Charlotte Harbor Nature Festival, November 22, 2008
Information for Sponsors, Exhibitors and Vendors
Thank you for registering as an exhibitor and/or sponsor of the Ninth Annual Charlotte Harbor Nature Festival, a free family-friendly event to celebrate the splendor of the natural environment of southwest Florida. The festival will be held Saturday, November 22, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Charlotte County Sports Complex (2300 El Jobean Rd./S.R. 776) in Port Charlotte.
Festival visitors can learn about topics affecting the natural environment of Southwest Florida at this regional celebration. This is accomplished through a wide variety of activities for both adults and children including:
· interpretive guided walks and wagon rides (rides are dependent on trail conditions),
· music, books and artwork by local artists
· talks by guest speakers on native animals,
· hands-on activities and informational exhibitors displays,
· the Children’s Discovery Zone, an area devoted to children
· fossil dig in the Children’s Discovery Zone
· Mote Marine Laboratory’s mobile exhibit with touch tank
· and new last year
· a tote bag will be given away (Distribution is not yet determined.)
· children 4 to 14 may receive free fishing equipment. These are given away while supplies last to children that participate in a short educational program offered by Sea Grant and must be able to cast a fishing pole.
The Festival is about the natural environment of southwest Florida and is organized by a committee of volunteers who represent a diverse group of organizations and who are dedicated to making each festival exciting and informative. The Festival has had as many as 60 exhibitors and more than 4,000 people attending! From one review of the cars we know visitors included people from 13 counties in Florida, 17 states and Canada. (More festival history is posted on the website at www.CHNEP.org.)
We can accept sponsors and exhibitors until October 30 so if there are others you think should be participating in this regional festival focused on southwest Florida’s natural environment, please encourage their participation. Details are posted on the website at www.chnep.org. Thank you.
EXHIBITOR LOCATION: Not yet available.
SET-UP: Festival hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 22, 2008. We require that your booth be set-up no later than 9:30 and remain until 3:00. Items such as tents and tables will be set-up on Friday, November 21. You may begin setting up Saturday morning after 7:30 a.m. This year the festival will again be held in the stadium field in several large tents. We ask that you drive your vehicle to the festival “entrance” where volunteers will help you identify your exhibit location. We will require that you unload your car and promptly move your car from the exhibit area to the exhibitors parking lot. We hope to have volunteers on hand to help you and to ensure that a “hold harmless” form has been signed. You may adjust your placement if your area coordinator and those around you are agreeable! Do not unload your vehicle until you are sure you are in the right location.
Each exhibitor will be provided one 6’ or 8’ table. The coordinator of the Children’s Discovery Zone will determine the number of tables needed in that area. We ask each exhibitor to bring their own chairs and covering for their table(s) to minimize the need for plastic coverings. Exhibitors may bring their own stand-alone tent.
PROMOTION: Please do all you can to get the word out about the festival. Sample releases, poster and other materials are posted on the web site at www.CHNEP.org. As details are confirmed, they too will be posted on this website.
SPONSORS AND RAFFLE: The festival is supported through the generosity of sponsors and from the sale of raffle tickets. We ask that each exhibitor donate an item(s) for the raffle. Please contact kaley.miller@mosaicco.com with the item you donate. Please drop off the raffle item at the entrance tent the morning of the festival.
PLANNING COMMITTEE: If you have any questions, please contact Maran Hilgendorf who’ll forward your inquiry to a committee member.
The 2007 festival committee includes:
Raffle: Kaley Miller and Jean Srodes
Volunteer: Gail Giles
Site host: Kathleen Rohrer
Children’s Discovery Zone (CDZ): Inga Williams
Florida Yards: Bobbi Rodgers
Talks: Maran
Music: Alice White
Arts of Nature: Annette Nielsen
Walks and Rides: Tina
Promotion: Rebecca Allen, Maran, ALL
Sponsors: Maran Hilgendorf
Food: Toni Yard
DIRECTIONS: From I-75 Southbound, take Exit 179 / Toledo Blade, travel approximately 6 miles south to SR 776, turn west/right and travel approximately 1.5 miles to Charlotte Sports Park on the left. From I-75 Northbound, take Exit 170 / Kings Hwy, turn left off the ramp, then turn right on Veterans Hwy at the first light, travel approximately seven miles to the stadium. (You’ll cross US 41 after traveling approximately 5 miles on Veterans Hwy.)
INCLEMENT WEATHER: There is no rain date for the festival so it’ll be held unless the weather is extremely bad. The website will not be updated due to the weather but, the morning of the festival, you can call toll-free 866/835-5785 x 240 where a message will be left if the weather is inclement.
See you November 3! Again, thank you!
Maran Brainard Hilgendorf, Communications Manager
mhilgendorf@swfrpc.org, Phone extension 240
Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program
1926 Victoria Ave, Fort Myers FL 33901
239/338-2556, Toll Free 866/835-5785, Fax 239/338-2560
Working together to protect the natural environment from Venice to Bonita Springs to Winter Haven
| Talks, Music, Walks/Rides, Sponsors, Exhibitors Talks: Guest speakers will cover water issues and native animals.
Music: Musicians will perform throughout the day, including Rosie Emery, performing her original high-energy songs about the environment written specifically for children.
Sponsors, A very special thanks to all of the generous sponsors (as of October 12):
Eagle ($2,500+): Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program
Florida Panther ($1,000+): Aquatic Release Foundation ❇ Banks Engineering ❇ Charlotte Sun ❇ College of Life Foundation ❇ Mosaic Fertilizer ❇ Southwest Florida Water Management District ❇ WGCU Public Media
Scrub Jay ($750): Peninsula Property of Cape Haze
Osprey ($500): Barraco and Associates, Inc. ❇ DeLisi Fitzgerald, Inc. ❇ Kitson & Partners ❇ Mote Marine Laboratory ❇ South Florida Water Management District ❇ Stormwater Academy ❇ Waste Management ❇ WilsonMiller, Inc.
Sea Turtle ($250): Charlotte County Environmental & Extension Services ❇ Earth Balance ❇ Land Solutions ❇ Lemon Bay Conservancy ❇ McKinley, Ittersagen, Gunderson & Berntsson, PA ❇ Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority ❇ Tents & Events
Dolphin ($100): Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium ❇ Charlotte County Community Development Department ❇ Charlotte County Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources ❇ Charlotte County Visitor’s Bureau ❇ D.B. Sound System ❇ Five Star General Contracting ❇ Florida chapter of the American Planning Association (FAPA) ❇ Friends of the Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves, Inc. ❇ Michael P. Haymans ❇ Moore and Waksler, P.L. ❇ Peace River Audubon Society ❇ Turtle Talks ❇ Wal-Mart Murdock Circle
EXHIBITORS AS OF October 19, 2007 NOTE: The festival is about the natural environment of southwest Florida and we require that all exhibitors provide information or art on this topic.
CDZ = exhibitor in Children’s Discovery Zone, coordinated by Inga Williams FF = exhibitor in Florida-Friendly Area, coordinated by Bobbi Rodgers Arts = exhibitor in Arts of Nature Area, coordinated by Annette Nielsen
Exhibitors (as of October 19) The festival includes "zones" including the Children's Discovery Zone (CDZ), Florida Yards (FY) and Arts of Nature. All other exhibitors will be located in the exhibitors tent unless they are a stand-alone unit.
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