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H-1a 4th of July Celebration Evaluation IOW MEMORANDUM CITY OF TO: Jerry Ruegemer, Recreation Superintendent CIIANIIASSEN FROM: Mitch Johnson, Recreation Supervisor 7700 Market Boulevard DATE: July 23, 2013 PO Box 147 Chanhassen, MN 55317 SUBJ: 4 of July Celebration Evaluation Administration OVERALL SUMMARY Phone: 952.2271100 Fax: 952.2271110 This year's 4 of July Celebration marked the 30 year of this annual event. It is the Building Inspections most anticipated community event of the year, with estimates of 70,000 — 85,000 Phone: 952.2271180 people who enjoyed at least one aspect of the 3 -day celebration. Fax: 952.2271190 Below is a breakdown summarizing all of the events, recommendations for next year, Engineering and a financial report. Phone: 952.2271160 Fax: 952.2271170 JULY 2nd Finance Phone: 952.2271140 Family Night at the Carnival Fax: 9522271110 This was the third year Family Night at the Carnival was featured on July 2nd as a soft opening for the celebration. This evening offers families a chance to enjoy the Park Recreation carnival rides at a discounted price and without long lines. It's estimated that Phone: 952.2271120 Fax. 952.2271110 between 2,000 — 3,000 people participated this evening making it the most successful thus far. Recreation Center 2310 Coulter Boulevard JULY 3rd Phone: 952.2271400 Fax: 952.2271404 Minnesota Twins Baseball Clinic Planning & Approximately 150 kids received instruction at the Minnesota Twins Youth Natural Resources Baseball /Softball Clinic. This free program continues to be a very popular aspect of Phone: 952.2271130 the celebration. Two sessions were held for youth ages 6 -16 at the Chanhassen High Fax: 952.2271110 School baseball stadium. The City has developed a strong relationship with the Minnesota Twins, and we look forward to continuing to offer this clinic into the Public Works future. 7901 Park Place Phone: 952.2271300 Kiddie Parade Fax: 952.2271310 Approximately 350 participants and 750 spectators took part in this year's Kiddie Senior Center Parade. Participants get very creative decorating their bicycles, scooters, wagons, and Phone: 952.2271125 everything else! The Playground Director and her staff did a great job coordinating Fax: 952.2271110 the event and ensuring the safety of the participants. A special thanks to the Chanhassen Fire Department and the Carver County Sheriff's Department for their Web Site assistance with traffic control. At the conclusion of the parade, each participant www.ci.chanhassen.mn.us received a complimentary treat. Chanhassen is a Community for Life - Providing for Today and Planning for Tomorrow Mr. Jerry Ruegemer July 23, 2013 Page 2 First Aid Tent Again this year the Chanhassen Fire Department staffed a First Aid Tent on July 3 and 4 at City Center Park. No major injuries or accidents were reported during the celebration. A special thanks for their continued support. Business Expo Forty 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 continue to be a fun aspect of the celebration, and provide 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. Speedway Racing This is another enjoyable family event and involves very little setup. The City receives 20% of their total sales. Their location just to the north of the Taste of Chanhassen seemed to give them good visibility throughout the night. Pony Rides /Camel Rides Both the pony and camel rides continue to be very popular for participants of all ages. The camel rides, combined with the covered eight -pony ring, had consistent lines all day. The City receives 15% of their sales. Vogel's Exotic Animals continue to be easy to work with and provided a very professional service. Staff looks forward to continuing to work with them into the future. 3 -on -3 Basketball Tournament This event was sponsored by the Chanhassen Rec Center Sports Program. It was a great event that featured teams from around the area in grades 4 — 9. This event has continued to capture momentum the last couple of years, and staff hopes that this tournament will continue to grow into the future.. g: \park \4th\2013\2013 evaluation.docx Mr. Jerry Ruegemer July 23, 2013 Page 3 3 Lair Summer Skateboard Series 3rd Lair came to the Chanhassen Skate Park and hosted a competition as part of their summer -long series where competitors earn points toward competing at the Minnesota State Fair. This competition attracts participants from all over the Twin Cities. This event is popular for teenagers 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 two age groups, 12 & under and 13 & 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 15% 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 4 of July Celebration for many years. Tae Kwon Do Demo 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 both days of the celebration. 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 eight local businesses participated in the Taste of Chanhassen. Once again the Chanhassen Rotary organized this aspect of the celebration. This truly adds to the "community feel" of the event. This year three portable light units were rented to provide additional light in the Taste area. These were excellent additions and provided a sufficient amount of light. The Park Maintenance staff also installed temporary lights near the beer garden and pony g: \park \4th\2013\2013 evaluation.docx Mr. Jerry Ruegemer July 23, 2013 Page 4 ring. The additional lighting was very beneficial and should be continued in the future. Carnival The carnival rides and games continue to be very popular and a great asset to the celebration. They provided thirteen rides, ten games, and six food booths. On July 3 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 4 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 I look forward to working with them into the future. 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 sixteenth year that CBO has performed during the annual 4 of July Celebration. This year we added a 112 sq. foot LED video screen as part of the production show. It provided a live stream of the band, and allowed us to celebrate the 30 anniversary of the celebration by showing old photos during the intermissions. It provided a great way to thank our sponsors with their logos projected on the screens. It is recommended to provide the video screen again next year and booking CBO as they continue to be a crowd favorite and a staple of our celebration. JULY 4TH Adult Fishing Contest There were a total of 37 participants registered in this year's contest. The entry fee for the contest was $20, which generated $740 in revenue. Prizes were awarded to the top 3 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, valued at over $2,500. This continues to be a popular tradition and a great activity to offer our adult population. Kid's Fishing Contest Over 110 kids participated in this year's kids fishing contest. All kids received a grab bag with fishing items. We also gave away trophies and other prizes 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. The contest was run by our Playground Staff and volunteers Charlie Eiler and Kelsey Hoffman. g: \park \4th\2013\2013 evaluation.docx Mr. Jerry Ruegemer July 23, 2013 Page 5 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. Treasure Hunt This is a fun and simple event that should be continued in the future. The clues were organized by our Summer Intern, Miranda Hopp. She did a great job planning and organizing the hunt. Creating vague and difficult clues made the search more difficult, ultimately more fun, and allows for more participation. Bingo Sponsored by the Chanhassen Senior Commission, this event was offered from 11 a.m. — 1 p.m. on July 4 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 success with them in the future. Chanhassen Rotary Car Show With support from the City of Chanhassen, the Rotary Club took the lead on the Classic Car Show. Pre - registrations were available; however a majority of cars registered that day. It continues to be a popular attraction before the parade, and is becoming a tradition of the 4 of July Celebration. Chanhassen Rotary Taste of Chanhassen and Beer Garden The Taste of Chanhassen had great crowds on the 4 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. Staff is continually searching for ways to increase our crowds at City Center Park on the 4 however we believe we are gaining some momentum. Live Music featuring American Bootleg American Bootleg, a local four piece band performed from 12 -2 p.m. under the big tent prior to the parade. They put on a great performance and had many followers along with Chanhassen residents enjoy the music. Staff recommends continuing to have bands perform before the start of the parade. 4 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 80 entries. Overall the parade continues to be the most popular attraction of the celebration with 15,000 — 20,000 spectators. Crowds flood the downtown area and nearby neighborhoods, for the optimal viewing g: \park \4th\2013\2013 evaluation.docx Mr. Jerry Ruegemer July 23, 2013 Page 6 location. Once again the Rotary's volunteer parade marshals were an asset, providing assistance with crowd control and keeping the pace moving. The garbage truck at the end of the parade was used to assist in clean -up and was followed by a city truck picking up the additional trash. This worked well as it encouraged people to pick up trash around them and made cleanup a lot easier than in the past. Once again, the Chanhassen Rotary Club is a great partnering organization to work with and their financial and volunteer support is greatly appreciated. Chanhassen Red Birds Game The City of Chanhassen is excited to continue the tradition of town baseball on July 4th and is thrilled that the Red Birds scheduled a game as part of the 4 of July Celebration. Staff will work with the Red Birds again next year to continue this annual tradition. Glow Sticks and Bracelets Night Lights, an outside vendor, was given exclusive rights to sell glow- sticks and bracelets during the 4 of July Celebration. They were the highest bid with a payment of $300 to the City. They have been great to work with the last few years, and I recommend continuing this service. Fireworks This year's fireworks show was contracted through Pyrotechnic Display and was the final year of a three -year contract. They put on an excellent display that lasted about 20 minutes. It is estimated that about 30,000- 40,000 spectators viewed the show from throughout the city. The city has developed a strong relationship with Pyrotechnic Display and looks forward to working with them in the future. 4 of July T- Shirts Every year since 1984, the City celebrates the 4 of July Celebration by selling commemorative t- shirts to the community. This year the t -shirt was designed in -house by our Communications Specialist Amy Lloyd. To celebrate the 30 annual celebration, the design was based off the logo from the first celebration. Multiple colors and sizes were available which resulted in one of our most successful years with sales topping $2,066.00. SUGGESTIONS FOR 2013 1. Continue to partner with the Chanhassen Villager to produce a high - quality, color brochure to be distributed in mid -June. 2. Add Market Street and the Southwest Transit Park & Ride to the parade map for spectator parking. 3. Continue to mark the physical layout of City Center Park and vendor locations prior to arrival of vendors. This helps vendors show the exact location of the carnival and other tent locations at the celebration. g: \park \4th\2013\2013 evaluation.docx Mr. Jerry Ruegemer July 23, 2013 Page 7 4. Have t -shirt sales begin in early June, to increase sales. Also look into producing other merchandise to sell. 5. Continue to offer an Information and Lost & Found Tent to serve as event headquarters. Look for ways to promote this area for participants. 6. Be sure to spray for mosquitoes again next year at both City Center Park and Lake Ann. Coordinating the spraying with Metropolitan Mosquito Control seemed to be very effective. 7. Research the possibilities of modifying the layout of the Celebration. Many of the entertainment vendors seemed to be in outlying areas of the celebration. 8. Upgrade all power cords to maintain compliance with the state electrical code. 9. Upgrade power outlets near the tennis courts to accommodate the carnival. 10. Order Type III barricades and more prevelant signage for the Lake Ann trail between Greenwood Shores for the 4 of July. g: \park \4th\2013\2013 evaluation.docx 2013 4 OF JULY CELEBRATION REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE REPORT REVENUE Adult Fishing $ 740.00 T -Shirt Sales $ 2,066.00 Night Light Novelties $ 300.00 Carnival Rides and Games (est.) $ 6,000.00 Maund Entertainment $ 129.80 Vogel's Exotic Animals (est.) $ 400.00 Speedway Racing $ 120.00 Water Wars $ 68.00 Gamin' Ride $ 33.00 3 vs 3 Basketball Tournament $ 400.00 Kids Games $ 423.00 Total $10,679.80 EXPENDITURES 101 -1613 -4130 Target $ 104.27 Cub Foods $ 70.04 Costco $ 173.40 Cabin Fever Sporting Goods $ 187.91 Oriental Trading $ 759.14 Party City $ 85.99 Pizzaoli $ 193.60 Merlin's Ace Hardware $ 7.46 Fleet Farm $ 400.73 Menards $ 21.37 Total $ 2,003.91 101 - 1613 -4300 Pyrotechnic Display, Inc. $23,000.00 MJM Productions $ 2,935.00 Casablanca Orchestra $ 5,500.00 P & J Promotions $ 2,822.50 Executive Ocean $ 343.23 Medicine Show Music Company $ 650.00 Ragtown $ 400.00 American Bootleg $ 400.00 3 Lair Skate Park (est.) $ 500.00 Total $ 36,550.73 . 101 - 1613 -4340 Southwest Suburban Publishing $ 2,851.76 Total $ 2,851.76 101 - 1613 -4400 Imperial Porta- Thrones (est.) $ 4,400.00 Chanhassen Rotary Club $ (945.00) Total $ 3,455.00 101 - 1613 -4410 Ultimate Events $ 16,143.01 Chanhassen Rotary Club $ (2,243.05) Southwest Metro Chamber $ (1,400.00) Festival Sound & Lighting $ 2,250.00 Dick's Sanitation Inc. (est.) $ 1,500.00 Merlin's Ace Hardware $ 194.15 Ziegler Rental $ 320.63 Total $ 16,764.74 Total Revenue $ 10,679.80 Total Expenses $ 61,626.14 BALANCE - $(50,946.34) *The 4 ofJuly Celebration is one offour events under the Community Event Sponsorship Program. Over sixty local businesses will contribute approximately $32,693 in cash and goods in 2013 to support these four events.