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I-1a 4th of July EvaluationCITY OF CHANHASSEN 7700 Market Boulevard PO Box 147 Chanhassen, MN 55317 Administration Phone: 952.227.1100 Fax: 952.227.1110 Building Inspections Phone: 952.227.1180 Fax: 952.227.1190 Engineering Phone: 952.227.1160 Fax: 952.227.1170 Finance Phone: 952.227.1140 Fax: 952.227.1110 Park & Recreation Phone: 952.227.1120 Fax: 952.227.1110 Recreation Center 2310 Coulter Boulevard Phone: 952.227.1400 Fax: 952.227.1404 Planning & Natural Resources Phone: 952.227.1130 Fax: 952.227.1110 Public Works 7901 Park Place Phone: 952.227.1300 Fax: 952.227.1310 Senior Center Phone: 952.227.1125 Fax: 952.227.1110 Website www.ci.chanhassen.mn.us g00% T_k " MEMORANDUM TO: Jerry Ruegemer, Recreation Superintendent FROM: Katie Favro, Program Specialist DATE: July 28, 2015 SUBJ: 4th of July Celebration Evaluation OVERALL SUMMARY This year's 4th of July Celebration marked the 32nd year of this annual event. It is the most anticipated community event of the year, with estimates of 70,000 people who enjoyed at least one aspect of the 3 -day celebration. Below is a breakdown summarizing all of the events, recommendations for next year, and a financial report. JULY 2nd Family Night at the Carnival This was the fifth year Family Night at the Carnival was featured on July 2"d as the opening event for the celebration. This evening offers families a chance to enjoy the carnival rides at a discounted price and without long lines. It's estimated that about 3,000 people participated, making it the most successful thus far. JULY 3rd Minnesota Twins Youth Baseball/Softball Clinic Approximately 150 kids received instruction at the Minnesota Twins Youth Baseball/Softball Clinic. This free program continues to be a very popular. Two sessions were held for youth ages 6-16 at the Chanhassen High School Storm and Redbird baseball stadium. The City has developed a strong relationship with the Minnesota Twins, and we look forward to continuing to offer this clinic in the future. Kiddie Parade Approximately 1,400 participants and spectators took part in this year's Kiddie Parade. Participants get very creative decorating their bicycles, scooters, wagons, and everything else! Our Playground Director and her staff did a great job coordinating the event and ensuring the safety of the participants. A special thanks to the Chanhassen Fire Department and the Carver County Sheriff's Office for their assistance with traffic control. At the conclusion of the parade, each participant received a complimentary treat. Chanhassen is a Community for Life - Providing for Today and Planning for Tomorrow Mr. Jerry Ruegemer July 28, 2015 Page 2 First Aid Tent Again this year the Chanhassen Fire Department staffed a First Aid Tent on July Yd and 4th at City Center Park. No major injuries or accidents were reported during the celebration. A special thanks for their continued support. Business Expo Thirty-eight local businesses participated in the Business Expo sponsored by the Southwest Metro Chamber of Commerce. The event continues to promote businesses in the community, and it is our hope that the event will continue in the future. Face Painting, Air Brush Tattoos, Wacky Hairdos, and Caricatures Maund Entertainment provided face painting, air brush tattoos, wacky hairdos, and caricatures. It continues to be an affordable, popular attraction for families. The City retained 20% of all sales. Water Wars Water Wars continues to be a fun activity for all ages to enjoy at the celebration. The warm weather kept steady crowds throughout the evening. The addition of portable light units allowed Water Wars to continue operating into the evening. The City received 20% of their sales. Kiddie Games The Kiddie Games are a fun feature of the celebration and provides inexpensive entertainment for children. The games are coordinated by the City and operated by seasonal staff from the playground program and Lake Ann concession stand. They did a wonderful job and bring energy and enthusiasm to the games. Pony Rides The pony rides are very popular for participants of all ages. Fantasy Corral provided the pony rides for the second consecutive year. They were easy to work with and provided very professional service. Staff will investigate the possibility of covered pony rides and the option of bringing in a second ring or another animal attraction. The City receives 15% of their total sales. 3 -on -3 Basketball Tournament Due to low participation this event was cancelled. Staff is looking into changing the time of this event in hopes for higher participation. This is an event that is a nice addition and should continue. 3rd Lair Summer Skateboard Series 3rd Lair came to the Chanhassen Skate Park and hosted a competition as part of their summer -long series where participants earn points toward competing at the g:\park\4th\2015\2015 evaluation.docx Mr. Jerry Ruegemer July 28, 2015 Page 3 Minnesota State Fair. The event attracts teenagers from all over the Twin Cities and is a great way to incorporate all of the facilities at City Center Park. Chalk -It -Up Contest The annual chalk drawing contest allows individuals to display their artistic designs. Prizes were awarded to the winners in two categories, most creative and most difficult; for three age groups, 10 & under, 11-15, and 16 & up. This event is coordinated by the City and is judged by playground staff. It maintains popularity throughout the night, is very inexpensive to offer, and utilizes the hockey rink at City Center Park. Gamin' Ride This is an enjoyable activity for the teenagers and children at the event. It involves very little setup for the City. Their location just to the east of the carnival seemed to give them enough space and good visibility throughout the night. The City received 20% of their sales. The Medicine Show This entertaining vaudeville show intermingled with crowds throughout the event. They performed from 4:30-6:30 p.m. and roamed around the celebration attracting audiences. They're a popular attraction who has been a part of the 4th of July Celebration for many years. Tae Kwon Do Demonstration The Chanhassen Recreation Center's Tae Kwon Do program performed a free demonstration near the carnival area. Coordinator Jeff Engel and his students enjoy performing at the event, which also provides great exposure for the city's program. Baby Changing Station Baha'i Faith, a non-profit organization, offered a privacy area for parents to change or feed their infant children and toddlers. They also provided free drinking water which was much appreciated by the crowds. Service was provided at City Center Park on July 2nd and July 3rd. I would highly recommend having them back again next year as they provide a well -appreciated service. Chanhassen Rotary Taste of Chanhassen and Beer Garden This year six local businesses participated in the Taste of Chanhassen, which was once again organized by the Chanhassen Rotary Club. This truly adds to the "community feel" of the event. To accommodate the crowd, three food trucks were added to make a total of nine vendors in the Taste of Chanhassen. A minimum number of ten local food vendors has been established for next year's Taste of Chanhassen Event. g:\park\4th\2015\2015 evaluation.doex Mr. Jerry Ruegemer July 28, 2015 Page 4 Carnival The carnival rides and games continue to be very popular and a great asset to the celebration. Midwest Rides provided thirteen rides, ten games, and six food booths. On July 3rd the carnival offered an unlimited ride wrist band from 5-11 pm. A discounted rate of $2 for all rides was also offered after the 4th of July parade. The discounted rates continue to be well-received as it attracts more people back to the activities at the conclusion of the parade. Overall, the carnival was professional and easy to work with and the City looks forward to working with them again next year. Live Music featuring Ragtown Ragtown put on a great performance to open the Street Dance for CBO. Having a local band open the street dance is a wonderful way to enhance a hometown celebration and a good thing to continue in future years. Street Dance Casablanca Orchestra (CBO) entertained thousands during this year's Street Dance. This marked the eighteenth year that CBO has performed during the annual 4' of July Celebration. JULY 4TH Adult Fishing Contest There were a total of 50 participants registered in this year's contest. The entry fee for the contest was $20, which generated $1,000 in revenue. Prizes were awarded to the top three fish in two categories, largest northern and largest bass. Each participant was also eligible to win a door prize donated by the local business community, which were valued at over $3,500! This continues to be a popular tradition and a great activity to offer our adult population. Kid's Fishing Contest Over 80 kids participated in this year's kids fishing contest. Trophies and other prizes were given to the winners of the largest fish, longest fish, and smallest fish in two age categories. In addition to the top fish prizes, all participants were entered into a door prize drawing and each received a free goodie bag. The contest was run by our playground staff and volunteers Charlie Eiler and Cole Hoffman. Sand Sculpture Contest This contest was organized and judged by our playground staff, and is a fun family event at Lake Ann Park. Prizes were awarded to the most creative and difficult sculptures in two age groups, 12 & under and 13 & up. The sand sculpture contest has been a tradition for years, and is a great way to incorporate events into our parks. g:\park\4th\2015\2015 evaluation.docx Mr. Jerry Ruegemer July 28, 2015 Page 5 Medallion Hunt This is a fun and simple event that should be continued in the future. The clues were organized by our Playground Director Courtney S aurer. She did a great job planning and organizing the hunt. Creating vague and difficult clues made the search more fun and allows for more participation. Bingo Sponsored by the Chanhassen Senior Commission, this event was offered from 11 am -1 pm on July 4th under the tent at City Center Park. There were over 300 participants for this extremely popular activity. We appreciate the service of the Chanhassen Senior Commission and look forward to continuing this successful activity in the future. Chanhassen Rotary Car Show With support from the City of Chanhassen, the Rotary Club took the lead in sponsoring The Classic Car Show. It continues to be a popular attraction before the parade and is becoming a tradition of the 4th of July Celebration. Chanhassen Rotary Taste of Chanhassen and Beer Garden The Taste of Chanhassen had great crowds on the 4th of July, the largest in recent years. This is attributed to the additional activities offered, the reduced prices of carnival rides, and live music under the large tent. With the beautiful weather, the festival enjoyed high attendance numbers on July 4th this year. Live Music featuring American Bootleg American Bootleg, a local four -piece band performed from 11:45 am -1:45 pm under the big tent prior to the parade. They put on a great performance. Staff recommends continuing to have bands perform before the start of the parade. 4th of July Parade The Chanhassen Rotary sponsored and organized the parade again this year with logistical support from the City. We appreciate the service of the Chanhassen Rotary Club and look forward to continuing to work on this event with them in the future. The parade consisted of approximately 70 entries. Overall the parade continues to be the most popular attraction of the celebration with 20,000 spectators. Crowds flood the downtown area and nearby neighborhoods, for the optimal viewing location. Additional parade marshals will be needed in the future to perform crowd control, keeping spectators at the curb line. Park Maintenance staff trailed the end of the parade to assist in clean-up by picking up trash along the route. This worked well as it encouraged people to pick up trash around them and made cleanup a lot easier. Once again, the Chanhassen Rotary Club is a great partnering organization to work with and their financial and volunteer support is greatly appreciated. g:\park\4th\2015\2015 evaluation.docx Mr. Jerry Ruegemer July 28, 2015 Page 6 Fireworks This year's fireworks show was contracted through Pyrotechnic Display and was the second year of a three-year contract. They coordinated an excellent display that lasted about 20 minutes. It is estimated that about 35,000 spectators viewed the show from throughout the city. 4th of July T -Shirts Every year since 1984, the City celebrates the 4th of July Celebration by selling commemorative t -shirts to the community. To help save on production costs, the logo and shirts were designed by city staff. Multiple colors and sizes were available which resulted in one of our most successful years. SUGGESTIONS FOR 2016 1. Continue to partner with the Chanhassen Villager to produce a high-quality, color brochure to be distributed in mid-June. 2. Continue to mark the physical layout of City Center Park and vendor locations prior to arrival of vendors. This helps vendors see the exact location of the carnival and other tent locations at the celebration. 3. Have t -shirt sales begin in early June to increase sales. Have t -shirts all be the same price. 4. Continue to offer an Information and Lost & Found Tent to serve as event headquarters. Utilize this opportunity to promote other city events and programs. 5. Be sure to spray for mosquitoes again next year at both City Center Park and Lake Ann. Coordinating the spraying with Metropolitan Mosquito Control seems to be very effective. 6. Continue to work with the Rotary Club to have a minimum of 10 food vendors participate in the Taste of Chanhassen. Focus on having other food options including corn on the cob, hot dogs, and other carnival -themed foods. g:\park\4th\2015\2015 evaluation.docx 20154 TH OF JULY CELEBRATION REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE REPORT REVENUE Adult Fishing $ 100.00 T -Shirt Sales $ 1,507.00 Carnival Rides and Games (est.) $ 7, 000.00 Maund Entertainment (est.) $ 140.00 Fantasy Corral (est.) $ 150.00 Water Wars $ 64.00 Gamin' Ride $ 49.00 Kids Games $ 292.10 Southwest Chamber of Commerce $ 1,600.00 Chanhassen Rotary $ 3,595.25 Total $ 15,397.35 EXPENDITURES 101-1613-4130 (Budget: $4,500) Target $ 90.80 Cub Foods $ 184.04 Cabin Fever Sporting Goods $ 602.56 Oriental Trading $ 771.32 Party City $ 168.83 Pizzaoli $ 157.52 Gander Mountain $ 96.44 Walmart $ 251.46 Sign Source $ 632.50 Miscellaneous Supplies $ 7.98 Total $ 2,963.45 101-1613-4300 (Budget: $44,500) Pyrotechnic Display, Inc. $23,000.00 MJM Productions $ 3,500.00 Casablanca Orchestra $ 5,500.00 P & J Promotions (est.) $ 3, 400.00 Executive Ocean $ 289.50 Medicine Show Music Company $ 650.00 Ragtown $ 400.00 American Bootleg $ 400.00 Total $ 37,139.50 101-1613-4340 (Budget: $2,800) Southwest Suburban Publishing (est.) $ 39100.00 Total $ 3,100.00 101-1613-4400 (Budget: $5,500) *Imperial Porta -Thrones $ 4J42.00 Total $ 4,142.00 101-1613-4410 (Budget: $21,500) *Ultimate Events (est.) $15,500.00 *Festival Sound &Lighting (est.) $ 21250.00 Dick's Sanitation Inc. $ 2,047.98 Merlin's Ace Hardware (est.) $ 350.00 *Warning Lites (est.) $ 1,100.00 Ziegler Rental (est.) $ 900.00 Total $ 22,147.98 Total Revenue Total Expenses BALANCE $ 15,397.35 69,492.93 -$(549095.58) * Items that have an asterisk are a shared expense with the Chanhassen Rotary and or Southwest Chamber of Commerce. *The 4`h of July Celebration is one offour events under the Community Event Sponsorship Program. Sixty-two local businesses have contributed $41, 000 in cash and goods in 2015 to support these four events.