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Lebanon Strawberry Festival organizers present attendance, finances and safety planning to council
Summary
Festival leaders told council the four‑day event draws roughly 27,000 attendees (14,000 visitors from outside the city in 2024), generates roughly $519,000 in revenue and invests in safety planning with local emergency services and DHS assessments.
Leaders of the Lebanon Strawberry Festival Association gave an informational presentation at the March 12 City Council meeting outlining attendance, finances, volunteer organization and safety planning for the annual festival.
Presentation highlights: Association leaders said the 2024 festival served about 27,000 attendees and generated roughly $519,000 in revenue against $472,000 in operating costs; sponsorships were a mix of local and some national partners. The association said 53% of attendees in 2024 came from outside Lebanon, bringing an estimated 14,000 visitors to town during the festival weekend.
Safety and operations: Organizers described a multi-year effort to improve event security and safety planning. They reported working with Lebanon Police, the fire department and Department of Homeland Security for event security assessments; the festival runs a DPSST‑certified security team and has instituted pre‑event planning meetings with emergency responders. Organizers said the event is designated a Tier‑3 (SEER‑3) event for planning purposes and that they continue to refine crowd and vendor operations.
Community benefits: The festival organizes scholarships for senior and junior courts and provides recurring donations to local nonprofits and park projects; in 2019 the association donated $100,000 toward park development. Organizers described multiple volunteer committees (about 23 committees and 200 volunteers) and a multi‑day schedule that includes two parades, a carnival, run/walk and fireworks.
Ending: Council thanked organizers for the presentation and for the volunteer hours and local economic activity the festival brings to Lebanon.
Note: The presentation was informational; no council action was required.
