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Surprise commissioners review VetFest plans as city prepares April 11 event
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Summary
Commission staff updated the commission on VetFest, scheduled April 11 at Surprise Stadium; staff said they have over 60 vendors (goal 100), four confirmed food trucks (target five), expect $15 vouchers for veterans, confirmed entertainment and sponsorships totaling about $15,000, and raised logistics concerns about bounce‑house anchoring on stadium surface.
Staff presented operational plans and outstanding logistics for the commission’s VetFest signature event, scheduled for Saturday, April 11 from 5–8 p.m. at Surprise Stadium. The presentation covered vendor registration, food‑service arrangements, promotional giveaways and volunteer coordination.
Staff said more than 60 vendors had registered so far with a planning goal of 100 exhibitors, and that four food trucks were confirmed with a likely cap of five so trucks can get sufficient business. To offset rising vendor prices, staff proposed increasing the veteran food voucher from about $10 last year to $15 this year. Staff said roughly $15,000 in sponsorships had been raised and that staff and advisory committee contributions would help cover program costs.
Event programming will include family activities (face painting, art stations, photo booth), a local band (Jesse Ramirez) whose performance fee will be donated back to Valley View Food Bank, and opportunities for volunteer involvement and partner tables. Staff discussed logistics challenges for inflatables and bounce houses because most commercial units must be staked and the stadium surface limits staking; the team is exploring manufacture‑approved alternatives.
Additional planning items included reserving challenge coins and tote bags for attendees, coordinating potential military vehicle displays and securing donation bins for flags or food as part of community giving. Staff asked commissioners to continue outreach to recruit exhibitors and sponsors and to coordinate offline on some vendor decisions (coffee truck as a beverage exception, donation bin messaging).
What’s next: Staff will circulate updated exhibitor lists to commissioners, handle follow‑ups offline on vendor and donation logistics, and continue sponsorship and marketing outreach ahead of the April 11 event.
