EDC Toolshed:
For Managing Concerts and Other Events

Nov. 21, 2024

To help the members of the Economic Development Committee successfully plan and complete its numerous projects throughout the year, I organized this page to store any tools that can be useful toward that end. The goal is to fully document the "Tribal Knowledge" that currently governs our activities.

As we continue to develop our project management skills (and learn from our mistakes), these tools can help the Event Project Manager (PM) keep that event on track, inform the members of the schedule of tasks needing to be completed, delegate tasks to other members, and solicit collaboration from other town departments, vendors, and local businesses.

All EDC members should bookmark this web page for quick reference and to check the plan for tasks in which they might participate.

Tools You Can Use

 2024 EDC Events calendar (Oct. 2, 2024) - This document describes all the events planned for the year. For each concert, there is information for each music group, including fees and details about the primary contact. Details for later events still need to be determined.

 Concert Battle Plan - This document presents a set of milestones from eight weeks before the event until the day after the concert. Each dated section lists the activities or tasks that should get done that week. The current plan needs to be reworked.

 Yard Sign Overview - The current practice is to use 18x24 inch plastic corrugated sign boards with single-sided yellow text on a blue background. We order 25 yard signs per event with a specific date in May, June, August, and September.

Next year, we will order signs with just the new dates. For example, for the May 2024 concert, we can order one sign with the new date repeated dozens of times. That sign can be cut up and the new date glued over the old date on each sign.

 Vendors for Yard Signs - The primary vendor has been Signs on the Cheap. They can print the signs we need for about $5.00 each for a set of 25 but they charge a shipping fee of about $32-38 with a 10-12 delivery time. The total cost is still less than Just Yard Signs but shipping is slow even with Rush Shipping.

A second vendor is Just Yard Signs which can print the signs we need for just under $8.00 each and they offer free shipping and three day delivery.

A local sign vendor is Saymore Trophy Company located on Old Suncook Rd. near the junction of Manchester St. and Airport Rd. in Concord. They quoted a price of $15.00 each in increments of 10.

 Ordering and Installing Yard Signs - The yard signs need to be ordered about seven weeks prior to the concert since shipping may take 10-12 days. Once received, they need to be quickly delivered to the Highway Dept. which has been collaborating with the EDC by fastening the yard signs to sturdy wooden grade stakes. The Highway Dept. will then deliver the assembled signs to Town Hall for EDC members to install around town as indicated in the Locations for Yard Signs page.

 Locations for Yard Signs - Yard signs from last June were relabeled with the correct date and restapled. They were placed outside the side door of Town Hall, EDC members and other volunteers should pick them up and install them around town using the list of suggested locations in the aforementioned link.

 September 8, 2024 Concert Flyer - The flyer is a flashy, colored, advertising piece (8 1/2 x 11 inch) to be printed and then posted in or handed out at local businesses about five weeks before the concert. It can also be printed in black & white and handed out at local Cruise Nights to encourage car owners to attend the EDC Cruise Night.

 August 11, 2024 Concert Flyer

 June 23, 2024 Concert Flyer

 May 19, 2024 Concert Flyer

 Business Locations for Sept. 8 Flyers - This document lists all the local businesses that allow us to post our flyers. Locations are primarily in Allenstown, but also include Pembroke, Hooksett, and Concord. Members should notify Nancy B. as to where they posted flyers. The list shows members what locations still need flyers.

 2024 Season Concert Flyer - The season flyer is a flashy, colored, advertising piece (8 1/2 x 14 inch) to be printed and then posted in or handed out at local businesses about 8-9 weeks before the concert.

 Business Locations for Season Flyers - This document lists all the local businesses that will allow us to post our flyers. Locations are primarily in Allenstown, but also include Pembroke, Hooksett, and Concord. Nancy B. kept this list updated and most flyers were posted in early April 2024.

 Web Page and Social Media Announcements - This story provides all the details about the upcoming concert, its parallel Cruise Night, and the other features of the event. It should be written and posted on Allenstown Alt and the town web site about five weeks before the concert. A notice should also be posted on the local Allenstown/Pembroke Facebook sites.

 Donation Letter for Businesses - This letter is to be sent to local businesses to encourage them to financially support EDC concerts and events. In exchange, the EDC will announce the donations in its advertising and will invite the businesses to set up a booth at the event they sponsored.

 Mailing labels for donation letters - A list needs to be obtained with postal mailing addresses of local businesses so that the EDC can send them the donation letter.

 2024 Movie Night Flyers - This document shows where Movie Night flyers were posted around town.

 2024 Halloween Lighting Contest Flyers - This document shows where Halloween Contest flyers were posted around town.

 2024 Christmas Lighting Contest & Santa Parade Flyers (Nov. 21, 2024) - This document shows where the flyers have been posted around town or mailed to people.