Carefree Truth
                     Issue #732, March 22, 2019


Mayor Les Peterson said they were trying to do the best for all concerned.  The question was, how to do it.  He asked if anyone at the meeting had anything to add.



Ray Villafane said he understood Councilman Vince D'Aliesio's concern, "But with greatness, in everything, comes a cost."  He pointed out that there are many places in the Valley that cost less to live than it costs to live in Carefree.  Ray said he can't afford to live here.  His vision is to grow his passion, which is this Festival.  In order to do that, he can't sustain not charging for it.  He loves this community and wants to build his vision here.  It's a richer experience, but not a big footprint.  It needs to be monetized so it's sustainable.  He could show the Council emails that he's gotten, offering him opportunities to go elsewhere.  These places have been charging for 10 years and are bringing less value than what is brought to Carefree. 

Photo by Herbert Hitchon

"There is a gold mine out there.  I know it, because my heart is in it.  I've ignored the business aspect of it for years, and that's why I stayed without allowing it to grow globally.  I believe this event has the potential to be, which it already is, worldwide.  I know that it is much more than everyone here but me realizes, because I pour myself into it.  I will continue to pour myself into it, but I need for everybody and the community to see its potential.  And sometimes you can't give those things away for free, anymore than I would ask you to give your time away for free."  (Town Council is a voluntary position, so there were some chuckles coming from the dais at this statement.)



Ray continued, "Not here, but you raised that family of 3 and your house and everything with some sort of career.  I realize the uniqueness of what I'm delivering.  In order for me to grow it, I need to focus on it, I need to be playing in it, and I need to at some point monetize it so it is sustainable."  He said that Bruce Raskin, the landlord of his studio in Spanish Village, told him that he does all this stuff but doesn't charge for his time.  "That's because I absolutely love what I do.  I would do it for free.  But at some point, I have to realize that's my downfall.  It would cause so many people to be here.  Last year there were 100,000.  I bet if you didn't ticket, you're going to look at 130,000 to 140,000 people coming here."


Mr. D'Aliesio asked if there were other ways to monetize it by raising the costs of the wristbands, libations, etc.  Ray replied that trying to push it towards beer or anything like that would, at that point, devalue the Festival.  He has no problem with charging admission because he knows the value is there.  "It's clear.  Just Google any sort of pumpkin event, especially on the East Coast, because that's where they started.  They've been going on for years.  They have a bigger footprint, so they bring in more volume, like 200,000 people.  They're charging, like, 30 bucks a head and selling out."


Ray didn't follow through on the other offers he's received.  "What we do here is the top.  Do any other pumpkin event.  They know who I am and they know this.  This is THE top, with a distant second.  I know my value and in order to do the bigger things I want to do... $125,000 is a lot of money, but it's a small drop in the bucket of what you can make in doing this."  Ray wants to grow it and reach the potential.  He knows it's all here and can be done here.


Councilwoman Cheryl Kroyer said people are coming to see Ray's creations.  They are not coming for the Beer Garden or the bounce house.  They can do that anywhere.  They are of no great value, just extra things.  The value is in Ray and his carvers.  They deserve the admission price.  Councilman Stephen Hatcher then pointed out that a movie ticket costs $12.


Ray felt shifting the costs into other areas that don't have the value muddies up the feeling.  "We're bringing our game way beyond what others are.  Would I love to do it for free?  Yeah, I would.  I would.  But I know what I'm doing could bring in $1/2 million a year, for me, so that I could really begin to focus even more, do bigger, better things."


He loves doing events but has been turning down and downsizing others so he can focus on this.  It's like bands that spend a year or two doing an album, and then put out the live concert.  He foresees movies and animations.  He could pick up more events and make this just another small event.  "But I've got one life to live, and I'm not doing that.  I am going to grow this as big as I can, because it's in me, and I love it, and it's what I'm passionate about.  I love the idea that it's in Carefree.  I love the name, the town, the feel,  I feel like it belongs here.  It's a small footprint.  It just seems to make sense that to mitigate all that, you charge."



He asked the Council members for an example of one thing that's really unique that's free.  "It doesn't happen."  Ray respected and understood what it's like to take a family.  He has 6 kids.  But what he envisions does not include keeping the status quo year after year.  The Town can't afford it either.  But he pointed out that if the Council looked at other places doing events, they are bringing in a ton of money every year by charging admission fees.  



Councilman Stephen Hatcher suggested using the parking lot behind the Black Mountain Coffee Shop & Cafe, rather than the street in front of Spanish Village.  Beth Renfro said that had been considered.  Ray explained that he and Bruce Raskin were in negotiations for Ray to build a huge sculpture at the end of that parking lot that lies beneath the Carefree fire station.  If that happens, Bruce Raskin will use that lot to host various things.



Mayor Peterson said they struggled last year with the decision to charge $5 for wristbands to enter the Kids' Zone, wondering if people would be willing to pay it.  It turned out to be very successful.  This year, the Town will carefully consider the options when deciding what to charge for admission to the Festival.



Summarizing the discussion at the meeting so far in order to give directions to Ms. Renfro going forward, the Mayor said he thought they had decided to go with Layout #1, with Mr. Neiss' suggestion not to fence off the street but to use wristbands again for access to the Kids' Zone.  The others on the Council agreed.  They will look around some more to see if there are other spaces in which to expand the Festival's footprint.  Ray noted that he's already contractually obligated to have exhibits throughout Spanish Village in order to draw people through there.


Ms. Renfro suggested getting more input from the businesses within Spanish Village.  The space used last year for the Haunted House is now occupied, so another location would be sought.  She said that if Layout #1, with Mr. Neiss' suggested changes, is what was desired, she would use that moving forward.  That should bring the costs down to those of Layout #2.  She would meet with Josh from Centerpoint Events to discuss that.  The only difficult decision would be admission pricing.  They would look at how to charge on weekdays vs. weekends.  These different price points could impact attendance, bringing increased traffic during the weekdays that they might not be able to handle due to reduced weekday staffing.


Mr. Hatcher asked if the Town could save some money by not fencing the area around the sundial, where he said there is not much activity.  Ms. Renfro explained that the main admission gate and the drop off point will be there, and that small amount of fencing would not make a big difference from a cost perspective.  She noted that because of the Hampton Inn construction, they would also need to look at an alternative place to park the Bashas' truck.


Vice Mayor John Crane added that they should talk to the businesses along Ho Hum and at 100 Easy Street. They might have ideas and solutions.



I said that Herbert had suggested including the Bashas' Center in the plans.  We hadn't heard any mention of it so far.  Ms. Kroyer said those merchants should be included in the stamp program in which different businesses could voluntarily participate.  "But Herbie is absolutely right.  We should get something going on in there too."  Herbert reminded the Council about the train that usually takes people back and forth between the Bashas' Center and the town core during the Christmas Festival on the weekends.  Ms. Renfro said that might be an addition.  Mayor Peterson noted that they were good thoughts.

https://vimeo.com/322538039


Lyn Hitchon


P.S. For those of you who missed it, here are all of Herbert's videos and still shots of the 2018 Pumpkin Festival, both in the preparation phase (studio & Gardens) and during the Festival.  Enjoy!


Videos:
http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/2018-carefrefree-enchanted-garden-pumpkin-festival.html   


Still shots:
http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/101018-ray.html

http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/101118-ray.html

http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/101218-ray.html


http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/101318-ray-studio.html

http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/101518-rays-studiopumpkins.html

http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/101718-rayafternoon.html


http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/21818-am--pm-pumpkin-festival.html


http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/102018-pumpkin-festival-at-night.html

http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/102118-pumpkin-garden-pics.html


http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/102418-pumpkin-festival-ymca-carving-night.html


http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/102518-ray-ymca.html

http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/102618-raypm.html


http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/102718-ray---day.html

http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/102818-raypumpkin-piedog-contest.html


http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/102818-last-eveningray.html



Prepared by Carefree Truth
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com  If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me.  Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list.
Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree.  Please support our merchants.