ArborFest sells out within days despite slow event-day turnout, board says

Board members reviewed outcomes from the recent ArborFest and said turnout on event day was unusually low despite good inventory. The group reported ordering 50 trees and that roughly half remained at the end of the day; most of the leftover trees were picked up within the next day or two.

Participants praised state arborist Jack Baggett (mentioned in the meeting) for his expertise and salesmanship during the event. The group discussed reasons for lower same-day pickup, including competing local events and an apparent short-term drop in pent-up demand after a prior tornado-driven increase in distribution.

Members urged more proactive promotion for future events: longer and repeated newsletter notices (three to four weeks plus reminders), targeted outreach through HOA channels, phone calls and weekend scheduling to increase attendance. The board suggested coordinating with HOAs to reach residents with common areas that could benefit from canopy plantings.

The board described the event overall as successful because the trees ultimately found homes and attendees were pleased with the offerings, but it recommended stronger, multi-channel promotion and earlier outreach to maximize same-day participation in future ArborFests.