AGENDA #5c
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TO: |
Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager |
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FROM: |
Bill Webster, Interim Director of Parks and Recreation Sonya Reddick Shaw, Community Celebrations, Arts, Programs Supervisor Johnny Pompey, Lead Community Celebrations and Teens Supervisor |
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SUBJECT: |
Proposal for New Summer Concert Series |
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DATE: |
March 26, 2007 |
This report presents information to the Town Council concerning a new concert series planned for the summer of 2007 and options for other programs for future years.
We are currently planning a Summer Concert Series for the summer of 2007. This is planned to be a series of three to four small, local band performances during the summer months. Concerts would be held during Thursday or Sunday evenings, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., with a few local arts/crafts and food vendors. Possible locations include Cedar Falls Park, Homestead Park, and Hargraves Community Center. Concerts would be family-oriented with activities for youth.
Benefits of a Summer Concert Series
At the end of the concert series we plan on evaluating the program as it pertains to numbers of participants, costs, operational issues, and community satisfaction. In future years we could either continue the concert series or consider other ideas such as:
1. Celebrate Chapel Hill Festival: A one-day celebration, with a possible international theme, could be held during the spring or early summer months to highlight the ethnic and cultural diversity of Chapel Hill. Individuals could sell food, local crafts, and drinks. Dancers and musicians would provide entertainment. The event could possibly be held at a local high school. This type of event would require significant planning and could not be scheduled until late 2007 or sometime in 2008.
2. Holiday Craft Show: This would be an indoor craft show event during the winter holiday season (November or December). The event would be a one to two day weekend event. The event could possibly be held at a local high school gymnasium. Local Orange County artists would be major participants.
Budget: The summer concert series and the other potential events would cost the Parks and Recreation Department $15,000-$20,000. These funds have historically been budgeted.
We would expect to generate minimal revenues the first few years, until the events become more established. We anticipate revenues of about $2,000 the first full year.
Festifall: The Festifall Street Fair is held annually in October of each year. Festifall continues to be a small street fair for local craft makers and artisans, and attended mostly by Chapel Hill and Carrboro residents. We plan on continuing Festifall unless directed otherwise by the Council.
Parks and Recreation Commission Recommendation: The Commission met on March 21, 2007, and voted unanimously (9-0) to recommend that the Parks and Recreation staff begin work on a Summer Concert Series for the summer of 2007.