calendar and sell the calendar to raise funds for the pool.
Taking their cue from a similar calendar produced in England, the Sunset Ladies posed at the community pool, in and out of the water, in the buff, covered only by strategically placed lettering and props. The resulting 12-month calendar featured black-and-white photos as well as messages promoting swimming.
Gutsy? Yes. Lucrative? You bet.
The Park and Recreation District intended to print and sell 1,000 calendars to generate $10,000 for the pool. Demand for the calendars was so great — some even sold internationally — that the district did three printings, selling 6,000 calendars and grossing just under $70,000.
The project was so popular, the department produced a 2003 calendar in time for this year’s Christmas sales. Called “Sunset Ladies and Gentlemen: Let’s Play,” the new calendar promotes leisure activities and features color photos of the Sunset Ladies as well as some of Seaside’s senior men. Proceeds from that calendar will go toward building a new skate park, purchasing playground equipment and completing an ozone treatment system for the therapy pool.
Planning: Planning for the initial calendar began in October 2001, only five weeks before the calendar printed. The district had to hire a photographer and arrange for in-house production of the calendar.
Planning for the second calendar began five months prior to printing. The number of “models” increased from 25 on the first calendar to 43 on the second, and photo shoots took place at multiple locations, presenting the district with more logistical challenges than the first calendar did.
Promotion: Word of the calendar spread quickly after planning got under way. Area newspapers published articles in November, and United Press picked up on the story, prompting local and international television coverage. The Park and Recreation District promoted the calendar through advertisements, flyers and the Web, for a total cost of $2,500. One of the district’s public service announcements touted the calendar as follows:
- Yes, they’re in various stages of undress
- Yes, they’re in an aquatic setting
- Yes, they’re all over 60 years of age (centerfold is 93)
-
This is a tasteful, 12-month calendar, presenting a delightful array of senior citizens who feel proud of their ageless beauty.
Staffing: Twelve people staffed the project. Full-time staff members managed the project and provided support at the photo shoots, handling props, towels and food. Volunteers assembled the calendars, and part-time staff sold the calendars and managed orders.
Cost: The district spent $12,000 on printing. The photographer donated her time, and staff time was considered in-kind donation. With the cost of promotion, the project totaled $14,500.
The district charged $10 for each pre-ordered calendar, and it charged $15 per calendar after Dec. 7. Buyers purchasing 12 calendars received a baker’s dozen. The district also offered the calendars to groups wanting to use them for other fundraising purposes; the groups could sell the calendars for $10 each and keep $5 of each sale.
Secrets of success: Nothing is secret with this project.
COMMUNITY PRIDE DAY
Nov. 17, 2001
Pico Rivera Department of Parks and Recreation
Pico Rivera, Calif.
Population 65,000Community Pride Day has become an annual event, resulting from a series of meetings in which residents expressed interest in being involved in community beautification projects. The first event, in 1997, attracted 200-300 participants, and last year’s event involved 600 volunteers.
Participants gather at a local park at 8:00 a.m. for check-in and breakfast before being bused to project sites. They spend the morning painting playground equipment, removing graffiti, sweeping, raking leaves or planting gardens, then return to the park for lunch and entertainment. Last year, volunteers planted more than 1,000 flowers and shrubs, and used approximately 200 gallons of paint to beautify four local schools.
Planning: Planning began in January. Parks and Recreation staff worked with a citizen committee — including business leaders, elected officials, school district officials, teens and representatives of service clubs — to organize the event. The group identified viable projects, solicited donations (e.g., gardening tools, plants, paint, food and water) and distributed promotional flyers.
Since many projects involved local schools, organizers worked closely with the El Rancho Unified School District to ensure that sites were prepared for the arrival of the volunteers. For example, at some sites, the district was responsible for tilling soil and installing irrigation systems before volunteers could plant gardens.
Promotion: Organizers promoted the event through 40 key community groups, including sports leagues, churches, service clubs and social services organizations. They used press releases, local cable television, flyers, park marquees, the city newsletter, a billboard and the city’s Web site to get the word out.
Promotion and volunteer registration began Sept. 1. To encourage early registration, the Department of Parks and Recreation gave T-shirts to the first 500 registrants.
The city’s graphic designer developed the event logo, T-shirt designs and all promotional materials. The Department of Parks and Recreation spent $600 for flyers and billboard production, and $2,300 for T-shirts.
Staffing: Two Parks and Recreation staff members worked with the citizen committee between January and October. On the day of the event, one hourly staff member was assigned to each of the four work sites to coordinate site logistics, manage volunteers and oversee all activities. The hourly staff also assisted with registration, and supervised breakfast and lunch. Approximately 20 residents volunteered to assist with registration and distribution of T-shirts.
Cost: The 2001 event cost $10,000 for supplies (e.g., plants, tools, gloves, paint), lunch, T-shirts, six buses, hourly staff pay, entertainment, billboard advertising and printing.
Secrets of success: Planning ensures the event’s success, according to Scott Wasserman, community services manager for Pico Rivera. Organizers begin planning one year prior to the event to allow time to identify community needs.
“Staff consults with numerous stakeholders, including the Department of Public Works, city staff, the school district and community groups,” Wasserman says. “It is very important to identify large projects that will engage at least 100 volunteers. Using fewer, larger sites simplifies the logistics of delivering plants, paint, bottled water, supplies and volunteers to each site.”
The organizing committee dedicates a substantial amount of time to networking and generating excitement in the community, Wasserman notes. The grass-roots leadership raises the event’s profile.
PET SUPPLIES ‘PLUS,’ K-9 KARNIVAL
April 20, 2002
Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation
Virginia Beach, Va.
Population 439,889The K-9 Karnival combines two long-standing city events — a canine disc competition and a dog show — to provide a one-day family event for the community.
This year’s event drew 3,500 attendees plus hundreds of dogs for a day of demonstrations, contests and giveaways. Sixteen canine rescue organizations were on site with displays and information, as were nine commercial exhibitors and three veterinarians. Many of the dogs were inoculated for rabies at an on-site clinic, and 25 dogs received I.D. tattoos and were registered in a national database that assists in identifying lost or missing dogs.
The event featured the Dog-gonest Dog Show, in which 59 participants competed for prizes in four categories. It also featured an agility course and a disc competition.
Planning: The department’s Special Events Office began planning seven months prior to the event. It recruited a variety of sponsors — including a radio station, Chick-fil-A, Coca-Cola and Val-Pak Direct Marketing Systems — for cash and in-kind contributions. The title sponsor, Pet Supplies ‘Plus,’ is a retailer with franchises in 19 states.
Office staff members worked with local canine groups to organize and present demonstrations, the agility course, the rabies clinic and the I.D. service. The department partnered with Atlanta-based Skyhoundz, a national organization for canine disc contests, to organize, provide equipment for and stage the disc competition.
Promotion: Promotion began in January and included Web site postings, posters, direct mailing, announcements in the Parks and Recreation seasonal brochure, media releases, print ads, fax announcements, radio announcements and newspaper coverage.
Staffing: Thirteen full-time and part-time employees of the department’s Special Events Office, Parks Division and Marketing Office staffed the event. An intern and local high school students assisted.
Event staff members were responsible for setup and breakdown; coordination of equipment deliveries; exhibitor/sponsor check-in; contest registration; providing information to attendees; overseeing contests, activities and demonstrations; distributing prizes and awards; and assisting with parking.
Cost: The city spent $4,624 — including $3,320 for print and radio advertising — to plan, promote and stage the event. Admission and parking were free, as was participation in contests. Two food vendors paid $150 each for booth space; non-profit organizations exhibited for free, while others paid $75 each for space.
Secrets of success: According to Amy Woodson, recreation specialist for Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation, the K-9 Karnival has a history of success, driven by the staff’s efforts to identify areas of improvement and to act on them each year. Sponsorships and involvement of canine organizations are instrumental to the event, she says, adding that pre-planning, organization and communication are musts.
LOVE ON THE LAWN
July 24, 2001
Northborough Recreation Department
Northborough, Mass.
Population 13,000Searching for a unique way to bring families together in a community setting, Northborough Recreation planned an evening of music and activity, set a date, and then did a very odd thing: It kept quiet.
Although the department announced the event, called Love on the Lawn, in June, it kept details secret, even from most staff members. Advertisements invited residents to bring funky blankets or lawn chairs to the city’s main park, and they revealed only that attendees would receive “hugs and kisses.” The day before the event, a recreation employee, dressed as a Hershey Kiss, stood at the corner of Main Street and visited Town Hall carrying a sign reminding residents to come to the park. Curiosity mounted, and, when the day arrived, 300 people attended Love on the Lawn. Attendees received bags of Hershey Hugs and Kisses, and adults were given leis with tags reading “I got lei’d at Love on the Lawn.”
“Everyone had a great time,” says Angela Snell, former director for Northborough Recreation. “People brought wild-colored blankets and decorated the backs of lawn chairs; a band played music at the bandstand; children entered a sidewalk chalk contest; and our camp staff held dance contests throughout the event.”
Planning: Snell began planning the event in March. Preparation included reserving the park, hiring a band and selecting avenues for promotion.
Promotion: The Recreation Department promoted the event in its summer brochure, on cable television and in newspapers. Promotional costs totaled $50 for printing.
Staffing: Two full-time recreation employees joined 10 seasonal staff members to greet attendees, present contest prizes and manage the chalk contest.
Cost: Northborough Recreation spent $1,650, which covered promotion, staff pay, band fees, chalk, prizes and chocolate. It also included $400 for producing event T-shirts. (The department produced 100 shirts, giving some to event staff and selling the remainder to attendees.) Attendees purchased approximately 50 T-shirts at $10 each, fully offsetting the cost of shirt production.
Secrets of success: According to Snell, the event’s name coupled with its secret nature created interest among residents.