Faced with the loss of many long-standing Manchester events, DDA seeks solutions from community
The Christmas in the Village Parade as well as the downtown holiday lighting are both in danger of not happening this year!
by Sara Swanson
Wednesday, May 3, Manchester Downtown Development Authority (DDA) held a special meeting with the focus on saving long-standing community events.
While community events come and go along with changing interests and demographics, a significant number of long-standing events are ending all at once. The DDA organized the meeting to catalog the events at risk and prioritize events for saving. The meeting was well attended and resulted in lively debate. DDA board chair, Pat Vailliencourt, led the meeting.
Not all longstanding events are in jeopardy. Safe events include the Manchester Community Fair, Canoe and Kayak Race, Independence Day Fireworks, Chicken Broil, Outdoor Farmers Market, Men’s Club Easter Egg Hunt, Co-op Preschool Chili Cook-off, Caramel Apples at Halloween, Witches Night, Manchester Area Historical Society’s Haunted Walk, Car Show, and Blacksmith Shop Concerts.
Events that aren’t happening unless an individual/organization comes forward to organize them include Christmas in the Village (including the evening parade), Gazebo Concerts, 3rd Thursday, and the Community Garage Sale. While not an event, downtown holiday lighting is also at risk of not happening for related reasons.
Why aren’t these events happening?
Two organizations dissolved this year that were integral in keeping these events going. First, Riverfolk Music and Arts, which organized the free, open-access, Gazebo Concert series and the ticketed, closed-access Blacksmith Concert Series, dissolved. Riverfolk took over organizing the Gazebo Concerts in 2003, which had been run by the CRC’s Recreation Task Force before that. The Blacksmith Shop Concerts began more recently. While the Manchester Area Historical Society is taking over the Blacksmith Shop Concert series, no one has stepped forward to organize the Gazebo Concerts.
The other relevant organization that dissolved this year was the Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce not only directly organized events like the Caramel Apples at Halloween (which already is being taken over and will continue), but they funded or partially funded, along with Worth Repeating, events like Christmas in the Village (which has been organized by different individuals or organizations over the years, but the most recent organizing team is stepping down) and managed hiring the contractor for the installation and removal of downtown holiday lights. More than that, though, the Village requires that groups having events on public property have event insurance to protect from liability. The Chamber of Commerce had umbrella insurance that covered Christmas in the Village, the Caramel Apple Event, 3rd Thursdays, and the holiday lighting.
Not all events ending are directly tied to the folding of these two organizations. Run Manchester, which has been organized by various organizations and individuals in the past, was most recently organized by the High School robotics team, which is instead taking on the Canoe and Kayak Race and keeping that going after its long-standing organization committee needed to step back. The Community Garage Sale was organized by a stand-alone volunteer who is stepping down. 3rd Thursdays were organized by downtown merchants but, unlike the rest on this list, is ceasing primarily due to low attendance.
Underlying both the ceasing of events and the folding of organizations is the lack of volunteers. Many volunteers are aging out (or burning out) and there are no younger volunteers to replace them. Some younger volunteers who have been running events are burned out due to lack of help.
During the meeting, attendees brainstormed ways of getting the word out about volunteer opportunities, especially to new residents and younger residents. The need for a community social media presence was discussed, as was the difficulties of trying to manage a social media presence with no budget for it. Ideas like welcome baskets or ambassadors for new residents, volunteer expos, and information at the farmers market were discussed as possible solutions. Also discussed was the challenge of making new volunteers or even life-long residents with new ideas feel welcome and appreciated and not discouraged.
Although not the explicit purpose of the meeting, new possible community events were suggested during the meeting, including a new, family-friendly downtown event along the lines of the Street Festival/Summer Fest, a Disc Golf Tournament, an event centered around pets, a marijuana dispensary event like Hash Bash, and an event that combines art, music, and food. Events that haven’t occurred for a few years were discussed as well with serious discussion of what would be involved in reviving Crazy Ca$h, the rubber duck race, bed races, and the Christmas home tour.
An attendee stepped forward to make the calls to the contractor to get the holiday lighting up this year, but none of the other endangered events were 100% claimed. If you as an individual or your organization would be willing to step forward to try to save one of these events, contact Pat Vailliencourt at pvailliencourt@comcast.net. Although the DDA does not have much funding available, it is willing to work with volunteers to keep these events going.
The DDA is holding a follow-up meeting on this topic on June 7 at 7pm in the Village Room, on the lower level at 912 City Road. If you are interested in helping save some of the events that help define our identity as a community, please plan on attending.
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