9Th Annual Fireworks Display

9th Annual Fireworks Display Evaluation July 8, 2014

The 9th Annual Fireworks Display Extravagance event on Thursday, July 3rd was successful with an estimated crowd of over 17,000 spectators and participants. The evening started with skydivers approaching with Old Glory as Callie Defoor sung the National Anthem. The Tyler Hammond Band opened, while Jason Earl closed the event playing a variety of Country tunes which fans sung along. Throughout the event patrons had the opportunity to enjoy an array of refreshments: hotdogs, hamburgers, nachos, funnel cakes, steak burgers, philly cheese steaks, chicken bites, bar-b-q, Chick-fil-A, Repicc’s Italian Ice, Blue Bell Ice Cream, shaved ice, gyros beef/lamb and chicken, Quesadillas, polish sausage and much more. Our second electrically fired choreographed fireworks display show was near perfect. Spectators and participants raved the show and specifically enjoyed the false and final finale.

We provided a FREE BMX Stunt Show. We also allowed vendors to set up and provide the following activities which we received a small percentage from their gross revenue: face painters, balloon artists, inflatable bounces, helicopter ride, a cyclone ride, a caricature artist and stunt-jumpz inflatable.

Please see the attached cost analysis report of contributors such as: in-kind donations, sponsors and vendors.

We didn’t allow any non-profit organizations the opportunity to set-up, promote or raise monies for their causes this year.

We had our Summer Day Camp staff (6 part-time employees) and the Programs Team Leader assist throughout the event at various stations/locations: hospitality canopy for band members, hospitality area for staffers, assisting vendors with their set up, directing traffic, parking cars and the VRPRD’s booth giving away free hand fans and Purple Books.

Staff played a vital role in the success of this event throughout by assisting with the following:

. setting up the American Flag as backdrop for the stage . setting up barricades and cones for BMX Stunt Show and the Stunt Jumpz inflatable . marking off 10’ X 10’ booth spaces for the vendors/sponsors . placing trash cans throughout the park . setting up flag poles and flag bucks along the south end of the football field with caution tape for skydivers landing spot . hanging banners and buntings along the stage . unscrewing the parking light bulbs in front the Civic Center parking lot prior to the fireworks display. . breaking down of previous listed task . ensured the safety of the participants and our spectators throughout event

Good points:

. The Villa Rica Police Department provided logistics for traffic and had officers providing foot patrol throughout the event . Provided live broadcast on the following stations: WWGA-FM, WBTR–FM and WCKS-FM. . Provided a FREE BMX Stunt Show. . Mike Best’s Athletics Department provided (?) staff which assisted with directing traffic and parking vehicles at the Ingles field and inside the Villa Rica Sports Complex. . Charles Davis provided community service workers and two staffers, which assisted with the following: picking up trash, emptying trash cans, cleaning restroom and cleaning up after the event. . Danny Fisher and his two inmate crews were vital to the success of this event. They assisted with the set-up and take down of the following: tables, chairs, canopies, trash cans, trash, flag poles and flag bucks, audio crew equipment, Genie Lift Roof, power cords, etc. . Pop Audio provided the audio and lighting for this event. Having Pop Audio provide the production grade generator reduced the power concerns from previous events. . West Georgia Ambulance provided two staffers onsite to aid in any immediate first aid needed.

Bad points:

. Complaints of smoking on the football field. . Guest were parking were the fire trucks and EMS park. . Insufficient staff to manage crowd, patrons, spectators and participants!

Possible goals for next year:

. Decide whether to go up on the cost of the fireworks display or invest more money in other attractions. . Move fireworks display launch location to field #5. If so, provide on field #2 and #3 more entertainment such as No Joe’s Circus Act, kid’s activities, games, inflatable bounces, face painting, etc. Field #4 zip line, electric trackless train, and rock wall and field #6 & #7 hot air balloon tethered rides. . Continue providing a person to sing National Anthem . Provide a MC! . Create an Emergency Contingency plan by January 30, 2014. . Have a Congressman or Senator submit a request to the US Air force for a flyover by January 30, 2015. . Have a Congressman or Senator submit a request to the Georgia National Guard for a Blackhawk helicopter by January 30, 2015. . Have a sponsor, Liberty Chevrolet, provide a major giveaway (car, van, etc) and/or provide one through the department by February 27, 2015. . Consider an air craft show, if budget permits. Fill out FAA paper for site by February 2016. . Have a vendor set-up a zip line structure. . Add to poster and news release the following park rules: smoking permitted in designated areas only, dogs are prohibited in the park on this day. Prohibited items: alcoholic beverages, canopies, umbrellas, and laser pens, weapons (knives, guns, tasters, etc.), glass bottles or tents on the field are prohibited. . Provide adequate staffing for this event and start the planning six months out with the staff or committee: divide responsibilities amongst department heads such as parking, entertainment, vendors/sponsors, layout for vendors, setup and break down – tables, chairs, trash cans, barricades, etc., fireworks vendor, restroom and trash detail, activities – face painting, balloon art, hot air balloon tethered rides, skydivers, etc., . Provide two overnight security individuals to cover fireworks site and sound & lighting on the stage if needed. . Continue selling VIP parking passes for $5.00 per vehicle to fill up the rear parking lot; VIP parking passes are valid until 8:00pm. . Consider selling canopy spaces on the north and south end zones of the football field at a reduced fee of $5.00 per canopy space. . Consider changing the genre of music to rhythm & blues, jazz or pop. Too much Country. . Consider selling fields to corporate business for $3,000.00 a field. . Consider more carnival rides in conjunction to event. . Consider revamping vendor and stage layout to show stage in the northern end zone and vendor/sponsors along the sides. . Transport participants from the Ingles field in golf carts to the football field. . Decide weather to rent the Genie Lift Roof or rent a portable stage. It’s cheaper and safer to rent the portable stage than the Genie Lift Roof. If you decide to use the Genie Lift Roof, make sure you add an area of 10’ x 10’ to both sides of the stage. This will allow the Genie Lift to be centered correctly on the stage. . Next years’ inclement or unsafe weather conditions date is Friday, July 10, 2015; please add date to pyrotechnics agreement. . Consider relocating the lower level pyrotechnics to fields 2 and 3 or at least move them on the road. Make sure we provide an attach layout of pyrotechnics with next years’ contract. . Provide VIP portable restrooms for women. Rope off an area and have the VRPD’s Explores Club man this area. Turn the men’s restroom behind the concession stand into a women’s restroom for July 3rd only. . Relocate inflatable bounce houses generators to the opposite side of patron’s canopies set up.