City waives fees for Oldsmar Days & Nights and new Saturday market; chamber may use city logo

The City of Oldsmar approved special-event fee waivers and limited use of the city logo for two Upper Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce events: the annual Oldsmar Days & Nights celebration and a new Saturday market series.

Staff presented both items and recommended approval. For Oldsmar Days & Nights (the citywide festival originating in 1962), staff said the event attracts roughly 5,000 visitors over its weekend activities and requested fee waivers totaling $8,845; the organizer will still pay a required $150 special-event license fee and any external costs such as utilities (noted as $1,125 in staff materials). The chamber agreed to recognize the city as a sponsor at an appropriate level and may use the city logo for that sponsorship.

For a proposed new series of Saturday markets running April 12 through Sept. 13, 2025, weekly from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the East Lot of City Hall, staff described a requested waiver totaling $2,820 for the six-month series. The chamber provided the required documentation, including a prior-year financial report and current event budget, and agreed to assume external costs. Staff recommended approval of the fee waivers and logo use for both items.

Council moved and seconded to approve both fee-waiver requests; both motions passed on voice votes with no recorded roll call.

Key meeting details: - Oldsmar Days & Nights: fee waiver requested $8,845; organizer to cover utilities ($1,125) and pay $150 license fee; event draws an estimated 5,000 attendees across the weekend. - Saturday markets (April 12Sept. 13): fee waiver requested $2,820 for the six-month series; markets to be held in City Hall East Lot and promoted on chamber website and Facebook.

Staff emphasized that the chamber will provide the city appropriate sponsor recognition and that external costs remain the organizer's responsibility.