Changes ahead for Post Falls summer event

POST FALLS - Out with Post Falls Days, in with the Post Falls Festival.

Gone are the more-than-likely rainy days of early June for the community summer event. It's planned for the second weekend in July in 2013 - hopefully during sunny weather - instead.

The Post Falls Festival organizing committee that met in September and November to find ways to tweak and liven up the event - and cut the city's cost - recently presented its findings to the City Council.

"We have a good event and we want to make it better," said Dave Fair, the city's parks and recreation director and committee member.

The committee was formed after some council members, including Joe Malloy, said it's time to seek sponsorship help for the event amid tight budget times.

The city has budgeted about $15,000 for the event in recent years, but that doesn't include staff time for planning, maintenance, policing and to set up and tear down.

Fair said the city in most years has recouped the hard cost, but that doesn't include staff time at the activities at Q'emiln Park and the parade.

Since it often rains in early June - and dampens profits and attendance as a result - changing the date to the second weekend in July when the River City Rod Run was held was a priority. Other advantages to the date switch is that the beach at Q'emiln Park will be open in July and the Post Falls Community Volunteers' beer garden fundraiser would likely draw more sales with hotter weather.

"While there are no guarantees on the weather, the July date will provide more consistency," said Kerri Thoreson, a city council and committee member and the parade director for the past 21 years.

While the parade is organized separately from what the city of Post Falls organizes for the festival at Q'emiln Park, it and Kootenai County Fire and Rescue's open house will also move to the July date.

Thoreson said the name has been changed because a festival is perceived to attract more out-of-towners than a small-town event with "days" in the title. The intent is to market the event to other areas with the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce's Idaho Travel Council grant in hopes of increasing attendance.

"The chamber's mission is to strengthen relationships between business and community partners, and provide opportunities for all involved to prosper," said Pam Houser, the chamber's CEO. "A festival, promoting local tourism, charity organizations and small business falls right into place with what the city and parade committee are looking to enhance. We are pleased to be involved with an already successful event and look forward to good weather, good community participation and a good outcome for all."

Due to the date change, Fair said a carnival for 2013 is doubtful.

"There are not a lot of quality companies left out there and we really are not big enough to draw them away from the fair circuit," Fair said. "But that is OK."

A car show is being bantered for the event.

Thoreson said partnerships with local service organizations and nonprofits will be explored for sponsorships and additional activities in the city center. Divvying up the event would cut city staff costs.

"We'll be expanding the committee to include additional organizations with the goal of creating a summer celebration that retains the small-town flavor of Post Falls Days, yet will draw visitors to our community for the arts and entertainment and more," Thoreson said.

Resident Len Crosby said he's glad the city and committee is only tweaking the event to make it better and not discontinuing it because it draws thousands of people and helps keep a small-town feel.