As we swing into spring and plans for the 4th of July celebration are beginning to firm up, the committee thought it might be appropriate to let folks know about the inter workings of the committee’s financials. Along with that, some information on the Market on the Green that the community might be interested in has been included.
The Market on the Green
Historical Background of Fees on the Town Green on the 4th of July.
Many years ago the Committee charged Non-Profits 50% of net profit.
About 15 years ago the fee was lowered to 20% for unlimited space on the Town Green.
What another local event charges the For-Profits.
For-Profit vendors at The Warner Fall Foliage Festival pay $150 for two 10 hour days. Andover’s 4th of July event is about 5 hours long which is ¼ of the total hours of the Fall Foliage Festival.
¼ of $150 = $37.50, which is close to the fee for the Andover Town Green.
A For-Profit vendor we talked with stated that $50 was the highest they’d ever seen, but that was for a large festival that draws many thousands more than our event.
Should we charge For-Profits more?
In 2013 the fee for For-Profits was raised from $25 to $35 for each 12’ x 12’ space. As a result For-Profit vendor turnout dropped from about 50 vendors to about 35, and has never rebounded to the $25 days. Any additional increase would result in reduced participation.
One of the reasons people come to the celebration is to patronize both the For-Profit and the Non-Profit vendors.
We have acted in good faith and will continue to do so.
The Committee has restricted the green from For-Profit food vendors over the years. The only exception in which a For-Profit food vendor can participate is if they team up with, and donate to an Andover Non-Profit organization. One example of this is the doughnut vendor we had in 2017 who donated to the Andover Fire Dept, and the 4th of July Committee.
Looking ahead
We continue to look for ways to increase our funding. At the same time we are taking a close look at our expenses and are working hard to bring them into alignment.
2017 4th of July Celebration Budget
The support of Andover’s community of non-profits continues to be vital
to the success and continuation of our Independence Day celebration.
Some have wondered where the funding comes from and what are the
expenses. As a result, the July 4th Committee is sending this letter to
each of the non-profit organizations.
For the 2017 celebration, the 75th consecutive year:
Income $21,189
Expenses $24,457
Net Loss $2,268
In 2018, we expect a loss of $300 to $500.
Our committee meets every first Wednesday of each month at the Andover Fire Station at 7 PM. Please join us! New faces are always welcome. You don’t have to be a member.
Many thanks to everyone for their support!
From The Andover 4th of July Committee