Project Overview: West Duluth Business and Community Club is seeking an energetic, outgoing, organized, and committed individual to coordinate the West Duluth Business Club’s 2022 Spirit Valley Day’s Festival, occurring the first weekend of August 2022. This person will be responsible for fundraising, chairing the volunteer steering committee, and will provide ongoing planning and project management including 24/7 management of the event, which usually takes place for several days, beginning at the discretion of the coordinator, but no later than March of the event year through project wrap up in the following September.
Project Goals and Target Audience: The Spirit Valley Days festival has brought friends, neighbors, and the business community together over the first weekend of August since 1979. The Spirit Valley Days Festival grew out of a desire by the Business Club to encourage people to explore West Duluth, with the festival showcasing the wonderful shopping, dining, entertainment, and recreational opportunities that exist here. We seek to bring people from near and far to the core business district during the afternoon and evenings throughout the five day festival. Community organizations, non-profits, and West Duluth area businesses are encouraged to add to the fun and excitement by becoming part of the planning process by working with the planning committee to add complementary events to enhance the core festival location (Ramsey Square area of Grand/Central/57th Ave West/Grand Ave) activities. West Duluth bar owners are active on the festival steering committee. Historically, several local businesses and nonprofits have been active in the planning of the event and relationships have been developed in order to maintain the support needed to sponsor the festival each year.
- Scope of Work and Deliverables: The coordinator serves as the sole fundraiser to support expenditures necessary to present the event; co-chairs the volunteer steering committee; plans, schedules, and leads all meetings of the committee and any sub-committees (as needed), such as the parade sub-committee, Miss West Duluth sub-committee, Live entertainment/dance, Car Show subcommittee, etc.; prepares and ensures completion of all tasks (in cooperation with the stakeholders of major events) necessary to successfully present all aspects of the festival; ensures proper planning and appropriate submission of all necessary paperwork and permits to allow event(s) to occur; works directly on-site with volunteers/crafters/vendors/and impacted local businesses throughout the event, which requires being available for 12-15 hour days during the festival; seeks committee input & final approval for all expenditures; tracks all income and expenses in cooperation with the business club board representative; and prepares marketing & media strategies for committee approval. Essentially, said responsibilities involve all necessary aspects of planning a local festival, from its inception and planning to coordinating all the action during the event through its conclusion and final accounting.
II. Timeline: Contract bids being accepted by West Duluth Business Club board until March 1, 2022.
Principal Contact: Susan Coen, WDBC President. Email: susan.coen.czz4@statefarm.com; Telephone: 218.624.3658
Compensation: Pursuant to contract as specified by individual requesting the coordinator position.
Format Proposal & Timeline: Submit written bids to Susan Coen via email listed above, or postal service mail to WDBC, c/o Susan Coen, P.O. Box 7064, Duluth MN 55807 by March 1, 2022