Band festival costs $250,000

By HERB BROCK
Staff Writer

The first Great American Brass Band Festival in 1990 cost between $65,000 and $70,000 to put on. The 13th edition of GABBF this year has a budget of about $250,000, about $10,000 more than last year.
The more than three-fold growth in the cost of the festival since its debut more than a dozen years ago reflects the continuing development of the GABBF from a regional event in 1990 to a national event to a music extravaganza that now is known around the globe among brass band afficionados.
During the last 13 years, the number of bands has increased considerably, and where they come from, including more states and some foreign counties, has become more varied and diverse. Thus, the costs involved in compensating, housing, feeding and transporting the hundreds of band members have increased. So have the expenses involved in covering some contracts for outside companies that help with the festival, such as the one for the firm that sets up the stage and sound system at the main stage at Centre College.
As an example of the expenses, last year more than $63,000 was spent on the bands, the largest single cost for the festival. The second highest expense was the nearly $53,000 spent on merchandising costs for the T-shirts and CDs.
Expenses might be another $100,000 higher if hundreds of volunteers didn't donate thousands of hours of unpaid time and Centre didn't provide its facilities and grounds crew free of charge, said George Foreman, founder and organizer of the festival. Also, most of the bands trim large amounts from their regular fees to come to the festival because they think it is a unique event that provides a charming showcase for their talents.
"The community has been very generous to us over the years, but because we've grown so rapidly in many aspects, especially in the number of bands we're now bringing in, we are hard-pressed to keep pace with the growing costs," said Foremanl.
In fact, the festival experienced a "slight deficit" last year, Foreman said.
The festival committee has discussed the possibility of selling tickets to spectators as a way to increase revenue, but because of strong opposition from the community and from some on the committee, the idea was scrapped, at least for the time being.
That means the festival must continue to rely on the same sources of revenue, including large donations from community businesses and organizations, contributions from local government, income from the sale of festival T-shirts, caps and compact discs, and from the money received when the hat is passed among spectators.
Revenue last year included $65,000 from the sale of festival merchandise, $21,000 from fees for the tables used during the Saturday evening picnic, and $4,300 received during the pass-the-hat collection.
"I urge folks to buy as many CDs and T-shirts and other concessions as they can," said Foreman. "Every dollar helps, and we need all the help we can get. We really are living on the edge. There is very little margin for error, financially.
"We need everybody's support, from sponsors to spectators," he said.
The festival has had some good news budget-wise. Some sponsors have increased donations, and city and county government have upped their contributions. Danville City Commission has increased its annual contribution from $20,000 to $25,000, and Boyle County Fiscal Court has chipped in $10,000 -- $2,500 more than last year's amount.

Major contributors
Centre College
City of Danville
Danville-Boyle County Chamber of Commerce
Boyle County Fiscal Court
Bob Allen Motor Mall
Dana Corp.
Ephraim McDowell Health
U.S. Bank of Danville
Host Communications
Matsushita Home Appliance Corp. of America
Panasonic
Red Wing Shoe Co. Inc.
Danville-Boyle County Convention and Visitors Bureau
The Advocate-Messenger

Band sponsors
Farmers National Bank of Danville
National City

Sponsors
The Allen Co. Inc.
Allison Acoustics
Aramark
Arby's Restaurant and Popeye's Restaurant
Bank One
William Burleigh
American Greetings Corp.
Caldwell Stone Co.
Caterpillar Track Components
Central Kentucky Federal Savings Bank, Danville/ Lancaster
Country Hearth Inn
Bill and Marie Cull
Cunningham Golf Car Co. Inc.
Danville Office Equipment
Denyo Manufacturing Corp.
R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co.
Farmers National Bank, Lebanon
Fort Knox Federal Credit Union
The Family of H. Tinley Gibson
J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons Inc.
Hobart Corp, Danville
Johnson-Pohlmann Insurance
Morton and Ann Kasdan
Kentucky Utilities Co.
Kerbaugh & Rodes
The Kroger Co.
M&M Electric Inc.
The Martin Agency Inc.
George M. McClure III, Boyle County attorney
Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co.
Perkins Security Systems
Eugene and Margery Pflughaupt
Anonymous
Sellers Engineering Co.
State Bank and Trust Co.,Harrodsburg
Stuart Powell Ford-Mazda
Trim Masters Inc.
Waste Management's Stevens Dispos-All Service

Poster design and printing
Host Communications, Lexington