Dodge City Days makes top 100 on national festival list

If you're name-dropping in the tourism world, you would certainly want to include the American Bus Association, which represents over 1,000 motorcoach and tour companies in the United States and Canada, and GLAMER (Group Leaders of America), which represents 20,000 travel planners who make travel plans for 4.5 million group travelers annually.
    As it turns out, these two groups will be dropping the name Dodge City today in nationally publicity and a Web site release as they announce the 2010 Top 100 Events in North America.
    For the third time in four years, the Dodge City Days celebration has been named among the Top 100 Events.
    "They will announce the number one event, then the rest of the top one hundred are arranged by when they take place in the year," said Gina Broeckelman, director of operations for the Dodge City Area Chamber of Commerce, whose job includes the year-round planning necessary to organize the 10-day festival.

Meeting the criteria
    To appear on the list, events must be nominated, and in the case of Dodge City Days this process was completed by the Dodge City Convention and Visitors Bureau.
    "We're so grateful that they nominated us," Broeckelman said. "I think it's quite a bit of paperwork."
    A national judging committee considers four factors to select the winners:
    1. Does the event have wide appeal to motorcoach and tour groups?
    2. Is the event near other attractions to allow tour operators to create a package?
    3. Does the event have adequate motorcoach parking and group accommodations?
    4. Is the event worthy of media coverage and is it the finest that area has to offer groups?

Nearing a milestone
    "It's a particular honor for Dodge City Days to be included on this list as we get ready to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the festival in 2010," said Dan Harris, who had served as chair of the organizing committee for the past seven years.
    Planning for the 50th anniversary actually began in June before the 2009 Dodge City Days celebration.
    A new chair will take over the reins of the committee in January. John Bogner, who has served on the committee and been responsible for several events in previous years, will sit in the saddle and make sure his grip is secure.
    He'll be wrangling a celebration that began when the rodeo and a three-day celebration called the Boot Hill Fiesta merged in 1960.
    Over the years, the celebration has expanded to 10 days and numerous events have been added.
    "We plan to have the theme for next year chosen by the end of October," Broeckelman said. "And then we'll work on the design for the pins, which we have to have on hand by April 1."
    Estes Promotions helps with design of the pins and the firm that gets the bid for printing the festival guides — which has been High Plains Journal for the past 10 years — helps design the posters and other artwork for merchandise.
    Of the more than 50 events on the schedule, the chamber serves as lead organizer for 10.
    "There are literally hundreds of volunteers and we couldn't do it without them," Broeckelman said.
    "We also couldn't do it without the support of the city and especially the city crews who work so hard to get the venues and the town in general ready for the crowds," Harris added.
    The main expenses involved in creating the festival include advertising, equipment, supplies and insurance.
    "People probably don't realize that we have insurance coverage for each event," Broeckelman said.
    Funding for the event comes from sponsorships, admissions, and merchandise sales.
    "We're looking forward to working with the casino when it opens — they've been concert sponsors for the past two years," Harris said.
    "And we're hoping to move some of the events to the special events center when it's finished too," Broeckelman said.
   
A boon to the community
    Although it's difficult to arrive at an exact figure, organizers are certain that the direct economic impact of the annual event is $1 million. When that number is multiplied to account for the number of times that revenue turns over in the community, it's reasonable to say that Dodge City Days bring $5 to $7 million to the community each year.
    "That's why it's worth everyone's hard work," Broeckelman said.
    And that's why being chosen as one of the Top 100 Events in North America is such an honor.
    For more information on the Top 100 Events, visit the American Bus Association Web site at www.buses.org/top100.

Reach Don Steele at (620) 408-9910 or e-mail him at don.steele@dodgeglobe.com.