Rain on Aug. 17 put a damper on Party in the Park, City Coordinator/Convention & Visitors Bureau Director Christina Hayes told the Great Bend City Council this week.
“Overall, it went really well,” she said.
Numbers were also down this summer at June Jaunt. Hayes said later. But for her report Monday, she focused on Party in the Park.
“The numbers were down,” she said. Moving mud volleyball to the Expo grounds and away from other party events in Veterans Memorial Park also made a difference in accounting for the below-average turnout.
However, after moving mud volleyball, the organizers had room for vendors and a professional wrestling exhibition in its place on the north side of the park.
“The vendors, surprisingly, said that they were really happy. Both (vendors and wrestling) were very successful, and no vendors were unhappy with the turnouts.”
The Wet and Dry Parade went on, “and the kids were still willing to get wet,” she continued.
Looking ahead
“We will have a highlight video soon, and I’ll be having an internal meeting with some of the players for both June Jaunt and Party in the Park to really evaluate. Then I’ll come to you all with a recommendation of what we should do about future events.”
Hayes said the Convention and Visitors Bureau has a budget for both June Jaunt and Party in the Park for next year. “But there might be some changes to that, so I will come to you with ideas and solutions for that.”
Air Fest
The next priority for event coordinators is the Great Bend Airport Airfest, Sept. 20-22. Schools are signing up now and sponsors estimate more than 1,000 children will attend on Friday. As of Monday, they still needed volunteers to help with directing the school groups.
“I need your T-shirt sizes by Wednesday, if one of you wants to come out and help on that Friday,” she said. Sixty to 70 volunteers are needed. Send emails to Hayes at chayes@greatbendks.net.
GB to host To the Star Banquet
In other news, Hayes announced that Great Bend has been chosen to host the 2024 Kansas Department of Commerce’s To the Stars Banquet on Oct. 3. At that statewide banquet, the Department of Commerce will announce the Governor’s Award of Excellence winner and the 2024 Exporter of the Year.
This will bring overnight guests to town, Hayes said. “It will be a great way to showcase our Events Center in Great Bend to the state.”
Commerce Deputy Secretary of Business Development Joshua Jefferson commented on this on the Department’s website.
“As our state’s economy keeps growing, it’s only appropriate that we celebrate and thank the Kansas businesses that continue to support their communities and drive our state’s unprecedented economic success,” Jefferson said. “We look forward to recognizing another year of outstanding businesses and hard-working Kansans, and we hope to see you in Great Bend.”
Love Kansas
“Speaking of the Department of Commerce, there is a new recruitment program called Love Kansas,” Hayes said. Great Bend is participating. The Convention and Visitors Bureau, Great Bend Economic Development and Great Bend Chamber of Commerce will work on this together.
For more information, people can contact GBED at marketing@gbedinc.com or visit the website lovekansas.com.
