GLOVERSVILLE — Bacon Jam proved to be a successful and profitable closeout to the city’s event season, setting the stage for the Fulton County Center for Regional Growth’s upcoming Fall Gala.
Downtown Development Specialist Jennifer Jennings reported to the CRG Board of Directors that Bacon Jam, the city’s bacon and music festival, drew about 3,700 visitors downtown when it was held for the second straight year on Sept. 29.
“We had great turnout this year,” Jennings said during Friday’s board meeting. “We had really positive feedback on the event this year, which was great.”
The four hour event at the Farmers Market Pavilion featured four live musical acts, community groups, a beer garden and more than 10 food vendors with a variety of bacon creations.
Entrance to the event was free, with a $5 cover charge to enter the beer garden where state and locally produced craft beverages were available for purchase.
“We sold almost 170 bracelets, which was great,” Jennings said. “All the food trucks had long lines and people were very pleased.”
Bacon creations from vendors this year included bacon on a stick, caramel apples with bacon bits, maple bacon bars, deep fried hot dogs wrapped with bacon, bacon french fries and bacon pizza, to name a few. Jennings noted that some popular items didn’t last long after Bacon Jam opened at 4 p.m.
“The bacon on a stick guy ran out again,” Jennings said. “He doubled what he brought last year, when he sold out by 5:30. He didn’t even make it until 6 o’clock, so next year he’s got to quadruple his original amount.”
While bacon inventory grew over the previous year’s Bacon Jam, so too did attendance with a more accurate headcount that showed an increase of about 200 visitors over last year.
“This year the count is much more accurate, because I had volunteers who were able to take the count more regularly,” Jennings said. “So much more can be done when I have a full contingent of volunteers so thank you to everyone who was present.”
Jennings noted that for the first Bacon Jam in 2017 she had only one volunteer walking around with a counter, that she used to extrapolate a headcount. Attendance was tracked more regularly this year due to an increase in the number of volunteers.
In all Bacon Jam garnered a profit of about $1,200 for an event Jennings originally devised to cap off a calendar of spring and summer events intended to bring people downtown to connect area residents with the city and each other.
“Again, it was a wonderful event and we’re looking forward to it for next year,” Jennings said.
While Jennings is starting to look ahead to next year’s event calendar, CRG Executive Secretary Diane Meade is organizing the agency’s Fall Gala that will be held on Nov. 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn.
The annual event will feature live music by Upswing Duo, a performance from the Romano Acro Dance Academy, a specially prepared dinner menu, no-host bar, hors d’oeuvres, an expanded silent auction, prizes and award presentations.
The CRG’s Fall Gala seeks to celebrate the ingenuity, strength and successes displayed by Fulton County businesses throughout the year.
Meade noted Friday that 29 tickets have already been reserved and most of the arrangements for the event have been made, with radio and print advertisements due for release in the coming weeks.
“I feel like I’m pretty close to where I want to be at this point in time,” Meade said.
Meade added that with early ticket and sponsorship sales and donations of many of the silent auction items the gala is likely already profitable.
“That’s a good thing,” Meade said.
Tickets to the CRG’s Fall Gala on Nov. 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn are available for purchase now by contacting the CRG at (518) 725-7700. Tickets are $50 per person. Table rates are available upon request.
