Best festival last weekend?

[Townsend]

So, you are saying no one paid for guides to be printed and handed out?

I found it on the Mayfest website.  Allow me to quote:

The Mayfest Event Guide is a free publication that is available to over 350,000 attendees and visiting artists over the
four-day festival. The 2014 Guide will be available both online at www.tulsamayfest.org and in print. Premium
placement for your advertisement on relevant festival information pages will be available for a $50 fee.

So that made you say:

Mayfest spends tens of thousands of sponsorship dollars on advertising

had hundreds of thousands of guides printed.

Where does it say that?

[Conan71]

Mayfest does have an impressive list of sponsors.  I would assume there is a promotional budget of some sort, correct?

What's the point in sniping at each other?

[RecycleMichael]

Yes. Mayfest does have an advertising budget. Yes, Mayfest puts out brochures, has billboards, posters, social media, etc.

Mayfest also works the free media well. It comes from having a savvy staff and well-connected volunteers.

I have been involved with Mayfest for 26 years. I currently serve on the board of directors. I have brought many of my friends in and they are very involved in the festival and most of us were there for 30 plus hours in four days.

I don't do it because I love art. I do it because I love downtown.

[Townsend]

Mayfest does have an impressive list of sponsors.  I would assume there is a promotional budget of some sort, correct?

What's the point in sniping at each other?

His tendency to post crap gets a bit out of hand sometimes.

[Gaspar]

His tendency to post crap gets a bit out of hand sometimes.

I have posted nothing that is not supported by Mayfest's own documentation.  Do you wish to continue with your challenge?

[Townsend]

I have posted nothing that is not supported by Mayfest's own documentation.  Do you wish to continue with your challenge?

How is it supported?

It says "available to" not "We printed"

Where does it say Mayfest spent tens of thousands of dollars on advertising?

Damn Gaspar, your political posts are jacked up enough.  Don't post misinformation about something that is good for the city.

[Cats Cats Cats]

How is it supported?

It says "available to" not "We printed"

Where does it say Mayfest spent tens of thousands of dollars on advertising?

Damn Gaspar, your political posts are jacked up enough.  Don't post misinformation about something that is good for the city.

[Townsend]

What?  Dad slapped mom at the dinner table?

[sgrizzle]

I could be wrong.  I was under the impression they sold sponsorships and had hundreds of thousands of guides printed.

3,500 guides. So only like 90% off

[sgrizzle]

I honestly can’t think of any Mayfest ads I heard unless they were buys around weather forecasts on the radio “Looks like a great weekend to get out to Mayfest...".  They get enough media attention starting a week or two out as it is I never have trouble figuring out when it is.

There are billboards, ads in every paper, posters on almost every downtown business and flyers at every hotel and airport.

[Gaspar]

How is it supported?

It says "available to" not "We printed"

Where does it say Mayfest spent tens of thousands of dollars on advertising?

Damn Gaspar, your political posts are jacked up enough.  Don't post misinformation about something that is good for the city.

While your snarkishness provides a nice diversion and endless giggles, it detracts from the conversation.

A few things, and then I'm done with you.

First, when you represent circulation rates when selling advertising or sponsorships it is unethical and there are indeed legal repercussions to misrepresent.  So if Mayfest says they make printed festival guides with the sponsor's advertisements available, your answer in support of Mayfest should be "yes they do."   You certainly would not want to imply that they do not make a printed guide available in sufficient quantities to satisfy the demand of festival goers.

Second, I love Mayfest, it is one of my favorite Tulsa traditions.  I think, and have thought for some time, that it is rather sleazy that Blue Dome opted to take advantage of Mayfest publicity to promote their own festival.  I have been to the Blue Dome festival several times and heard performers and others badmouthing Mayfest.  I have even seen signs for food and drink that say stuff like "Cheaper than Mayfest."  The BD festival is in no way complementary to Mayfest.  It has become Mayfest light.  Less artsy and more hipster, which is fine if you like that sort of thing.

Third, I have done, organized, and sat on the board of several festivals for almost a decade.  I am aware of how much money, time, energy and in-kind effort it takes to promote a successful event. If you wish to challenge the amount of money, both event and sponsor paid, spent on advertising for Mayfest, I'm sure we can get that number for you.  You have made a very silly series of challenges here that detract from the subject simply because you enjoy challenging the poster.   I'm sorry I have this effect on you.

Now. Back on task.  As we can see from some of the other posters, BD's festival has and continues to bleed Mayfest for vendors and public attention.  The sentiment is that Mayfest has become too expensive for some of the vendors and BD is offering better pricing and increasing traffic. It seems that Mayfest may need to become more competitive.

[Conan71]

There are billboards, ads in every paper, posters on almost every downtown business and flyers at every hotel and airport.

Even if I see a billboard, it's probably something I expect to see this time of year so it goes in one eye and out the other. 

[Townsend]

While your snarkishness provides a nice diversion and endless giggles, it detracts from the conversation.

Your conversation was dishonest.

[Townsend]

 I am aware of how much money, time, energy and in-kind effort it takes to promote a successful event. If you wish to challenge the amount of money, both event and sponsor paid, spent on advertising for Mayfest, I'm sure we can get that number for you.  

Who's this "we"?  Are you associated with Mayfest?

Never mind.  I'm through with you.

[carltonplace]

I went to all three fests on Sunday along with the market at Guthrie Green and the Driller's game.

I like Mayfest a lot, but I give an edge to the BDAF because of the reasons that RM cited, it's more bohemian, it feels more organic and local, lots of local food trucks and you can get a beer that is not 3.2

If I had been a visitor to Tulsa for the first time this weekend I would have been blown away by all of the activity downtown. Heck, even as a lifelong resident I was blown away.