Main Street
Program nominates Moonlight Madness Street Festival & Sidewalks Sales
for AZ Main Street 2008 Best Special Event.
Moonlight
Madness is a “commerce building” event for the Main Street District.
This event has grown from a one day sidewalk sales to a three day
enjoyment fest of music, entertainment and yes, the sidewalk sales
too.
Moonlight
Madness is unique to all other events, since it’s the Merchants &
Business Owners who pay and make arrangements for entertainment and
activities. Most of these owners are “Mom & Pop” stores who don’t have
a corporation to pay; these dollars come directly out of their own
pocket. All Sponsor dollars, from local businesses, are used for
advertising and promotion only.
Some Businesses
hire soloists, trios and or bands to entertain the estimated 5000
people who walk our district streets. Western shops have had Cowboy
skits played out by actors to entertain. Children stores have had
bouncy castles, super slides and even authors of children’s books meet
and greet their public while having a book signing. The Property
owners don’t sit on their laurels either. For example, they have hired
American Indian tribes to dance away possible clouds, and perform
singing rituals that can bring the crowd to silence.
Sedona Main
Street Program gathers all the information from these property owners
and businesses to coordinate the promotions for this event. An event
flyer gets to every school child and to every lodging establishment
for their guests in the greater Sedona area, press releases are sent
to all local print and electronic promotion websites. An event Program
is created and distributed to all activity locations, businesses in
the SMSP District, and Chamber
Visitor
Center and it is always available online (www.sedonamainstreet.com)
for a quick review or printing for self use.
Sedona’s local
non-profit and community organizations also get involved. Property
owners offer space for the Police Department’s K-9 patrol and the
always fun “Vision Goggles” to show how impaired you actually are
after three drinks. The children love to watch parents walk in vision
goggles, let alone meet Officer Friendly and K-9 sidekick. The Fire
District also comes with an engine for children to climb and see,
along with their very own talking mini fire engine “Freddy” who greets
everyone with Fire Safety Tips. And it really is fun to see the
reactions of adults and children as they watch the Arizona Rangers
patrol our District on horseback giving out replica badges to the
young at heart. These three organizations have and continue to build a
respect and admiration of young and old in our community and it offers
our traveling visitors a glimpse into our piece of rural
America.
The Moonlight
Madness Street Festival & Sidewalk Sales Event, has become one of our
greatest expressions of Sedona Main Street’s mission, demonstrating
the vibrancy & character of our Main Street through a beautiful,
unique experience. For all these reasons, we nominate Moonlight
Madness for Best Special Event.
Photo (pdf) Attachment
Event Program Inside Sheet &
Event Program Outside Sheet
