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Lodging Tax would be used to market this event via social media, direct mail
<br />postcards, radio ads, and TV. If this is successful, we would likely repeat this activity
<br />in the late summer when business slows. If just seven restaurants were to
<br />participate, and each one served 40 people for the restaurant night each week, the
<br />attendance could be over 1,500.
<br />April — Girls Night Out — Building on the (assumed) success of providing
<br />transportation from Yakima to bring a group of ladies to shop for Holiday Girls Night
<br />Out (getting input from them as a focus group), we will utilize lodging tax for the bus
<br />as well as to market this event via social media, direct mail postcards, and radio ads.
<br />We expect this to yield an approximately $15,000 spend in the shops plus more in the
<br />restaurants. Estimated attendance would be 1,500.
<br />May (NEW) — May is Bike Month, and the EDA plans to create a new downtown event
<br />called Like to Bike, which we will cross -promote with event partners the Recycle
<br />Shop, Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, and Forterra. This will involve workshops,
<br />education, group rides, and children's biking activities (in conjunction with the new
<br />bike training course at Rotary Park). This event ties in perfectly with the 43 new bike
<br />racks installed in the 7th Avenue bike corridor being constructed by the City next
<br />spring and the City's silver -level status as a bike friendly community. Monies from the
<br />Lodging Tax would be used to market this event via social media, direct mail
<br />postcards, radio ads, and TV. We estimate this event could bring 500-800 people to
<br />the downtown.
<br />May — Children's Day at the Market — In partnership with the Kittitas County
<br />Farmer's Market and the Children's Library, the EDA continues to offer Children's Day
<br />at the Market, a specific day that focuses on the kids. The event includes children's
<br />choirs, games, activities, and crafts. Lodging Tax would be used to market this event
<br />via social media and radio ads. Estimated attendance for both the market and this
<br />event that day is 700.
<br />June — Dachshunds on Parade — This is an annual event that has been run by the
<br />McKean family since its inception and brings over 300 dachshunds and their owners
<br />to downtown. Approximately half of the dogs participating in the event are from out
<br />of town. The day includes vendors, a parade, best costume contest, pet tricks, and
<br />dog races. It is a beloved event. The EDA has been approached by Jim McKean to be
<br />more directly involved in the planning and implementation of the event for 2017.
<br />Lodging Tax would be used to market this event via social media, website upgrades,
<br />direct mail postcards, radio ads, and TV. Estimate attendance is 1,500 with about half
<br />coming from outside of the area.
<br />August/September — Hoedown in the Downtown — A great event to help kickoff the
<br />rodeo, Hoedown in the Downtown has seen audiences between 300 and 1200,
<br />depending on the weather, with 30% coming from outside of the area. For 2017 we
<br />are discussing moving the event to the Wednesday, instead of the Thursday before
<br />Rodeo both to extend the overnights for Rodeo and the Fair and to not compete with
<br />other activities, such as the Fair or Rodeo Hall of Fame. Lodging Tax would be used to
<br />help support entertainment (less than $1,000) and to market this event via social
<br />media, direct mail postcards, and radio ads.
<br />September — Buskers in the Burg —This event continues to grow every year and has
<br />quite a following in the busker world in Seattle. Friday night preview parties, giant
<br />puppets parade, kids activities, buskers, and an evening concert round out this very
<br />County -wide Lodging Tax Application Page 11
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