The Short Version:

We need to raise $15,000 to settle the debt left over from putting on The Shepherdstown Fairy Festival so that we can have a year 2.

The Festival:

The Shepherdstown Fairy Festival was a wonderful success. The attendees had fun; the performers had fun and can't wait to come back and do it all again; the vendors did well and want to take part next year.

Over and again I have been told that it did not seem like a first year festival, that it was incredibly organized, that i did a good job, that they or their friend had so much fun, that their kids loved it.

2000 people came to the festival. We sold 1200 tickets (kids 12 & under attend for free). Those are really good numbers for a first year festival.

We had over 18 different acts/performers/presenters, including bestselling authors and internationally known musical acts.

We offered ASL translations of our stage performances as well as additional accommodations for those with accessibility needs.

By every measure the event was a success. Except financially.

I am already excited about beginning the planning for next year's festival. I have lots of ideas and improvements to implement. I want the fairies to come back for year 2 of The Shepherdstown Fairy Festival. We're penciled in at Sam Michaels Park for the weekend of October 14-15, 2023, but there's no contract yet.

I can't justify moving forward unless this new community we are creating can raise the funds to settle the debts from this year's festival.

What did the fairy festival cost?

The other day a customer asked whether I had paid the performers who were at the festival and at that moment, I realized that people just didn't know what went into making a festival.

Festivals have 2 ingredients: A whole lot of work and a whole lot of money.

The Shepherdstown Fairy Festival cost around $60,000 to produce.

Entertainment: $18,000

Hotels and Travel: $8500

Venue Rental: $2700

Portapots: $2200

Sound: $2000

Tents, Chairs, Table Rentals: $4400

Insurance: $2500

Photography $600

Art Design: $1000

Printing, Advertising, Website: $5,000

Movers and Setup: $2000

ASL Translation: $600

Security: $1500 (donation to Jeff Co Deputy Sheriff Reserves)

Parking: $500 (donation to Shepherdstown Shares)

There's about another $10,000 in various other expenses like supplies, tents, set, decorations, equipment, food for volunteers, storage unit, uhaul rental, gas money, etc.

Why there was a shortfall?:

-I had hoped for enough vendors at very low first year vendor fees to raise $10,000, we fell short of the goal by about $3000

-I had to forgo any income on food truck fees and I still barely secured enough food vendors to feed the attendees. These fees should have brought in at least $2000.

-I fell short of my fundraising/sponsorship goal by $7,000.

-I was expecting a considerable income on sales from Creative Procrastinations and Whimsical Necessities but the booth was only open the final 4 hours of Sunday.

-I fell off my stoop a month before the festival and hurt myself pretty severely, I had to hire extra help to make up for the lost work and had to close my store longer than planned for both setup and recovery, so also lost a portion of my regular shop income.

-An unfortunate technology fail and miscommunication led to $800 in lost charges.

-I cut off online sales before the event to save people paying the online service fees. An unknown, but definitely significant quantity of people thought that the online sales ending meant we had run out of tickets entirely so they didn't come.

My financial situation (personal and business):



I received no financial recompense for my work on the festival. I only earn $18,000 per year from my shop. It's enough for me to live on and I don't mind living simply. However, there's no extra.

I told myself that I could invest up to $15,000 of my business equity (i.e. I used loan money) to launch this festival but that I could not pay more than that from my funds in my first year and still go on to a second year.

I still owe $10,000 to friends and family who loaned me money to cover part of the shortfall and a further $5000 to folks who gave me an extension on paying them.

An extra $5,000 would help the fairy shop (Creative Procrastinations and Whimsical Necessities) get back on track financially. It isn't in jeopardy, but it has taken a hit because of the festival and the extra funds would alleviate that.

Summary:

I can only move forward with a second festival if we raise this money by the end of the year.

It looks like a big amount of money to raise, but I'm confident enough folks want the fairies to come back that we can do this pretty quickly.

2000 people came to the festival. If everyone who came and had fun contributed $5 or $10, and everyone who heard about it and thought it sounded cool and are planning to come next year gave $5 or 10, and everyone who really wanted to be there this year but didn't make it gave $5-10, then no one would be out too much, the bills would be paid, and I'd know I made something that means enough to enough people that doing it again is important.

Should we raise more than the stretch goal of $20,000, I will use the additional funds to begin making deposit payments on the venue, tents, and sound for the 2023 show.

Please like, share, comment whenever you see the gofundme. Even if you can't afford to contribute, your social media engagement will help make sure the folks who can afford to contribute will hear about the campaign.