Waterford Harvest Festival - Big street Party

x3wiggles

The WCC was given a substantial amount of funding to advertise all of this etc but most of the funding given was to just pay off people's wages.

For Terra Madre Ireland '08 (it's coming back again next year) most of the work done by festival staff was done on volunteer basis. So this year's Harvest Festival was the highest paid food festival Waterford has ever had.

Psychedelic

x3wiggles wrote: »

The WCC was given a substantial amount of funding to advertise all of this etc but most of the funding given was to just pay off people's wages.

For Terra Madre Ireland '08 (it's coming back again next year) most of the work done by festival staff was done on volunteer basis. So this year's Harvest Festival was the highest paid food festival Waterford has ever had.

I don't know what the point of your post is? You sound bitter about something. What difference is it to you how the funding was spent?

There was a huge amount of advertising in local newspapers, Irish Examiner and local/regional radio stations so I would say there was a lot spent on advertising. There was also a lovely new website made to promote the festival, brochures were designed and printed and a new festival logo designed etc.

As far as I know there were only a couple of City Council employees working on the festival, plus maybe some interns/volunteers probably on little if any pay, and the non-paid volunteers who helped out at the events.

Terra Madre in '08 was just a conference in WIT and a few minor events - it wasn't a festival. 2009 was the first Harvest Festival and was only a few days long, whereas this year it was spread over 10 days and a much bigger programme of events (e.g. the gig on the Quay). Therefore a lot more organisation was needed with higher costs than in '08 and '09.

x3wiggles

Psychedelic wrote: »

I don't know what the point of your post is? You sound bitter about something. What difference is it to you how the funding was spent?

I have worked at every food festival since Terra Madre including Terra Madre. It was a food festival but seeing as it got very little funding from WCC, there wasn't much advertising. The organisers this year wanted the "harvest" festival to be about the same thing. They wanted Slow Food Ireland to get involved. But it was a bit of an insult to them.
It was over advertised and over exploited. It's not what food festivals are about. It's a shame really.

fbrophy

x3wiggles wrote: »

I have worked at every food festival since Terra Madre including Terra Madre. It was a food festival but seeing as it got very little funding from WCC, there wasn't much advertising. The organisers this year wanted the "harvest" festival to be about the same thing. They wanted Slow Food Ireland to get involved. But it was a bit of an insult to them.
It was over advertised and over exploited. It's not what food festivals are about. It's a shame really.

I am curious, to you what is a Food Festival?

As for Slow Food Ireland, they were involved from the start, organised many events and were very happy with the way it went. As far as I could see, and I was highly involved with the festival this year by what ever measure you care to use it was a tremendous success.

Well done to all involved!

x3wiggles

Now, how could I argue with a member of the WCC. Hahah.
Yeah. Well done to WCC and all involved. Great success

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x3wiggles wrote: »

Now, how could I argue with a member of the WCC. Hahah.
Yeah. Well done to WCC and all involved. Great success

I see what you did there, the italics mean your sarcastic right? :rolleyes: