A nearly $10,000 loss during an event meant to be one of the Boulder Creek Business Association’s largest fundraisers has caused the group to drop its sponsorship and participation in the annual Memorial Day weekend celebration.
“Sponsoring the (Art and Wine) Festival would be financially irresponsible of the Boulder Creek Business Association after last year’s losses,” association president Morgan Scarborough said.
The festival is run by event planner Gary Walker Productions, which still has the rights to put on the festival. Without its primary sponsor, however, the art and wine fest is likely to be canceled for 2010. Gary Walker could not be reached for comment to find out if the planner has another sponsor for the festival.
The association pulled the plug on its sponsorship — which included paying for insurance, security and many other costs — after it lost $9,712.50 after all the receipts were counted in 2009.
“A lot of people don’t realize that the resources we produced from the Art and Wine Festival were in fact spent on other events in town,” Scarborough said, noting Fourth of July, Halloween and Christmas festivities in Boulder Creek.
Now, the association is exploring alternatives to the three-day festival that would allow more participation by local businesses and reduce the costs associated with the festival.
Suggestions from the community are appreciated, Scarborough said, and can be e-mailed to
po********@bc**.net
.
