City Council MeetingOctober 7, 2025The 60thAnnual Heritage Parade and Festival Overview“Heritage in Motion”
Heritage Audit•60thHeritage Festival and Parade. 38thAnnual CarShow.• City staff have done a complete audit of event logistics,planning, and costs.• Staff identified areas of Heritage Events that have thehighest and lowest community impact and benefit.• Parade• Car Show•Festival• Band Review
Audit Findings1. Increased subsidy by the City 2. Band review increase in traffic issues, budget, size3. Lack of diverse parade entries within community4. Increased closure complaints from residents and neighboring cities5. Health and safety of all participants
2025 Fees2024 FeesVendor/Participant$50030/70 Split with a Resident Non-Profit Group (City retains 30%)$1,250 – All other vendorsBeer Garden Vendor$400$500Business Vendor$40$45, after Sept. 30$40$45, after Oct. 19Car Show Entry$103$100Car Show Vendor$115$150Craft Vendor$230$220Food Vendor (Resident Non-Profit)$280$275Food Vendor (Non-Resident Non-Profit)$500$500Food Truck/Commercial$100 (Notcollecting fees)$150 (Collectingfees)$95 (Not collecting fees)$150 (Collecting fees)Game/Activity Vendor$115$150Homebased Business$130$125Non-Profit VendorSameratesasfoodvendorsSameratesasfoodvendorsPancake Breakfast Vendor$30$25Parade EntryHeritage Festival Financial Review
Heritage Festival Financial Review20252024202327,000Difference ($12,965)$39,965$25,530Staff Costs $40,000Difference ($32,749)$72,749$79,362Supplies$67,000Difference ($45,714)$112,714$104,892Total Costs$25,000Difference($12,707)$37,707$38,146Revenue$42,000$75,007$66,746Net Cost$33,007$-8,261Difference Year to Year**Supplies include: entertainment, equipment, rentals, staff food, explorer incentive, advertisement, radios, golf carts
Total Savings from Changes $33,007Band Review$10,749•Decision- Eliminate Band Review•Benefits- less staff, less street closures, less traffic with buses, lesscomplaints from residents and neighboring cities, less rentals.Rentals/Supplies$22,000•Decision- Eliminate electrical rentals, tent rentals, less “nice to haves”•Benefits- More freedom to increase the flow of the event, less clutter onthe walking path, open fire/emergency lane.Staffing$12,965•Decision- Eliminate overuse of staff, use effective special event planningstrategies.•Benefits- More organization, less stress, clear assignments, split shifts.Revenue$ -12,707•Decision- Fewer Vendors, no Band Review•Benefits- More organization, better experience.
Solutions for Heritage 2025•Updated parade route from .46 mile to 1.03 mile.•Developed a clear transportation plan with PD and PWto ensure increased efficiency with parade flow and staffcoverage for the parade route and event.•Developed a strong relationship with the School Districtto utilize the school district lots instead of city streets topark and stage buses.•Eliminated the Band Review and increased communityoutreach for parade participation.
New to Heritage 2025 •Enhanced the family zone to include more interactiveamenities such as inflatable ax throwing, obstaclecourse and maze, and hamster ball race.•Enhanced entertainment for greater viewing pleasure ofthose in attendance at the Festival. Reptile show,Folklorico company performance, BMX show, andcondensed concert show from 4 hours to two (2) 45minute sessions.•Increased Social Media footprint for communityinformation on CS Instagram and City sites.
2025 Parade Route and StaffingParadeDecision- increase to 1 mile. Straight shot from staging to parade route topark.Benefits- more community viewing and increased parade entries andparticipation.Staffing StrategiesDecision- Eliminate VIP Breakfast, Band Review, and staffing modelcomplete reset.Decision- Create a staff and participant safety plan “Disney style” allowingstaff to start at one end of the parade and end at the park.Benefits- Eliminates wasteful spending and a significant amount of staffhours. Increased visibility and engagement with all participants. Allows fora clear role definition for each team member at each section of the event.Encourages the growth of staff skills in event planning and management.
2025 Heat Index Policy GuidelinesAll outdoor City sponsored activities suspendedExtreme Danger126+All outdoor City Sponsored activities suspendedDanger105+All outdoor City Sponsored activities suspendedExtreme Caution95 - 103Automatically kicks in the discussion phase of ExtremeHeat Plan Guidelines and begins preparation foradditional activity specific to pre-cautionary measuresas well as provides flexibility to onsite personnel andofficials to institute activity or rule modifications.Reminder: Individuals who choose not to participate inthese conditions will not be penalizedExtreme Caution90 -94Coaches, leaders, event directors, officials observeparticipants carefully for signs of heat injuries orexhaustion. Assure and schedule participants for waterbreaks. Water is to be always available. Individualparticipants are not required to participate in theseconditionsCaution80 – 89
Looking ahead for Heritage 2026• Repurpose the Heritage Festival Steering Committee andimplement the use of Sub Committees made up of staffand community members.• To continue being fiscally responsible, focus on revenueoptions for the parade and car show.• Refocus efforts on redesigning the festival as a “concertat the park/ food truck rodeo” type of event.• Include the Centennial Time Capsule and Revealduring Heritage Festival and Parade 2026.
• Purchase of traffic control equipment for year-roundevents instead of renting yearly.• Move the event to the month of May, as it was when it firststarted in . This would allow for a great summer kick offevent, and cause less event load of all departments in thefall/winter.• Transfer some of the additional savings to the Concerts in thePark Series to add additional three (3) to June (Approximately$8000 per concert).Looking ahead for Heritage 2026