City Council
MEETING DATE: 2/25/2015
TITLE:
Title
Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival
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FROM:
Chris Parman, Communications / Events Manager
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Council will receive a summary report on the 2015 Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival
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BACKGROUND:
The City Council approved Special Use Permit #14-032 on October 8th authorizing the Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival to take place on Valentine's Day Weekend 2015.
DISCUSSION:
More than 7,000 people enjoyed the inaugural Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival on Valentine's Day Weekend. 2,000 attendees came on Saturday Day to enjoy hot air balloon rides from 7 am to 11:30 am, gourmet food trucks, weddings and proposals, wedding singer competition, Kid Zone with bouncy houses and face painters, Theater Square Market vendors, and vintage VW Bus displays.
On Saturday night, 4,000 people came to the evening activities including the Sunset Wine Dinner, LIVE Bands, beer & wine garden, gourmet food trucks, the beautiful and free Balloon Glow, and the free outdoor Disney movie, "Up".
Sunday, another 1,000 plus people came for the hot air balloon rides from 7 am to 11 am, the pancake breakfast sponsored by Applebee's, gourmet food trucks and the Theater Square Market.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Balloon Festival received major sponsorship from KMIR (NBC) & KPSE (myTV), Crush 103.9 and The Eagle 106.9 (Desert Radio Group), and In-Kind sponsorships from L&G Desert Store & Amerigas (propane for balloons - valued at $2500), LaQuinta Brewing Company, Palm Springs Weddings, and the Wine Warehouse.
We also had a great number of volunteers from our Rotaries, Cathedral City and Rancho Mirage high school students, and a lengthy list of very supportive residents living in our great city!
The numbers are still being adjusted, but Cathedral City spent an estimated $23,000.00 plus in-kind services on the hot air balloon festival utilizing "Marketing" funds.
This event was an economic boom for our downtown. Bonta Restaurant & Bar reported being sold out and had their highest grossing sales as well as the most customers they have ever experienced in one day. Trilussa Restaurant was sold out days in advance with over 300 reservations. This is extremely important as events like these helps keep these businesses strong and our downtown vibrant!
The Sunset Wine Dinner was also sold out several days prior with 184 paying guests and many, many more wanting tickets. The Dinner had reservations from people coming in from San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles to enjoy the entire evening.
The gourmet food trucks and the Theater Square Market vendors had excellent sales too. Grandpa's Ice Cream, for the first time ever, sold his inventory in one day!
The Desert Sun reported that all hotels were sold out throughout the entire Coachella Valley this weekend unlike ever before due to so many great events. The Balloon Festival played a role in bringing out of town tourism dollars to our Valley.
Thanks should also go to our gourmet food trucks that provided more than 180 meals for our volunteers.
The event received positive coverage in the Palm Spring Life's "The Guide" magazine as the "Hot Pick" for the month of February. The Desert Sun had a great article in the Sunday newspaper on page A3. It was also featured on Univision Television, KMIR's Morning Show with Dan Ball, the Desert Key Magazine, and the Coachella Valley Weekly.
ATTACHMENTS:
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