Wildwood commission advances 30th Celebrate Wildwood plans; approves merchandise sales and paver program

The Wildwood Celebration Commission on Feb. 6 discussed revenue, sponsorship and logistics for the city’s 2025 Celebrate Wildwood — the event marking the city’s 30th anniversary — and approved two revenue measures: the sale of Wildwood‑branded merchandise at the event and the launch of a commemorative paver program.

The commission opened the meeting with routine business, approved the Jan. 8 minutes, and then moved into a detailed review of sponsorship targets, promotional materials and venue layout for the September event. City staff reported a $35,000 sponsorship goal for 2025 and said City Council added $5,000 to the event budget; staff stated the commission has "$95,000 to work with." Staff also reviewed existing revenue streams including business sponsorships, vendor fees and revenue sharing with food and beverage vendors.

Why it matters: the Celebrate Wildwood event is a major community festival that the commission says typically attracts more than 100 vendors and accounts for most event‑related programming and fundraising for the year. Decisions on sponsorship levels, vendor fees, and concessions affect the event’s net cost and which local nonprofits or vendors benefit financially from operating at the festival.

Key decisions and directions - Merchandise: The commission voted to authorize the sale of Wildwood‑branded goods at the event. Staff will pursue a limited inventory for on‑site sales and consider post‑event sales and order fulfillment to avoid oversupply. - Paver program: The commission approved launching a commemorative paver (sometimes described in materials as memorial or commemorative pavers) program for placement in the Village Green / Mayor’s Grove area. Staff said prices would match prior offerings (the packet lists a $50 small paver and a $200 grouped paver option) and that typical production lead time is about six weeks; installation and ongoing maintenance would be coordinated with the parks program and revenue recorded to the celebration program budget. - Banner and posters: commissioners reviewed two banner mockups and asked staff to return with at least three font/style options and final poster mockups for a forthcoming meeting. During discussion a motion to adopt a vertical banner orientation passed in a voice vote; staff later said they would bring additional mockups (including a horizontal orientation and alternate font choices) back to the commission for final selection.

Discussion highlights and logistics - Sponsorship and budget: Staff explained sponsorship tiers and executive decisions made in prior meetings, and reported the council’s $5,000 addition to the event budget. Staff reiterated other revenue sources: sponsorships, vendor fees (staff noted vendor fee increases in recent years from roughly $50 to $100 for some items), and revenue‑share arrangements with food and beverage vendors. - Venue and site needs: Staff described the new venue layout (hard surface oval designed to accommodate light vehicles and many vendor tents) and said venue rental/related costs include a roughly $20,000 line item; the commission directed staff to ensure on‑site electrician support on event day for vendor needs. - Beer concession and revenue sharing: Commissioners debated whether the longstanding revenue arrangement with the local athletic association (which historically handled beer sales) creates an unfair advantage. Staff said the city currently receives about a 12% concession fee from that vendor and that amount generated roughly $1,200 for the celebration last year; commissioners asked staff to research alternatives, including competitive opportunities for other non‑profits or for‑profit vendors and examples from comparable festivals. Staff will report back at the March meeting with options and examples. - Vendor recruitment and quality: Commissioners asked staff to reach back to prior higher‑quality artists and vendors as part of the 30th‑anniversary push. Staff said they already contact vendors from prior years and that turnout depends on timing, fees and expected foot traffic. - Promotional materials and staffing: Staff noted the communications manager, Regina Tart, left the city and the administrator pledged to fill the vacancy. Staff will proceed with a plan B for promotional work and return packet/poster/banner options to the commission; they also plan outreach via the city newsletter, website and regional publications.

Clarifying details provided in the meeting - Sponsorship goal: $35,000 for 2025 (noted as $5,000 more than the prior year). - Budget line: staff said ‘‘City Council added $5,000 to our budget this year. So we have $95,000 to work with.’’ - Vendor fee changes: staff referenced raising certain vendor fees from about $50 to $100 in prior years. - Venue cost: staff cited an approximate $20,000 cost related to the new venue. - Paver pricing and timing: small pavers listed at $50, joined paver groupings at $200; production lead time about six weeks, per staff. - Concession revenue share: staff said the city received about 12% of beer sales under the current arrangement and estimated last year’s return at roughly $1,200.

Who spoke (selected) - Commissioner Behling (Commissioner) - Commissioner Lind (Commissioner) - Commissioner Silverman (Commissioner / Council member when referenced) - Commissioner Jay Ling (Commissioner) - Commissioner Schultz (Commissioner) - Commissioner Slaughter (Commissioner) - Commissioner Seibert (Commissioner) - Commissioner Jones (Commissioner) - Council Liaison Edens (Council liaison) - Officer Daniel Fisher (Police officer; introduced to commission) - Thomas Lee (City administrator) - Regina Tart (Communications manager — staff; noted as leaving) - Chris (Staff member) - Stacy (Staff member)

Next steps and meeting timing Staff will bring revised banner and poster mockups (including alternate fonts and orientations), a refined merchandising plan with sample items, and a report on concession revenue‑sharing options to the commission at its next meeting, scheduled for March 12. The commission also asked staff to begin selling pavers as soon as production logistics are in place so some pavers could be available by the September event.

Ending Commissioners said they expect to use a mix of on‑site sales and post‑event fulfillment to limit inventory risk, and staff will return in March with firm mockups, concession research and a merchandising sample plan for final approvals.