“Developing a Festival” Appendix “F” – Preliminary Budget Checklist

 Each festival will have its own list of financial priorities, but here is a list of items that should be considered. Since this is a preliminary budget, it is likely easier to group expenses together and then give an educated income and expense estimate. A more detailed budget will follow once the festival has been approved.

    Festival location

    Tents

    Building materials

    Non volunteer manpower

    Security

    Garbage pick up and disposal

    Washroom facilities

    Fencing

    Signage

    Advertising and promotion

    People mover

    Electrical

    Website development and hosting

    Insurance

    Legal and accounting

    Town imposed fees

    Office supplies

“Developing a Festival” Appendix “E” – Financial Control Checklist

 The festival should establish tight financial control right from the beginning. It is much easier to put the controls in place from the start then trying to implement them half way through. The expression “You can’t train an old dog new tricks” applies here. The following will help start the control process:

 Appoint financially knowledgeable chair of this committee

 Purchase or create festival computerized accounting system

 Develop detailed Chart of Accounts

 Develop a tight expenditure control system with paper trail

 Develop a financial checks and balances system

 Develop detailed financial policies and procedures

 Develop written cheque approval system

 Develop simple financial reporting form for each festival committee

 Appoint one person per festival committee to be responsible for that committee’s finances

“Developing a Festival” Appendix “D” – Preliminary Plan Checklist

 The following should be considered when developing your preliminary plan:

•     Festival concept and outline
•            Proposed festival dates and operational times
•           Proposed festival location
•           Manpower needs
•           Start-up financial requirements
•           List of town services that might be required
•           Preliminary budget
•           Proposed marketing plan
•            List of nearby festivals including their festival dates and themes
•             List of potential risks and an explanation of how they could be overcome
•             Proposed committee structure
•             Outline of who will attend and why they will attend
•       Effect on community and its residents

“Developing a Festival” Appendix “C” – Dates and Timing

 

•        Dates and timing are everything when planning an event. Here are a few considerations:
•        Do the dates you are planning for you festival match the theme of your festival?
•        Do the dates conflict with any other nearby festival or event?
•        Will you have enough manpower available during the festival time period and the days leading up to it?
•        If you are planning to have vendors, do your dates conflict with any major event that might limit the number and quality of vendors that might be interested in participating in your festival?
•        Have you taken into consideration what the potential weather might at the time of you event?
•        If you need to rent tents, are there going to be any available during your planned dates?
•        Do the operational times and the number of festival days make sense for attendees, manpower and vendors?
•        If your festival is an outside event and the hours of operation run past dusk, will you be able to provide lighting to your festival area?

“Developing a Festival” (Appendix “B” – Events and Activities)

 The events and activities you plan will affect both the quality and draw of your festival. Here are a few considerations:

€    Do the events and activities you are considering compliment the theme of your festival?

€    Do you have enough manpower available to plan and implement each activity?

€    Are the costs in line when you consider your return both in terms of dollars and time?

€    Are your planned activities unique enough to interest attendees?

€    Will the planned activities be accepted by your town and its residents? (e.g. a rock concert)

€    Have you given yourselves enough time to plan and implement your activities properly?

€    Are you going to have the same activities as other festivals in your area?

€    If the event you are planning is dependent upon other people (contractor), have you investigated them thoroughly and are they reliable?

€    If your event involves vendors, will you be able to attract enough to make your event successful and are you going to attract high quality vendors?

€    Will you location be able to handle to type of events you are planning? 

“Developing a Festival” (Appendixes "A" - Determining Size and Scope)

 The following should be considered when determining the size and scope of your festival:

€    How many attendees could you draw to your festival?

€    Where would these attendees come from?

€    Is there a location that could handle this number of attendees and is it available at the time you need it?

€    Can your town handle that number of attendees?

€    What restrictions could your town impose to limit the number of attendees?

€    What is the demand for your type of festival?

€    Are there other nearby festivals taking place close to your planned dates?

€    Is there enough parking?

€    If you are planning to include vendors in your festival, will they come?

€    Are you planning enough interesting activities to interest attendees and vendors?

€    Does your group have enough manpower to handle a festival of this size?

“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