The clock is ticking fast and furious as the city attempts to not to let two of the community’s most popular and well-attended events — the annual Halloween festival and Christmas parade – slip through the cracks this year.

Finding someone to who will take on organization of those events is being hashed out at the moment; it is unclear if they will proceed as expected – or what shape they will take.

Sponsorship of the events has shifted.

After longtime organizer Safe Events For Families (SEFF) bowed out of the task, Community Renewal of Pottawatomie County (CRPC) took on the effort the past two years, but CRPC chose not to seek the contract this Fiscal Year, which began July 1.

“The significant loss of State Department of Education (OSDE) funding last year and the loss of staff, as a result, left us shorthanded to the point that we could not adequately organize those important events,” CRPC Executive Director Brandon Dyer said.

Since the city did not secure an event contract before the new fiscal year began July 1, on Aug. 6 staff put out two RFPs (Request For Proposal) hoping someone would pick up the reins.

Advertised on the city website as “Enchanted Woodland,” the RFP soliciting event management services for this year’s Halloween family celebration – recognized in previous years as Boo on Bell or Monster on Main — failed to yield any bids, Shawnee City Manager Andrea Weckmueller-Behringer said.

It was the same fate for the city’s annual Christmas Parade.

RFP bidding for the events ended last week (5 p.m. Aug. 29).

“Unfortunately, the city did not receive any proposals in response to either RFP,” she said. “City staff is getting ready to have additional conversations internally to potentially take on one of the events, and we will also sit down to discuss potential collaboration with a group that has expressed interest in the other event,” she said.

Bets are the interested group is SEFF, after a Facebook post turned up the day of the deadline by the long-silent group.

“The (SEFF) Board of Directors has met and reviewed the RFP(s) … there are some concerns with the current proposed requests,” SEFF President Dell Kerbs said in the post.

By SEFFs response, it is clear the organization would not even entertain an attempt to pull together the fall event.

“Understand, there is no pathway for a Boo on Bell this year, as the time to prepare for an event of that size takes months to do,” he said. “There is, however, still time to do a Christmas parade.”

Kerbs said SEFF intends to meet with Weckmueller-Behringer in the next few weeks to ensure Shawnee has a Christmas parade.

REQUESTS FOR PROPOSAL

The city outlined some expectations for the events in the RFPs.

“Enchanted Woodland” RFP

While tradition would win on when the event is to be set, during the last week of October, the city suggested the Halloween festival take place in Woodland Veterans Park this year, “although alternative locations or routes may be proposed.” The event date would potentially be set for Oct. 26.

As a requirement, 45 days prior to the event — which would be Sept. 11 – the event manager would need to submit a detailed layout of setup and have event entry applications available, as well as have a Special Event Permit submitted.

“Ideally 60 days prior,” was targeted throughout the document, though that date (Aug. 27) passed two days before RFP submission closed.

By Sept. 25 (30 days before the event), “upon further investigation, gathering detailed cost estimates for marketing and hosting, and a more robust knowledge of the expenses, a detailed budget shall be provided,” the RFP reads. “Once documentation has been reviewed by staff, a payment of half the total budget will be issued.”

Christmas Parade RFP

Advertised as the Parade of Lights, the city is “looking a qualified event manager to provide event management services to produce, coordinate, and manage all aspects of the city’s desired ‘Parade of Lights’ and related annual Christmas festivities, which have historically included one of Oklahoma’s largest nighttime parades.”

The city’s vision for this event is to accomplish a positive sense of community, to generate an opportunity for commerce and offer a high-quality, well-run family-oriented outing, the RFP reads.

The Christmas event is tentatively set to take place on Saturday, December 7, 2024.

“While the event has historically been on Main Street, alternative locations or routes may be proposed,” the RFP states.

Included in the city’s expected scope of work, as well as providing services, staff and volunteers, the event manager would need to develop a detailed layout and parade route, so city staff can plan for the safe and efficient set-up, inclusive of potential closures of roads.

The RFP reads, “The layout and a Special Event Permit must be submitted to the city no less than 60 days prior to the event” — which would be around Oct. 7.

Also, 60 days before the event, the event manager must make event entry applications available.

Both events

Generally, most expectations for putting on the events are lined out the same. For instance, among responsibilities are:

• distribution and collection of event entry applications, implementation of a fee schedule, and collecting fees.
• submit the required insurance certification and potential road closure notification no less than 30 days prior to the scheduled event.
• work with city staff to develop marketing materials and ensure information regarding the event is updated online and in print materials. The target for completion of these materials is no less than 30 days, ideally 60 days, prior to the event.
• manage entertainment, related activities, food and beverages, excessive trash, and potential recycling during the event.
• provide a budget, inclusive of a “not to exceed amount” with high-level break-outs for major activities.
• Provide a detailed budget shall be provided no less than 30 days prior to the event. Upon approval by city staff, a payment of half the total budget will be issued.
• No more than 30 days after the event, the event manager will provide a detailed breakdown including receipts or invoices for expenditures or outstanding costs. Upon approval, the other half of the total budget will be issued.
• Provide evidence of liability insurance coverage in an amount determined by the City Manager. City staff maintains the right to place or renew coverage at its discretion and charge the sponsor for the cost should the sponsor fail to obtain or maintain the required insurance coverage. A certified copy of the insurance policy may be submitted which shall name the City of Shawnee as an additional insured.
• Additional endorsements for host liquor liability and/or products liability may be required, in the event food, beverages and/or alcoholic beverages are to be dispensed.

Watch for updates.