By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Following a work session Monday night, the Great Bend City Council was in favor of scaling back the city’s responsibility in June Jaunt each year and rebranding the festival as the Big Bend Bash. The downtown festival is going into year 14 this year and boasts food, crafts, vendors, yard games, music and entertainment.
Great Bend Community Coordinator Christina Hayes said the city will join Great Bend Economic Development to create the new festival with many of the features spread throughout the downtown consumption district and Jack Kilby Square.
"Our city staff would still be in charge of the courthouse square, but the beer garden would go into the consumption district," said Hayes. "The vendors would go into the consumption district. We would take out the bands. They would go into the district or Economic Development has an idea of hosting a concert inside the Crest Theater. Our piece would really be the kids activities where I could still hire a juggler, magician or fire breather."
Great Bend has seen declining attendance numbers for the festival that lands on the second week in June, some of which caused by poor weather.
"The weather in 2024 about ripped my heart out for every event," joked Hayes. "That was tough for an event planner, but that doesn't mean what we were doing was bad."
For 2025, the city council budgeted $22,000 for June Jaunt and $35,000 for Party in the Park, the festival held the second Saturday of August at Veterans Memorial Park. With the rebranded Big Bend Bash, the city plans to allocate $15,000 for June Jaunt and shift the remaining $7,000 to the Party in the Park budget.
"I like the idea of merging where there is still something," said Hayes. "That weekend is still successful for Great Bend. There are pieces of it that work. I like the idea of the Big Bend Bash. It's a way for Economic Development and my roles of community coordinator and Great Bend Convention and Visitors Bureau Director to work together."
Economic Development will oversee approximately 80% of the festival and any proceeds would benefit them. The event is still planned to span over three days and include traditional elements like the parade, car show and movie night.