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Downtown Estacada Commission reports $2,500 net from Oktoberfest; discusses vendor fees and volunteer signup
Summary
Commission members said Oktoberfest drew roughly 800 attendees, netted about $2,500, and raised questions about vendor fees, volunteer recruitment and how event proceeds are held and spent.
The Downtown Estacada Commission on Oct. 7 reviewed its recent Oktoberfest, saying the event drew an estimated 800 people and left roughly $2,500 in net proceeds. Commission members discussed vendor fees, volunteer recruitment for future events and how the commission’s event funds are held and used.
Commission member Connie said the event “went well,” noting favorable weather, successful music and food offerings and that volunteers and vendors helped the event run smoothly. “We made about $2,500,” Connie said. Commission members said that money remains in the commission’s fund and can be used for other events.
Hannah, the commission’s communications lead, said her immediate focus is an October newsletter and social media posts recapping Oktoberfest and promoting upcoming events. She asked that volunteers be advertised on a monthly basis until a stable roster is built. The commission discussed options for a volunteer sign-up system that would display specific shifts and duties so prospective volunteers know what they are signing up for.
Commission members reported roughly 22 vendors at the event, with one no-show. Several vendors and farmers-market sellers told organizers that the $100 vendor fee may have discouraged participation; commissioners suggested exploring a lower fee next year (a possible $50 fee) or a reduced fee for vendors under 18 to encourage youth artisans to take part. Julie Cooper and others said vendor counts were comparable to the prior year after accounting for large footprint participants such as the library bookmobile and the pumpkin patch.
Organizers said they will enforce the vendor application requirement that vendors remain until the stated closing time; volunteers and committee members said early vendor departures left the site looking sparse in the late evening. Event cleanup timing and the microphone/sound system were flagged as operational items to fix for next year.
Staff and commission members discussed logistics such as porta-potty contracts and hand-washing stations; a staff contact will collect prices and report back. A city staff member (Sadie) was identified as the person who handles accounting for commission events; members were told event proceeds “stay in their fund” until used by the commission.
The commission asked members to send volunteer-hour totals for the quarter (July–September) to staff for the city’s quarterly report. The commission also agreed to follow up on a handful of operational items—vendor fee options, volunteer sign-up capability, porta-potty pricing, sound/microphone planning—and to bring recommendations to the November meeting.
Ending: Organizers said they will refine a volunteer sign-up approach, follow up on vendor-fee options and finalize logistics ahead of November’s meeting. The commission scheduled further Christmas tree-lighting discussion for its November meeting.
