Heres a good idea to generate local sales

[Joanna]

Here's what I know.
You can set up on the courthouse lawn for a farmer's market on Saturdays. Most folks who do choose the NW corner where it's well shaded.  Some set up tables and others sell off their pickup tailgates.  The Chamber asks the county commissioners for permission and they have never refused.  There is no charge to sell.  I do think it needs a little more marketing (advertisement); what I've heard is that the previous several years folks' produce just has not been as plentiful as before so participation has tapered off.

Tobina!  Are you at all interested in being part of Chamber of Commerce?  We've been discussing improvement of our Christmas celebration and it sounds like you have some really great ideas & energy to put toward it.  Let me know, seriously.  Even if you don't want to be a member but are still willing to help organize something ~ I'll go out on a limb and say we'll be happy to take what ever help you would offer...  (though we'd be thrilled to have  your membership too!)

[srkruzich]

Here's what I know.
You can set up on the courthouse lawn for a farmer's market on Saturdays. Most folks who do choose the NW corner where it's well shaded.  Some set up tables and others sell off their pickup tailgates.  The Chamber asks the county commissioners for permission and they have never refused.  There is no charge to sell.  I do think it needs a little more marketing (advertisement); what I've heard is that the previous several years folks' produce just has not been as plentiful as before so participation has tapered off.

Tobina!  Are you at all interested in being part of Chamber of Commerce?  We've been discussing improvement of our Christmas celebration and it sounds like you have some really great ideas & energy to put toward it.  Let me know, seriously.  Even if you don't want to be a member but are still willing to help organize something ~ I'll go out on a limb and say we'll be happy to take what ever help you would offer...  (though we'd be thrilled to have  your membership too!)

Hi Joanna hows marty? 

Heres another idea.  There appears to be quite a few local artisans here. Why not hold a festival.  It would accomplish a couple things. folks could market their wares and it would draw tourists in and inject some cash into the economy.  Kinda like a big flea market.  Cordon off main street and setup where folks could walk down through there and shop in the vendors tables.  Main businesses would also benefit from it too. 
Pick a theme for the festival.  Dahlonega GA has one every year called Gold rush.  It celebrates dahlonega being the first Gold Rush in America back in 1830's.   I think the last count they had over 300,000 visitors over the two days of gold rush. 
Dahlonega used to be a dead town so to speak, the only thing keeping it alive was the military college there.  Then they started this festival and it grew and grew big!

[pepelect]

We could have a brick street festival because Howard was one of the first towns to have pave roads from the train depot to downtown.

We could extend the yellow brick road from Sedan to Elk County at $50 a brick.  They use the money to better the school systems.


Name a light pole, fence post, or street sign with a brass plaque for something else to steal and recycle.  It would be a very green effort. 


Sell corporate sponsorships for the side of the easter eggs.  You are the owners you might as well have a GM chocolate bunny.



I have a novel idea to generate locate sales.
How about just buy something locally. 
Happy Easter.

[Catwoman]

Happy Easter to you, Patrick...Keep up the good work. 

[srkruzich]

We could have a brick street festival because Howard was one of the first towns to have pave roads from the train depot to downtown.

We could extend the yellow brick road from Sedan to Elk County at $50 a brick.  They use the money to better the school systems.

Might consider doing that if fed govt doesn't have control of the local school.  Can't save the school as long as its part of the Dept of ED

I have a novel idea to generate locate sales.
How about just buy something locally. 
Happy Easter.

Doesn't draw in the folks from other counties.  You can only do so much with local sales. 



[/quote]

[Tobina+1]

Steve; we already have a local festival where you can "peddle your wares", for free!  It's call the Elk River Festival and is in September.  All you have to do it let Joanna know you want a space on the courthouse lawn, and then get there early to stake your location out.  I have set up shop 3 years now, and it is fun.  The most popular booth is the lady who brings canned veggies, fresh baked breads, and other homemade items.  We had some discussion on here last fall about how to make the traffic to the booths easier and better.  Advertisement (paper, on Hwy 99, and on Hwy 400) were the best ideas. 

I would agree about having a farmer's market, even just once a month.  Again, biggest hurdle is advertisement!  Get the word out!  We not only need to support the local businesses, but we need to figure out a way to DRAW people in from outside the county! 

Oh, BTW, all the other towns have festivals, too... Elk Falls Outhouse Festival (set up a booth in the community building), Longton has Blues concert (I think, but not sure about selling items at booths), Grenola also has an Octoberfest that I think you can set up booths, and even Severy has the Labor Day festival (again, not sure about booths), and Moline has Crazy Days in June.  I imagine you could at least park your truck somewhere in town and get a lot of traffic during each of these festivals, even if there isn't an arranged craft/artist fair going on.

Joanna; thanks for the invite to Chamber... I think I'll have my hands full this fall, though.  I'm always good for random ideas, though.

[Joanna]

Tobina...  "random" seems to be a new buzz-word and... it's a good thing!  Ha!

Chamber has talked about a lot of the things brought up here; sometimes things get pushed to the back burner or forgotten and other times there are just no volunteers to organize things.  Many times the folks who are 'Doers' are 'doing' all they can or have been 'doing' it for so long they are burned out of energy and ideas ~ and others are wary of jumping in the same boat

go ahead, groan at my mixed metaphores 

Good news though; I feel like we are in a place in the 'circle of life' that is an upswing in participation and community spirit!  More people are active in events besides school and church (though those are certainly worthy of time & attention too).  My point is, life is really good here in South East Kansas and I hope we're all making the best of it.

I will try to do more to improve the Howard Chamber's information and PR for the Farmer's Market. I think it is a great thing and if my garden goes well I'll check into selling (I always participate as a buyer ~ can't resist!).  Probably will need to quiz some of you on tips for that, but your input is part of what I use the Forum for...

I'll also make more of an effort to promote the Elk River Festival (last Saturday in September) so more people will know about the availability of booth space.  There are a lot of different activities going on that day and we do try to promote them all, but it is inevitable that some get overshoadowed.

[Wilma]

Joanna, I thought the River Festival was later in September.  The first Saturday would be close to Labor Day or is that the intention?

[Joanna]

You're right Wilma, I meant the last Saturday. I modified my post so that it wouldn't come back to bite me later 

[Tobina+1]

OK, another random idea, but it does go with this thread topic...

So not sure how many of you travel North on Hwy 99 up through Olpe, but they have a sign that is sponsored by the Lion's club (that's the shield that's on the base of the sign) where they announce ALL community activities on it.  And you can't miss it driving through town, either.  It's a rock base with one of those signs that have the light behind it and you put letters on it (like the one at Toots without the flashing arrow on top).  The annoucements I've seen range from school activities to church pancake feeds, and other town events.

So, I think the perfect place for one of these in Howard is the lot between P&J's and the car wash.  I also think this would be a good location for a business directory, too.  Point people towards downtown from the highway and advertise what businesses are there!  DRAW people in!  People filling up at P&J's might just take some time to look at the sign and then drive downtown.

Yes, I know we have the "welcome to Howard" sign coming from the North, and I know some people went to a lot of work on it, but it's NOT eye catching at all.  And no where is there a place to advertise what's going on.  From the South, there's a sign "somewhere" about the Elk River festival, but again, not eye catching and in a random place.

I also think this would be a good idea for the school.  They already have a sign that says West Elk High school, but I rarely see events posted on it.  Plus, it's too far from the road to see very well, and it's not at a good angle to read as you drive by.