Organizers questions

Muzzlebrake · 01-24-2013, 05:10 PM

Do you establish a public attendance goal when you plan your contest?

carlyle · 01-25-2013, 12:16 PM

Hi Muzzlebrake-

The contest side of our BBQ/ Blues weekend has participant goals for the various events:
KCBS contest, backyard, kids Q.

Our 5 K run has participant goal.
The music side has spectator goals.
With our vendors and bar we take all of this plus experience from past years to estimate hunger and thirst.

So in general , it is a combination approach.
Hope that helps.

Anybody else?

Muzzlebrake · 01-25-2013, 12:27 PM

Thanks, that kind of leads me into my next question of is there a typical ratio of competitors to spectators.

carlyle · 01-25-2013, 03:35 PM

I can only go by my experiences up here in the tundra.

I have seen contests with 60 + teams with no crowd - there was nothing else going on with that contest.

I have seen contests with 30 to 40 teams with a few thousand in attendance. They had other activities going besides just the bbq contest. If fact that was us the first couple of years.

Now we have more teams and more people and have turned the weekend into a regional attraction with appeal to the whole family.

CivilWarBBQ · 01-27-2013, 01:26 PM

Attendance goal - yes.

"Typical ratio" - no.

In my experience, the public draw has nothing to do with the number of teams or prize money offered. Rather the following determine the turnout, roughly in order of importance:

1) Weather
2) Other features of the event (car show, carnival, kids activities, wet t-shirt contest, etc.)
3) Event Marketing
4) Entertainment act popularity
5) Admission price
6) Date (what competition from other area happenings on that weekend)

carlyle · 01-27-2013, 11:45 PM

Agreed.

01-24-2013, 05:10 PM	#1
Muzzlebrake Babbling Farker Join Date: 09-22-06 Location: Pleasant Valley NY Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Organizers questions Do you establish a public attendance goal when you plan your contest? __________________ Sean Keever "What sort of people are these charcoal masters? They behaved badly and were unconcerned with appearances. Their hair was long and unkempt and their clothes were wrinkled and old. They drank beer to and from the crab house and they made rude noises while we cooked." Tao of Charcoal

01-25-2013, 12:16 PM	#2
carlyle Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 10-06-10 Location: Owatonna, MN Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Hi Muzzlebrake- The contest side of our BBQ/ Blues weekend has participant goals for the various events: KCBS contest, backyard, kids Q. Our 5 K run has participant goal. The music side has spectator goals. With our vendors and bar we take all of this plus experience from past years to estimate hunger and thirst. So in general , it is a combination approach. Hope that helps. Anybody else? __________________ Carlyle, KCBS, CBJ, Organizer ( Judge Chair)

01-25-2013, 12:27 PM	#3
Muzzlebrake Babbling Farker Join Date: 09-22-06 Location: Pleasant Valley NY Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Thanks, that kind of leads me into my next question of is there a typical ratio of competitors to spectators. __________________ Sean Keever "What sort of people are these charcoal masters? They behaved badly and were unconcerned with appearances. Their hair was long and unkempt and their clothes were wrinkled and old. They drank beer to and from the crab house and they made rude noises while we cooked." Tao of Charcoal

01-25-2013, 03:35 PM	#4
carlyle Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 10-06-10 Location: Owatonna, MN Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I can only go by my experiences up here in the tundra. I have seen contests with 60 + teams with no crowd - there was nothing else going on with that contest. I have seen contests with 30 to 40 teams with a few thousand in attendance. They had other activities going besides just the bbq contest. If fact that was us the first couple of years. Now we have more teams and more people and have turned the weekend into a regional attraction with appeal to the whole family. __________________ Carlyle, KCBS, CBJ, Organizer ( Judge Chair)

01-27-2013, 11:45 PM	#6
carlyle Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 10-06-10 Location: Owatonna, MN Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Agreed. __________________ Carlyle, KCBS, CBJ, Organizer ( Judge Chair)

01-27-2013, 01:26 PM	#5
CivilWarBBQ is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-08-07 Location: Cartersville, GA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Attendance goal - yes. "Typical ratio" - no. In my experience, the public draw has nothing to do with the number of teams or prize money offered. Rather the following determine the turnout, roughly in order of importance: 1) Weather 2) Other features of the event (car show, carnival, kids activities, wet t-shirt contest, etc.) 3) Event Marketing 4) Entertainment act popularity 5) Admission price 6) Date (what competition from other area happenings on that weekend)