
Shop Local – Give Local?
For two years in a row, we worked with Richmond’s Iron Blossom Festival. If you’ve missed it, Iron Blossom is two days of music, crafts, food, and more. We created the logo and branding, helped facilitate media exposure, and managed queries from artists, vendors, the public, and more.
Iron Blossom brought in artists from around the world, and people traveled from all over to attend. For local folks who came out, the biggest draw was the number of local acts scattered across the two days, and the abundance of local craft and food vendors.
If you’re trying to organize a charity event, it’s easy enough to grasp for the big, shiny ring, but wouldn’t some local talent better suit your needs?
First off, people get excited for a charity event. Folks like to support a cause, and participating gives them a chance to do something other than simply write a check. They get to meet like-minded people, and they’re generally fun!
Adding a bit of local flavor to your event is a value-add. Your attendees are looking to make a connection – be that personal, emotional, or mentally. Having local representation triggers the thought of “I Know This…” It may be the local spot that caters the event. Perhaps you’ve hired a local musician. It would be great to have an auction featuring trips to Paris or dinner in Japan’s finest sushi house, but your attendees would get greater value bidding on things they could immediately use…
Which is also boosting your local economy!
Part of the reason people participate in events like this is the ability to make a connection. They got involved because they like you and like your cause, and bringing in some local flavor invites them to like something or someone else.
A great example of this is an event we’ve facilitated for Friends of the James River Park: Camera to Canvas. One of their board members is Bill Draper, and Bill brings his camera gear on his daily runs along the James and through the Park. He’s amassed an amazing collection of river photos, shots of downtown Richmond, and some incredible nature photography. He’s particularly fond of the bridges that span the James.
Camera to Canvas pairs Bill’s photography with an original piece by a local artist. Dozens of painters, print-makers and more created something inspired by a certain photo. Attendees could bid on a photo, a piece of art, or a paired set. In addition, there was an auction full of gift cards and merchandise from a ton of Richmond businesses. We also arranged a host of “experience packages” for the auction. You could bid on extreme mountain bike lessons from a Richmond pro, or a kayaking tour conducted by one of the city’s best paddlers.
People came to this event for a number of reasons: They love the James River Park System. They support our local art community. They simply “shop local.”
Camera to Canvas has raised a ton of money for Friends of the James River Park, and brought a ton of exposure to our art community – not to mention introducing a number of people to a local business.
Sometimes, “Shop Local” is more than just a slogan.