By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
When last year’s attendance numbers were down for Great Bend’s June Jaunt festival, the rain and storms had an impact on the outdoor event at Jack Kilby Square. When numbers were again down this year with good weather forecasts, city officials began reconsidering the efforts to host the festival.
For 13 years, June Jaunt has provided downtown Great Bend with live music, games, food vendors and entertainment on the firs weekend in June. Community Coordinator Christina Hayes talked with a member of the fire-breathing performers after the shows about the declining attendance.
"The performer said his crews noticed that our decline was significant," said Hayes. "He said it's not just us. Across the nation, festivals right now are dying. People are starting to merge them with other festivals or trying new things. I'm not sure what to do about that, and I don't feel like I should solely be the one that makes that decision."
June Jaunt started as a tourism plan for citizens to stop at several towns along K-96 Highway. The number of cities still participating this year were down to three, Great Bend, Scott City and Tribune.
Hayes said other nearby communities have success with their festivals by combining them with the known weekend for high school class reunions, something Great Bend has not been able to organize.
"What's different about Great Bend is we have not got our school reunions behind our festivals," said Hayes. "I have tried. With the Convention and Visitors Bureau, I have offered tents and offered to pay for a portion of their meal for their class."
Hayes also added staying within budget to execute the festivals is a challenge with rising costs. Smaller aspects of June Jaunt could possibly be added to other events, like Party in the Park which is held in August.
The Great Bend Convention and Visitors Bureau Board was in favor of no longer hosting June Jaunt, gauge the public’s reaction and potentially bolstering Party in the Park. Hayes will approach the Great Bend City Council in the future about discontinuing June Jaunt.