Commissioners and staff gave a post-event report on the Celebrate Wildwood festival, highlighting strong engagement, merchandise sales and operational lessons after a late torrential storm.

Staff reported selling 11 history books and eight Route 66 T‑shirts at the commission’s tent. The tent and displays attracted visitors drawn to new Route 66 posters, a local-histories book and the commission’s exhibits. The event also featured a hands-on historical display from Eli McDonald, who brought early-frontier artifacts and engaged families and children.

A sudden heavy downpour forced staff to cut electricity and temporarily close the tent. Staff said most items survived after cleanup, though some paper materials were discarded and a small number of awards were water-damaged. Commissioners thanked staff and volunteers for responding to the weather and rescuing materials.

Operational recommendations captured at the meeting included staging floats at the front of the parade so units do not reverse against traffic; carrying waterproof bins and tarps to protect materials in case of sudden rain; offering more hardcover history books for sale (they moved faster than softcovers); and reviewing card-payment hardware compatibility, because the Square reader failed on some newer devices.

Attendance: staff and a law-enforcement contact estimated overall festival attendance historically at about 5,000–6,000 visitors across the day; commission members reported heavy crowding during parade endpoints and later evening returns after the storm.

The commission also discussed parade behavior that raised safety concerns and praised volunteers who handed candy directly to children rather than throwing it into the crowd. Several commissioners called for bringing back popular attractions such as the horse-drawn carriage to future parades.

No formal actions were taken; the item was an informational debrief and staff will apply the operational changes to future events.