“Developing a Festival” (Appendixes)

 

Festival Development

Appendix “A” – Determining Size and Scope

Appendix “B” – Events and Activities

Appendix “C” – Dates and Timing

Appendix “D “ – Preliminary Plan Checklist

Appendix “E” – Financial Control Checklist

Appendix “F” – Preliminary Budget Checklist

Appendix “G” – Event Insurance Summary

Appendix “H” – Key Management Summary

Appendix “I” – Committee Structure Checklist

Appendix “J” – Manpower Checklist

Appendix “K” – Sponsorship Program Checklist

Appendix “L” – Benefactor Program Checklist

Appendix “M” – Preliminary Presentation Outline

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16.    Sponsors and Benefactors

Depending on the size and scope of your festival, you may want to consider both a sponsor and a benefactor program. The sponsorship program is aimed directly at corporation (businesses) that would benefit form a connection with your festival. The benefits could include both enhanced corporate image and/or increased sales. This concept can be applied to local, regional, provincial and national corporations. Who you approach will depend on the size and scope of your festival. The benefactor program, which very few festivals employ, is a great concept to attract individuals and smaller businesses to contribute and participate in your festival. The key to both programs is to “GIVE THEM THEIR MONIES WORTH”.  Many festivals approach corporations and individuals with hat in hand, asking for what amounts to a donation. They tell the potential contributor that they need X dollars to buy a “widget” and would the corporation give them all or part of the money to help them out. There is usually very little discussion on what the corporation or individual will receive in return. So, to be a “good corporate citizen”, they give the minimum they can get away with or wore, give nothing at all. Corporations’ and individual’s donation “pots” are normally very low and very divided. Most want to donate to as many deserving causes as possible. However, by appealing to them on a value received basis, the amount of money available is much larger and easier to obtain. Sponsorship and benefactor programs will help you find more money to underwrite and expand your festival. If approached properly, these programs can be a win… win for everyone!

17.    Preliminary Approval

The moment of truth has arrived! You have the basics of your festival. You know what you are holding. Why you are holding it. Who you are holding it for. When and where it is to be held and how you are going to get the job done. Now you have to sell it to your group and get their approval.

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15.   Imaging

Once you have finalized both your festival’s name and its theme, you may want to like at your imaging. If you planned to hold a unique or significant festival, the image you portray could affect the festival itself. Plus, if you plan it correctly, could mean extra income. For example, if your festival was called “The Big Bear” Festival and the theme was to hold a world Teddy Bear Exhibition and Contest, you might create a giant Teddy Bear caricature that is used in all your advertising and promotional material. If the caricature has been designed specifically for your festival and is uniquely yours, your will want to protect it though copyrights and trademarks. You will also want to register your festival’s name legally. I would recommend talking with a local lawyer about these considerations. Also with imagining, the caricature you have created could be made into licensed products or you could produce some yourselves and sell them at the festival. I believe that the biggest considerations when deciding on how to proceed is “what are the risk’s and “what are the rewards”. 

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 14.   Website

Early development of a festival website is important. This is the most inexpensive way of getting your festival’s message out. Most communities have website designers who are willing to donate their time to help you set up your site. Most website designers are not copywriters, so you will have to develop and write your own text. If you do have a site, it is extremely important to keep it up to date. Nothing turns off potential attendees than an out-of-date website. The hosting of your website is another issue. Again, many communities have hosting companies will to donate their hosting services. If this is not available to your festival, there are several hosting plans available, some very inexpensive, but limited in scope. It’s worthwhile to do a little research in the beginning to determine your best hosting route. Work closely with your designer, he/she should be able to point you in the right direction. One word of caution, before you finalize your event name, check to see if that name is an available domain name.  For example, if you choose the name “Apple Festival”, you may find that that name is not available. However, if you put your town’s name in front of “Apple Festival”, it’s likely the name will be available. To search domain names, log onto www.internic.ca, type in the name you want to register and it will tell whether or not it’s available. There are many dot variations that you can use, but the most appropriate for a Canadian festival would be.ca. However, it is your committees choose on the final domain name. It’s best to have your hosting company register you domain name.

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12.   Manpower Needs

Once you have your chairs in place, you to get them to determine their individual manpower needs. Consideration should be given to both the planning and implementations stages. Over estimating is not a bad thing. Time and circumstances come into play and volunteers may drop out of the committee for any number of reasons. Being aware of this and taking steps to minimize the effect of drop outs will make the chair’s life a lot easier. Strategic manpower planning will also help you evaluate the viability of the festival, as planned. It may show you that you need to modify your festival ideas to accommodate manpower realities.

13.   Event Naming

I believe that the naming of your festival is an important part of the development process. Your name will both attract attendees and give them an idea of what the festival is all about. The name indicates your theme. Make sure when developing your festival activities that they reflect both the festival’s name and theme. If you don’t, you will have a lot of very unhappy attendees.

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9.   Event Insurance

Event insurance is a must. You cannot hold your festival without it. There are many types of coverages and many ways to obtain insurance. Your best route is to speak with a qualified Insurance Broker in your area. If they can’t obtain coverage for you then they should be able to point you in the right direction. If they can’t help you, log onto the Festival & Events Ontario (FEO) website ( www.festivalsandeventsontario.ca ). They have association members who specialize in event insurance.

10.   Key Festival Management

Before planning can take place, key festival management has to be put in place. These positions include: Festival Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and all key section chairs. Detailed job descriptions should be prepared for each position so that everyone knows what is expected of them and if they have to leave that position, the new person immediately knows his/her responsibilities.

11.   Committee Structure

How you structure your committee and the people you choose to assist you in the development of the festival will affect every aspect of the festival from start to finish. Just because someone volunteer’s to help doesn’t mean he/she is qualified to manage a portion of the festival. To have a successful festival you need knowledgeable, skill people who are dedicated to the completion and prosperity of the event. This means that you must pick and choose key people who can and will get the job done, no matter what obstacles come in their way. You wouldn’t run a company with unqualified people, so why run a festival that way? And, if someone doesn’t work out, replace them immediately. The ongoing cooperation of everyone involved is imperative for the ultimate success of the festival.

(To be continued)

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 6.   Preliminary Planning 

Now that you have decided the most important aspect of your festival, it’s time to put it all in writing. Remember the clearer your vision of the festival, the easier it will be to plan and to pass on your vision to others. The preliminary plan is a “concept plan”. This means that it will likely change many times before the “final plan” is in place and accepted. The preliminary plan should give as much known detail as possible.

7.   Financial Control

It is important to get your financial act together rights from the beginning. Make sure you have all the financial elements ready to be put in place as soon as your festival has been approved. Without the proper financial controls, your festival could be dead in the water before it gets off the ground. 

8.   Preliminary Budget

The preliminary budget is one of the most important elements of the development stage, because, if done honestly and properly, it will give you a clear idea of the viability of the festival. If the beginning numbers don’t make sense, the final figures will be a lot worse. Take the time to investigate the full costs of the festival and then adjust the festival development to bring the budget in line with reality.