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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7.1 Day on the Glen Replacement Festival OF D? ti 82 AGENDA STATEMENT PARKS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION ??ttF°R MEETING DATE: April 18, 2011 SUBJECT: Day on the Glen Replacement Festival Report by: Diane Lowart, Parks & Community Services Director ATTACHMENTS: 1. City Council Staff Report, April 5, 2011 (without attachments) RECOMMENDATION: Receive report and reconsider options for a replacement festival for recommendation to the City Council FINANCIAL STATEMENT: The net cost to the City for the 2009 Day on the Glen Festival was $65,600 BACKGROUND: At the March 21, 2011 meeting of the Parks and Community Services Commission, Staff reported on the results of a community survey related to special events and presented two options to replace the Day on the Glen Festival: Oktoberfest and Dublin Blues Festival. The majority of the Commission was in favor of conducting an Oktoberfest in late September or early October of 2012. The Commission was also in favor of adding some of the program elements highlighted under the Blues Festival, such as a "cook off' with local restaurant involvement and expanded music offerings and local bands. The City Council received a similar report at its April 4, 2011 meeting which included the recommendations of the Parks and Community Services Commission (Attachment 1). While the City Council favored some of the elements of both the Oktoberfest and the Dublin Blues Festival, there was not consensus for either option. Mayor Sbranti presented two additional options for City Council consideration: a festival featuring a pasta and wine theme or an international festival. Mayor Sbranti recounted for the City Council that prior to the Day on the Glen Festival, there was a Dublin Pasta Festival that was well received by the community. He felt that resurrecting a festival with a pasta theme at Emerald Glen Park could be successful. He envisioned collaboration with local restaurants and wine growers, along with other traditional festival components. Complementing the Italian theme of pasta, a Bocce Ball Competition could also be held. Regarding the international festival, Mayor Sbranti felt that this could be a way to recognize and bring together the many cultures within the City. Before making a final decision on a theme the City Council wanted the item brought back before the Parks and Community Services Commission for additional input. COPIES TO: ITEM NO.: 7.1 G:\PARKS COMMISSIOMAGNDSTMT\2011\4-18 Item 7.1 DOG Replacement Festival.doc PASTA AND WINE FESTIVAL By way of background, a Pasta Festival was formerly held in Dublin for three consecutive years from 1998 through 2000. The first year, the festival theme was Pasta and Jazz and it was done independently of the City by Good Times Promotions. The City worked closely with the promoter to secure the necessary permits and work with the participating merchants. The festival was held on Amador Plaza Road in September 1998 with approximately 40,000 in attendance. In 1999 the City assumed ownership of the festival and contracted with Good Times Promotions to produce the festival. Jazz was dropped from the festival theme and it was called the Dublin Pasta Festival. The event was again held in September on Amador Plaza Road with approximately 40,000 in attendance. For the 2000 festival, Good Times Promotions declined to produce the festival and a new promoter was brought in. Because the merchants on Amador Plaza Road were not supportive of the festival, the festival was moved to Amador Valley Boulevard and the date was changed to early October. The 2000 festival did not meet the expectations of Staff or those of the promoter. Attendance was lower than in previous years and participation by vendors was down. With the opening of Emerald Glen Park in 2001, the Pasta Festival was not held and instead the Day on the Glen Festival was introduced. Based on Staff's previous experience in coordinating a festival with pasta, participation by restaurants and vendors promoting pasta is essential. In 2000, the last year of the Pasta Festival, many restaurants declined to participate indicating that they were short-staffed or did not receive enough benefit from participating in previous years. Consequently, if pasta and wine is the preferred theme for a festival, Staff would recommend surveying local restaurants and wineries to ascertain their desire to be involved. INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL While the City has not sponsored an international festival in the past, the 2008 Day on the Glen Festival had an international theme. Given the growing diversity of the residents of Dublin and the Tri-Valley, an international festival could be successful in bringing the community together. Additionally with the variety of ethnic restaurants in Dublin, if restaurants were interested in participating, international food could be a feature of the festival. Also there are a number of culturally based clubs and churches in the area that could be involved. Although not discussed by the City Council, another idea that might be worth exploring is to determine how many restaurants in the area feature noodles as part of their cuisine. It might be possible to combine the international theme with the pasta theme and have an International Noodle Festival or an "Oodles of Noodles" Festival. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Parks and Community Services Commission receive the report and reconsider options for a replacement festival for recommendation to the City Council. 2 of 2