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Committee debates city’s role in Johns Creek Arts Festival as staff outlines attendance and cost support
Summary
Staff said the Johns Creek Arts Festival, organized by Splash Festivals, drew about 6,000 people per day last year; committee members discussed sponsorships, city support levels, and whether to shift timing to ease October’s packed calendar.
Parks staff told the advisory committee that the Johns Creek Arts Festival is produced by a third party, Splash Festivals, while the city provides venue support, maintenance and facilities. Staff said the festival drew roughly 6,000 attendees per day last year and that the department typically budgets about $15,000 but expects total city support for the event could be closer to $20,000–$25,000 before sponsorships.
"We had, I want to say, 6,000 people a day last year," Erica said, adding that traffic and parking management have required changes to preserve nearby roads such as Medlock Ridge. Committee members raised questions about sponsorship outreach and whether the city should rethink the timing of multiple October events to reduce overlap and parking strain.
Some members urged retaining strong city involvement because the arts festival contributes to local culture, youth programming and vendors; others questioned whether the city is adequately recouping costs or whether a different operational model (sponsorship tiers or a title sponsor) would be more sustainable.
Staff said they will compile cost detail, explore additional sponsorships with partners such as the Chamber or Convention Visitors Bureau, and return with options for balancing the city’s support and retaining the festival’s benefits for local artists and audiences.
