The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About7.1 StPatricksDay .;. ... .:.. . :~ , ;~-, -.~ po , ..,.'" ~-~.:;... l CITY CLERK File # rDl[f]~~-~~ , ~_ AGENDA STATEMENT , CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: June 17, 1997 "Ii SUBJECT: St. Patrick's Day Celebration Report by: Diane Lowart, Parks & Community Services Director EXHIBITS ATTACHED: None RECOMMENDATION: ~~eceive Report FINANCIAL STATEMENT: None DESCRIPTION: The 14th Annual S1. Patrick's Day Celebration was held on Saturday, March 15, 1997, from 10:00 am. to 4:00 p.m. at the Shamrock Village Shopping Center. This family oriented celebration consists of several components including craft vendors, food booths operated by non.profit and commercial groups, three stages of entertainment, a children's carnival and craft area, non-profit infonnation and fundraising booths, as well as commercial product sales and promotions. The weather blessed the celebration again this year with sunny skies and cool breezes. The combination of ~e good weather and expanded media coverage drew one of the largest crowds in the celebrations' fourteen year history. The celebration is sponsored and organized by the City's Parks and Community Services Department with assistance from the merchants at the Shamrock Village Shopping Center and the Dublin Chamber of Commerce. Prior to the celebration, a community pancake breakfast was held at Firehouse #1 on Donohue Drive, from 7:00 to 9:30 am. The pancake breakfast is sponsored and organized by the Professional Firefighters Union Local 1885 made up of firefighters from the Dougherty Regional Fire Authority. Following the breakfast the Dublin Lions Club S1. Patrick's Day Parade began on Amador Plaza Road and ended in front of the celebration. The parade is sponsored and organized by the Dublin Lions Club with assistance from the City's Public Works and Police Departments. The limit of the City's involvement is in the issuance of the parade permit approving the route and in providing street closures and traffic control. On April 18, 1997 an evaluation meeting of the 14th Annual St. Patrick's Day Celebration was held. Present at the meeting were members from the Dublin Lions Club, the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, the Shamrock Village Merchants Association and the City's Parks and Community Services Department. A critique of each of the components follows. Pancake Breakfast Comment: Attendance was higher than the previous year making it too crowded for the Fire Station. Suggestion: Consider moving the breakfast closer to the staging area of the parade. This would require --------------------------------------~---------------------------- COPIES TO: St Patrick's Day Liaison Committee '7~1 ITEM NO. F:' un\ccmtgs\617stpat.doc V- a large tent and some coordination with the County Health Department which would~n~fi~the,~'~ I . ~~ . ., for the sponsoring organization. Also consider changing the hours from 7:00 . 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 - 9:30 a.m. Parade .::.: Comment: City Public Works Department reported no problems with the parade route. Dublin Police ' Services expressed concern with the traffic at San Ramon Road and Dublin Boulevard as well as San Ramon Road and Amador Valley Boulevard. Suggestion: Investigate the feasibility of manually controlling the traffic signals at these intersections which would reduce the number of Police Reserve Officers needed to control traffic. Comment: Lack of Irish entertainment and lack of school involvement. Dublin Lions Club indicated that they incur a net loss from sponsoring the parade and Irish entertainment could be costly. Suggestion: Pursue sponsors to offer "matching grants" to the schools so that the schools have the financial resources to build floats. Comment: Vendors who were selling along the parade route did not have' proper pennits and were distracting from the parade; City, Lions Club or non-profit organizations should be reaping the benefits of sales along the parade route. Suggestion: Develop a policy regarding novelty sales along the parade route. .'- '... ,. . :Ii Celebration Comment: The current site is close to capacity but tlJe location works well. Suggestion: Investigate ways to "grow" the celebration at the current location by making better use of the sidewalk and coUrtyard areas. Consider expanding craft faire to shopping center across the street and using a Professional promoter. Suggestion: Relocate children's activities from street so that it is safer for small children. .'.:;, Comment: The band that was playing at the courtyard by Galaghers Pub was distracting to the . ..::_:i:" entertainment scheduled for the three stages in the celebration. '- Suggestion: Consider setting up tables and chairs in the courtyard and use this area as a dining area. Suggestion: Consider more Irish entertainment. Publicity Comment: As a result of media coverage from KYCY (used this year instead of KKIQ), Cham~ .and City received more phone calls from people outside of the area. Merchants, who pay for the majority of the advertising, felt that KYCY and KKIQ produced the same results for their businesses. Comment: Pullout section in Valley Times was average and contained several typographical errors and incorrect information in some sections. Suggestion: Liaison Committee should review publication prior to printing. Additional Ideas · Pursue St. Patrick's Day Hotline/Intemet Web Page. . Create a St. Patrick's Liaison Committee. · Evaluate the timing for each of the events (Le. breakfast, parade and celebration). A follow.up meeting was held on June 6, 1997 and representatives from the following organizations were present: Dublin Lions Club; Dublin Sister City Association; Shamrock Village Merchants Association; and City Police Services, Public Works and Parks and Community Services Deparbnent. ti At this meeting, the 8t. Patrick's Day Liaison Committee was created with a goal of improving communication between the organizationS who have a role in planning the components of the celebration. The Liaison Committee is made up of interested citizens and representatives from each of the following organi7-9t1ons: ;,. .~J .' ~ ... ...,.. ~ I;ons Club . Dublin Sister City Association . Dublin Police Services _ . . City Parks & Community Services Department . . Dublin School District The Committee recommended that the 15th annual celebration should be held on Saturday, March 14, 1998 and recommended the following goals for the celebration. . Dublin Chamber of Commerce . Shamrock Village Merchants Association . City Public Works Department . . .'p~~ake Breakfast Sponsor . Interested Citizens Overall Celebration Goals 1. Improve communication between the organizations and individuals involved in planning or participating in the celebration. 2. Develop a comprehensive marketing/public relations plan. 3. Increase sponsorship of the celebration. 4. Add new attractions to be sponsored by a major corporation (Le. a major computer company could sponsor a tent that would allow participants to chat live on the internet with people in Dublin or Bray Ireland). 5. Increase the number of Irish and Celtic performers. 6. Improve the layout of the event and improve vehicular access to the stages. 7. Recognize and the highlight the 15th anniversary of the celebration. .; Pancake Breakfast . Pursue sponsor for breakfast in the event that the new firefighters union is not interested in sponsoring the breakfast. . Investigate the use of the Target parking lot for the event; approach EI Torito to determine if they have an interest in sponsoring the breakfast in cooperation with a non.profit group. Parade . Increase the number of floats in the parade and minimi7.e the number of large groups walking in the parade. . Encourage schools to enter floats in the parade and investigate sponsorship opportunities for flat bed trucks and materials to build floats. . Determine if it is possible to contract with only one vendor to sell novelties along the parade route. Publicity . Set.up a St. Patrick's Day Hotline on the City's Voicemail system. . Utilize the City's Web Page to promote the celebration. The next meeting of the Liaison Committee is scheduled for August 7, 1997. Staff will keep the City Council apprised of the efforts made by the Committee. .:;