LT-2019-022-EDA-Buskers Comedy Kickoff

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Response 1: The Ellensburg Downtown Association (EDA) is dedicated to the revitalization and Project/Event preservation of our historic downtown district through design, economic vitality, Description * organization, promotion, and events. The EDA's events draw a local and regional crowd to our economic center, supporting our business and our town as a whole. To ensure we are operating efficiently, the EDA evaluates events regularly to determine if the time and funds spent are worthwhile to everyone involved. Buskers in the Burg is a successful event on its own, however, as our community grows and evolves, our events must also continue to offer fresh and new experiences. Buskers Comedy Kickoff will be in its second year in 2019, the first event being September 28, 2018. The purpose of this event is to put more of an emphasis on the Friday evening before Saturday's festival. Following our regular Busker Preview Night, Buskers Comedy Kickoff will transform a downtown venue into a comedy club. Comedians are brought in from outside of Ellensburg, increasing the chances of their audiences seeing the event being promoted and coming over as well. This event also features a beer and wine cash bar that helps us to cover costs. By creating more hype on the Friday before our festival, we encourage attendees to stay the night rather than travel for just the day. We are adding more than just comedy. There is a special luminary show featuring the giant puppets from Saturday's Arts Parade, adding to the experience of attending Buskers Comedy Kickoff and promoting the next day's festival. Goals of ours for 2019 would be to expand on ticket sales and hire comedians that have a larger following, bringing more people year after year to this event. Based on the 2018 tickets sales, that at this time are not complete and will not be complete until after this application is submitted, and considering the possibility of bringing in a larger comedian, we hope to sell 200 tickets in 2019. Target audiences for this event include heritage tourism, empty nesters or families looking for a weekend getaway, music enthusiast, art enthusiasts, and families of CWU students. Lodging Tax money would be used to promote the event via social media, online advertising, print advertising, radio, hire top-notch entertainment, venue fees, and necessary event rentals such as tables, chairs, sound, etc. 2500 character lirrit List of Intended Use of Funds* Entertainment Social Media Advertising Online Advertising Print Advertising Radio Advertising Venue Fees Rentals necessary for event (i.e. tables, chairs, sound equipment, etc.) 21 Projections of Increased Tourism Please provide the following estimates of how any money received will result in increases in the number of people traveling for business or pleasure on a trip: 1. Away from their place of residence or business and staying overnight in paid accommodations; 2. To a place fifty miles or more away from their place of residence or business for the day or staying overnight; 3. or from another country or state outside of their place of residence or business. You must provide the evidence utilized in determining your projections.