By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Wild West Festival needs an additional $95,000 to host the annual Hays event this year, said Jeff Ridgeway, committee president.
The Chamber in Hays hosted a ribbon cutting for the 30th-annual Wild West Festival on Thursday at the Municipal Park.
This year's festival will be July 3-6, with fireworks on July 4 and the parade on Saturday, July 6.
The deadline for sponsors to be included in festival advertising has already passed, but the committee has extended it.
You must submit your sponsorship soon to be included in festival posters, but the committee will take sponsorships until the festival in July.
Sponsorship levels start at $1,000, and that level includes two VIP tickets and a VIP parking pass to the festival.
Ridgeway said the budget for this year's festival is so tight that the committee thought it would have to eliminate fireworks, a $25,000 expense. However, sponsors stepped up to fund the fireworks, including Thirsty's, Gella's, Platinum Group and Joe Bob Outfitters.
"This year, as many organizations are finding, we're struggling," Ridgeway said. "We're having some difficulties, and there is part of me that is a little concerned that we aren't going to have a 30th.
"We still need assistance financially to have this event get off the ground, so we really appreciate your financial support if you can help us with that."
The festival costs $225,000 annually. A good chunk of that comes from corporate and local sponsors. Ridgeway said the event's goal is not to make a profit but to raise enough money to have the festival the following year.
The festival also needs volunteers to help with setup and teardown during the event.
Much of the set-up involves manual labor, such as installing lights, fencing and signage, although he said it's not heavy manual labor, Ridgeway said.
If you're interested in volunteering, you can sign up on the festival website at https://wildwestfestival.com/.
You can also assist the festival by pre-purchasing tickets.
Advance tickets this year are $30 for three nights of concerts or $40 per concert at the gate. VIP tickets are $300 and include all three nights of concerts, catered meals, drinks and VIP seating.
Chamber President Sarah Wasinger said festival tickets are great gifts.
Tickets can be purchased online now on the festival website. At a later date, they will be available at venues in Hays, including the Hays Welcome Center.
New this year, the festival will expand the Kiwanis beer garden to allow beer throughout the general admission area.
The festival has not secured a carnival for this year's festival. Many carnivals went out of business during the pandemic. However, Ridgeway said the festival has a good lead for a quality carnival for 2025.
Paramount will open the show on Wednesday, Savanna Chestnut on Friday, and Sunset Sinners on Saturday.
You can find a complete schedule for this year's festival on the webpage.
2024's theme for the parade is 30 Years of Rootin' & Tootin'. Click here for the online parade entry form.
Wasinger said the festival draws many visitors from outside of Ellis County.
"I know, working back in the saloon for Kiwanis, we see people from all around the state who come and join this event," she said. "It's cool to see the economic impact from restaurants to hotels to people shopping or even filling up their gas tank before they go."
Bob Swift asked the audience at the Chamber Chat how many of them had been to a Wild West Festival. Everyone raised their hands.
"Thirty years is quite a remarkable feat for a community and an event such as this," Swift said. "Many, many people have worked over the years, putting countless hours in. We would like to invite those people back out to help us with the 30th. ...
"This will continue to be a part of the DNA of our community, the DNA of each of us who are part of the community, and our children who are growing up so they can experience this event as well."