The Citizen, 2008-11-27, Page 1It was a good news meeting as
representatives of Blyth Festival
attended the Nov. 17 meeting of
North Huron council.
The township and the theatre
embarked on a marketing strategy last
year, that for all intents and purposes
all would agree had done its job.
Deb Sholdice, general manager of
Blyth Festival said the 2008 season
was “a huge success. We couldn’t be
more pleased. We have posted a
substantial surplus, large enough I
think to wipe out our accumulated
deficit.”
Sholdice said the expanded
marketing venture between North
Huron and the Festival brought in a
number of people for the first time.
She concluded her portion of the
presentation by stating that they are
looking at ways to increase outside
rentals for Memorial Hall.
Marketing and development
director Karen Stewart outlined the
marketing plan and the effect. The
average paid attendance was 71 per
cent, or 25,984 seats sold over 89
performances, with the overall
average being 77 per cent. The budget
was exceeded by 44 per cent paid
seats and $176,280.
“Based on Huron County’s formula
of $7 for each $1 spent at the box
office, the direct economic impact to
the region is $4.36 million,” said
Stewart.
Last year’s figure was just over $3
million.
But perhaps the real news was in
new buyers. In 2008, 2,753 buyers
were new. “Of these 25 per cent were
on the mailing list; 75 per cent were
brand new,” said Stewart.
These buyers, she added, purchased
37 per cent of the tickets sold in the
season.
She offered figures from specific
markets showing increases.
Guelph/Kitchener-Waterloo saw a 67
per cent increase; Stratford, 60 per
cent; London, 61 per cent and
Toronto/Niagara, 50 per cent.
“These four centres represent 33.5
per cent of our ticket buyers, with the
average number of tickets purchased
per person being 4.39. This is pretty
significant,” said Stewart.
She also outlined the response to
the marketing initiatives, adding
however that this can be skewed
somewhat. “People may hear the
radio ad over and over, but then they
get the brochure so when asked say it
was the brochure that they responded
to.”
The plans for 2009, with $20,000
support from North Huron will
include brochure distribution,
billboard campaigns, direct mail, on-
line links and leveraging radio ads
year round.
Councillor Greg McClinchey
congratulated the women on a very
good season, adding that he was
pleased to see the numbers.
Clerk-administrator Kriss Snell
said the Festival staff had been great
to work with in this co-operative
venture and expressed his hope that
the relationship would continue.
Reeve Neil Vincent said, “You have
to make some investment to get the
word out. I think we are putting our
best food forward.”
A slippery slope
It never takes long after the first accumulation of snow for sledding and boarding enthusiasts
to hit the Lions Park hill in Brussels. This past weekend Jaime Newell, six, and Owen Newell,
three were among those out for some winter fun. (Vicky Bremner photo)
Blyth Festival delivers
good news to council
Five stations have been set up to
assist in this year’s Huron County
Christmas Bureau, as it is expected
that the need will increase.
St. Paul’s Anglican Church in
Wingham, St. George’s Anglican
Church in Goderich, St. Paul’s
Anglican Church in Clinton,
Northside United Church in Seaforth
and Exeter Christian Reformed
Church in Exeter will be the host
churches this year.
Each location has a bureau
manager who should be contacted for
more information about possibly
donating or about the program in
general.
Wingham’s manager is Brenda
Keating who can be contacted at 519-
357-3348; Goderich’s manager is
Carolyn Dent who can be contacted
at 519-524-1856; Clinton’s manager
is Marlene Van Riesen who can be
contacted at 519-482-7632;
Seaforth’s manager is Sharon Wilbee
who can be contacted at 519-527-
0929 and Exeter’s managers are
Sylvia and Sadie Post who can be
contacted at 519-234-6340.
Volunteers have been working
since July, organizing to ensure a
brighter Christmas for over 1,000
needy children throughout Huron
County.
Gifts of new toys and clothes will
be accepted at the host churches
between Dec. 8 and Dec. 12. The
Christmas Bureau is funded entirely
from donations which went to help
973 children last year.
The confidential distribution of
gifts will take place between Dec. 15
and Dec. 19.
All donations are dedicated to the
Children’s Benefit Fund, which
established several years ago that all
donations must provide a direct
benefit to children.
Each bureau has shoppers who are
responsible for ensuring there is a
selection of new clothing available
and in the right sizes.
More information on the program
is available at the Huron-Perth
Children’s Aid Society in Goderich at
519-524-7356 or 1-800-265-5198.
The Brussels Santa Claus Parade
is ready to hit the street on Saturday
and last-minute measures are being
taken to ensure it goes off without a
hitch.
As usual, the parade will not
require registration for a float, so
organizers should be just as
surprised as the people coming to
watch to know who will be coming
around the corner next.
The parade will run north starting
at 5 p.m. It will move south through
downtown before crossing back
from the Brussels, Morris and Grey
Community Centre. down Sports
Drive to Turnberry Street, then back
to the Community Centre.
Immediately after the parade, as is
the tradition, Santa and Mrs. Claus
will have a seat at the arena for some
pictures. Clowns will be there to do
some face-painting and there will be
free skating and hot dogs and pop
for $1 each. There will also be a
turkey draw held in the arena.
Tickets for the draw will be $2 each
or three for $5.
Also be sure to bring canned foods
or non-perishable food items as
members of the Grey 4-H Club will
be collecting for the Seaforth and
Area Food Bank along the parade
route.
For more information on the
parade, contact Sherrie Oliver at the
municipality of Huron East at 519-
527-0160 or Hank TenPas at 519-
887-9309.
Santa’s in town Saturday
for annual Brussels parade
CitizenTh
e
$1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008
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