When the Downtown Revitalization Committee met on Wednesday night, the talk was all about festivals – in particular, festivals as a means of bringing people and interest to Bradford’s downtown core.
First on the agenda was CarrotFest, Bradford’s celebration of its ‘roots’ that takes place on the third Friday and Saturday of August.
The question: Should the town leave CarrotFest as is, change the dates to Saturday and Sunday, expand CarrotFest to a three-day event – or go back to a Saturday-only street festival.
Director of Community Services Terry Foran provided survey results which seemed to show that last year’s festival-goers liked the two-day format, which included live entertainment, a classic car show and a KidZone of inflatables and activities on the Friday evening, and a street festival on Saturday with hundreds of vendors, Dock Dogs, and entertainment that included buskers, bands and professional wrestling.
The town’s survey found that 80 percent of attendees came from Bradford, 20 percent from out of town. And a survey by BradfordToday.ca found a strong response to the question, ‘Are you likely to come back to CarrotFest?’
Approximately 75.5 percent of respondents surveyed on Saturday said they were “very likely” to come back.
“The Friday actually turned out to be more popular, at 86 percent,” said Foran, which was “just about identical to (the survey results) the town got.”
Most committee members also supported the Friday-Saturday format.
"Certainly not three days," said Ryan Charron. “I think Friday-Saturday is perfect. It’s a different flavour to it.” He noted that the two-day format gives both commuters and people who travel on the weekend, an opportunity to participate.
“The whole intention is to draw business to the downtown core,” agreed Coun. Mark Contois. “We are a community that travels, a lot of people have cottages, a lot of people have their kids in sports… Friday provides an opportunity.”
Foran noted that CarrotFest has a budget of $85,000 a year, approximately $50,000 of which is recovered through vendor fees and sponsorships – leaving a shortfall of $35,000. On top of that are staffing costs.
Adding a third day to CarrotFest would increase the cost, for entertainment and staffing, Foran said. “The longer you go, the more deficit you’re going to run.”
Member Brian Baker suggested that rather than expanding the number of days, the town should look at providing “a bigger bang for their buck – expand the event itself,” to include more venues, more activities and more vendors.
“That’s what we did in Kleinburg,” Baker said.
The only support for a change in dates came from resident Mike Walsh, who urged the town to switch to a Saturday-Sunday format for CarrotFest.
As a commuter, Walsh told the committee that the Friday road closures for CarrotFest are “just a kick in the pants after a gruelling day.”
He added, “It would be a lot better to have Sunday,” allowing more family time with the children. “Making it Saturday and Sunday makes it better.”
He was thanked for his input, but in a vote the majority of committee members supported keeping the status quo. Coun. Peter Dykie, a member of the committee who owns a downtown business, declared a conflict and stepped away from the table during the discussion.
Then it was time for “the big topic” on the agenda, said Chair Gary Baynes: consideration of several ideas for new festivals in Downtown Bradford, to bring more people into the downtown core.
Among the suggestions were a Christmas Market complete with Santa Claus; Culture Days or a Harvest Festival – highlighting local farm-to-table foods; a Halloween trick-or-treating event inviting kids and families to go business to business in downtown Bradford; a similar Easter Egg Hunt; a classic car show and farmer's market in the downtow; and a Kids Zone Carnival.
“I think these are great ideas,” said Coun. Contois, warning that with any new event, there would be a need to “advertise, advertise, advertise. Nine times out of 10 you hear, ‘Oh, I didn’t know that was going on’!”
He also suggested, “You have to have buy-in from all of the stores. They have to say yes.” He suggested that the first step would be to survey downtown businesses, asking which if any of the new festivals they would support.
Coun. Peter Dykie called for a partnership “between the storeowners, the Bradford Board of Trade and the Town,” to plan and present any new event. He pointed to the success of Bradford Greenhouses Garden Gallery’s Good Friday Easter Egg Hunt as a possible inspiration.
Foran agreed that the starting point should be going to the store owners and asking them what options they prefer. “Participation is the key,” he said.
Foran also suggested a “round table’ meeting, but Coun. Dykie pointed out that business owners are busy. “They all have something to say, but to get them to a round table is a problem,” he noted.
Instead, there was support for a survey to be distributed to downtown businesses, asking for ideas, input and participation. “Let’s hear from them, not us,” said Coun. Baynes. “Get the survey out quickly… If we get a lot of feedback, ‘That sounds like a fun event but it’s not going to help my business,’ we have to scratch it.”
“Canvass all of them. See what the interest level is,” agreed Michael Kemp, the Town’s Economic Development Marketing Co-ordinator. “There has to be that core” of support from downtown business.
Coun. Contois pointed out that the new festivals would not necessarily bring immediate financial benefit. “It’s not up to us to guarantee you’re going to make money. It’s to get people into your store,” he said. “It’s about the foot traffic into your business.”
Member Cor DenBleker agreed. “A lot are not going to make money that day. It’s an investment, a long-term investment.”
As the Downtown Revitalization Committee established a subcommittee to prepare a ‘New Festival’ survey, Chair Baynes called for participation by downtown business owners.
“Maybe you’ve got a better idea. Speak up!” he urged.
