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Pryor Creek EDTA approves $25,000 transfer to raise Bluegrass & Barbecue budget; recommends fireworks contract deposit
Summary
The Pryor Creek EDTA voted to increase the Bluegrass and Barbecue Festival budget from $75,000 to $100,000 and recommended a $25,000 transfer from Fund 68 to cover the increase. The EDTA also recommended the city sign a contract with Rainbow Fireworks, with a $1,000 deposit funded by the EDTA.
At a July 14 Pryor Creek Economic Development/EDTA meeting, members voted to expand the Bluegrass and Barbecue Festival budget and approved a recommendation that the city transfer funds to cover the increase.
City staff said the festival budget was originally $75,000 and that expenses last year exceeded the budget by nearly $14,000, covering items including insurance, music licenses, advertising and overtime for police and streets. Staff reported the entertainment budget had already been increased from $43,000 to $55,000. The EDTA moved to increase the festival budget to $100,000 and then voted to recommend that the city transfer $25,000 from Fund 68 into the EDTA festival account to fund the increase; both motions passed on recorded voice votes.
Staff described sponsorship and vendor revenue projections: last year sponsorships and sales returned roughly $75,000; sponsorship revenue was about $46,000 last year and about $20,000 to date this year. Staff reported vendor outreach produced roughly 42 to 46 potential vendors. The EDTA discussed marketing plans including radio buys in a four-state region and social media work from an outside firm called Driven Digital.
Separately, the EDTA considered the 2026 Freedom Fest fireworks show and recommended that the city sign a contract with Rainbow Fireworks. Staff said Rainbow requested a $1,000 deposit to secure the date and that half the show cost — $12,500 — would be due in January 2026. The EDTA recommended the city proceed and that the $1,000 security deposit be funded from EDTA funds; that recommendation passed on a recorded voice vote.
The EDTA did not identify a named mover for the festival-budget or fireworks recommendations in the committee record available in the transcript; votes were recorded with all participating members saying "yes." The committee instructed staff to proceed with the transfer recommendation to city council and to bring the fireworks contract forward for city approval and funding consistent with the EDTA recommendation.
