Informal Feasibility Study!

[featherynscale]

I thought about having this locked down to just the KC folks, but what the hell, some of the rest of you might be interested, too.

Here's the deal: Every year, forever, the Gaia Community has done an arts-and-crafts show (the Winter Bazaar, if you've been following along) as a winter fund-raiser. Every year, we make about $1000 on this event. We have put a lot of work into making it bigger and better, which means that we make more money every year, but it also costs more money (and more time) every year, leaving us with a steady profit of, yep, $1000. Getting volunteers to assist with the thing is difficult, getting someone to manage the thing is nigh impossible. Attendance is generally poor. So I'm thinking, this sucks, let's not do it anymore. If we don't do it, we need to come up with some other fund-raising concept that will make at least $1000 profit for the organization.

zylch and I spent some time this evening kicking around the idea of having a Yule Ball, some sort of reasonably upscale (but not obnoxiously upscale) costume and/or fancy dress party experience instead. There would be music and dancing and probably food, and possibly a silent auction and/or raffle. It would be a holiday party that you could take your significant other(s) to, regardless of gender, number, or preferred lifestyle arrangement. It would have a magical theme (possibly but not necessarily something Harry-Potter-ish). There is every possibility that there would be games and/or some sort of participatory art experience. There would be a door charge, previously mentioned silent auction/raffle, and possibly sales of non-alcoholic beverages (because we probably can't get a liquor license).

The thing is, we've not done an event like this. I have no sense at all of whether there would be enough interest in it to make it work or not. Hence, a preliminary investigation, very unofficial. Feel free to comment further on the concept. (Also, if you really love the Winter Bazaar, feel free to defend its continued existence. Nothing's been decided yet at all.)

[Poll #1241479]

Comments

[dramaticaddict.livejournal.com]

When it comes to the bazaar, I would like to point out the only way I've ever known when it is is livejournal, and the monthly newsletter. Maybe some better advertising? good advertising doenst have to cost anything, i mean, every grocery store in the metro has an events board of some sort, that crafty people love to look at, also, try throwin it up on craigslist and such.
I totally think you should do both, but thats just me prolly....

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

See, we do that stuff. We put it out on all the local/regional pagan lists, on Witchvox, on craigslist, on the kc livejournal and so on. We make fliers and distribute them to the vendors to hand out to their people, and to people in the congregation to take around to places like grocery stores, bookstores, libraries, coffee shops, pagan shops, and so on. We also try to get it on radio (where we can do so for free) and in the paper (again, where we can do so for free/cheap).

Except that people used to get really involved in that process, and we'd put out 1500 fliers for the event. The last few times, nobody's wanted to take the fliers or do much of anything to support the event, which is why I think it's time to retire it.

[margaretq.livejournal.com]

Well, you'll have to give me a buzz. I can write a press release and get it out to a local media list.. Just shhhh...

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

I love that. :)