Nautical Festival on much better ?financial footing?

by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor

A financial report was presented to members of the Nautical Festival Committee (NFC) and its shareholders on Nov. 1, and for the first time in several years, the organization is on better financial footing. The festival made a profit for the second straight year, and for the first time since the committee reorganized in October 2008, they can breathe a little easier. Seed money was given back to shareholders, and according to president Dennis Downie, they won?t be going to the Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners, Rogers City?s Community Development Authority or Rogers City Council seeking financial help in the near future.

?Actually, every event that we had did well, with the exception of the queen?s pageant,? said committee treasurer Paul Dubbs. In 2009, NFC netted $13,000, after paying more than $21,000 in debt from previous years. This year, after seed money was paid, they have $24,000 in their checking account and $11,000 in savings.

?WE HAD two years of great weather, outstanding weather,? said Downie. ?It?s nice to see the turn around, it?s nice to not have to go back and ask for money. That?s a good feeling. Unless the bottom falls out of the ship, I don?t plan on going back? The Presque Isle County Historical Museum also was credited with making the 2009 festival event a success by bringing in the Voyager Rendezvous and ?the Welcome.? Downie and Dubbs were at the Nov. 2 Rogers City Council meeting to let them know that, and to thank them for their assistance in helping to make the festival viable again. They will be visiting other boards to deliver the same message. With the recent successes, Downie hopes to get to a point where they can pay out dividends to their shareholders.

?We are going to be going back into the community and asking for sponsors,? said Downie. ?For us to keep this thing going, we?ll need continued support.? WITH BETTER record keeping, it?s easier to gauge what is working, and what events need fine-tuning. ?One of our big successes this year was the car show. We had over 100 cars,? said Dubbs. ?We ended up with a net profit of $441. ?We went out on the limb, Tuesday night, and put on a Texas Hold?em Tournament. We had 98 players. It?s the biggest one in northeast lower Michigan. I don?t know if anyone in the area has a bigger one. We ended up making almost $1,000 on that.? They made $4,000 from placemats and brochure advertisements, but paid out $3,100 to advertise the event.

The Birmingham Concert Band, the visit of the Forgotten Eagles and the fossil dig at Little League Park were all dubbed successes. And for the first time in several years, the arts and crafts sold out. They had 103 booths on the courthouse lawn. Dubbs said NFC is open for suggestions to bring more activities for youth, especially on Wednesday. ?The traditional ones are all well attended, but if there is somebody out there that has an idea, throw it at us,? said Dubbs.

NFC also will be looking to possibly add more food offerings in the big tent. ?We are trying to find out what people want,? said Dubbs. Any suggestions should be called into the NFC office at 734-4656. A FESTIVAL TRADITION has brought down the profit margin slightly, officials reported, as the queen?s pageant lost money. The major cost comes from the printing of the program and tickets for the event.

?You can?t not have a queen?s pageant,? said Dubbs. Tent revenue in 2010 was down by about $15,000. NFC members speculate that late arriving crowds, some who were still playing softball late Saturday, contributed to the dip. It?s an area that will be looked at and hopefully addressed, said Downie. While total tent operating expenses are $35,000, it cost $3,500 to put on the parade, $8,400 a year for insurance and $7,600 to put on the fireworks. They also pay a part time worker $900 a year to handle secretarial work; however, that has contributed to better communication, and is a big reason why the arts

and craft exhibitors were up. The last executive director received an annual salary of $6,500 a year.

The bikini contest is going to be axed, mainly due to a lack of participants, and it was difficult for spectators to see, plus the sponsor wants out. NFC also will be looking at getting a different band or a DJ for the teen dance. ?We had an impossible time keeping them (teens) in the tent this year, because of the band that was there,? said Downie. ?It was 1960s and 70s music,? said Dubbs. Downie said they are looking at some new ideas for 2011. ?I don?t know if we are ready to reveal them yet.?

?You don?t want to see it get stale,? added Dubbs. NFC contributed toward band scholarships and area organizations. Downie commended all the volunteers for working, to not only make the festival a success in the hearts and minds of area residents, but on the balance sheet as well.

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