By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Wild West Festival is needing your help to continue to make the event happen.
Volunteers, as well as sponsors, are needed as expenses continue to grow for the annual Hays event.
Volunteers are most needed in the days leading up to the event for set up and immediately after the event for tear down.
A full explainer of the volunteer needs and an online sign-up form can be found on the festival website.
Volunteers will be needed on Monday, June 26, through Wednesday, June 28, for set up and Sunday, July 2, for tear down.
Although some of the work, including setting up fencing, includes lifting, you do not have to be big and burley to assist the festival.
Volunteers also are needed to set up chairs, set up trash barrels, set up tents, set up ticket lines and place signage.
You must be at least 21 and provide the festival with a valid driver’s license or ID.
College and high school groups are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult instructor, sponsor or supervisor. Volunteer hours can be used to meet community service requirements.
Volunteer start time is 6:30 a.m., and the group usually finishes for the day by mid-afternoon.
Volunteers are asked to bring their own gloves, sunscreen, work clothes, closed-toed work shoes and jacket for cool mornings.
The festival will provide a light breakfast, snacks, lunch, water and sports drinks.
The festival also is looking for groups to work security during the festival. Security personnel will work with entertainers, as well as man the gates to help check for contraband.
This personnel also will help make sure people keep alcohol in designated areas on the festival grounds and check IDs.
Groups of people of all shapes and sizes, men and women, have all served in these roles, Sandi Maier, event coordinator, said.
Maier said the festival has always struggled to find enough volunteers during the short set up and tear down time the city allows the festival.
As costs continue to increase, the festival is in more need of sponsors. She said the festival was about at the break-even point last year.
The committee chose to make a small increase in ticket prices this year, but Maier said the group does not want to rely on steep ticket hikes to fund the festival.
"That's our problem," Maier said. "We don't want to keep raising ticket prices because we want it to be affordable for families to come."
Compared to other concert series or even single-act concerts, Wild West Festival tickets are very affordable, she said.
Maier said the committee is concerned about next year and beyond. The cost of this year's entertainers has not quite doubled, she said.
The cost of fireworks is up by about $10,000. Staging costs also have increased.
The festival will accept sponsors until the start of the festival. You can find more information on the festival website or contact Maier at [email protected]
You also can follow the festival on Facebook.