Sponsor Packet

riverfestarkansas.com
ST I L L
ROCKIN’
AFTER
39
Y EA RS
Riverfest is the
largest single event
in the state of
Arkansas, with an
amazing 39-year
history. And it gets
better every year!
2016
RIVERFEST: Where the fun runs deep.
This festival celebrates visual and
performing arts, featuring an impressive
variety of music, dancing, crafts and more.
Riverfest is a tradition
in Arkansas, when
festivalgoers flock
to the banks of the
Arkansas River for
three days of fun.
Nearly a QUARTER OF A MILLION people attend
Riverfest every year - that’s around
10
% OF THE STATE’S
POPULATION!
And we aren’t the only ones who love Riverfest.
It’s been nationally recognized in Kiplinger and
as one of the best festivals in the country by
the International Festival & Events Association
(IFEA), winning numerous awards in their
prestigious Pinnacle Awards competition.
The American Bus Association has also selected
Riverfest as one of the Top 100 Events in North
America year after year. Other accolades include:
Riverfest is a fantastic family
entertainment value, with
outstanding music performers,
visual artists, food vendors,
children’s activities and our
spectacular fireworks show.
Riverfest is a private, nonprofit corporation whose
mission is to benefit the community. In fact,
RIVERFEST HAS INVESTED MORE THAN
$1,000,000
IN DOWNTOWN LITTLE ROCK AND
NORTH LITTLE ROCK,
including the First Security Amphitheater/Riverfest
Stage and Riverfest Pavilion in Little Rock, and improvements
to the North Shore Riverwalk in North Little Rock.
SOME OF THE BEST-KNOWN NAMES IN MUSIC
TODAY HAVE ROCKED A STAGE AT RIVERFEST!
Al Green
B-52’s
B.B King
Blake Shelton
Boyz II Men
Brad Paisley
Buddy Guy
Bush
Carrie Underwood
Chaka Khan
Cheap Trick
Darius Rucker
Daughtry
Dwight Yoakam
Earth Wind & Fire
George Clinton
& The P-Funk All-Stars
Gov’t Mule
Hank Williams, Jr.
Heart
Huey Lewis & The News
James Brown
Little Big Town
Live
LL Cool J
Ludacris
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Miranda Lambert
Nelly
Neon Trees
Pat Benatar
Poison
Run DMC
Sam Hunt
Sheryl Crow
Snoop Dogg
Staind
Steve Miller Band
The Black Crowes
The Doobie Brothers
The Wallflowers
Train
Widespread Panic
Willie Nelson
ZZ Top
MUCH MORE!
NO OTHER SPONSORSHIP
IN ARKANSAS SHOWCASES YOUR
COMPANY TO MORE CONSUMERS.
Riverfest is hands-down
the best sponsorship
opportunity available in
the state!
SMART MARKETING: Making the biggest splash.
According to the International Events Group –
the leading authority on sponsorships
78%
of
FESTIVALGOERS
SAY THAT FESTIVAL SPONSORSHIP
AFFECTS THEIR PURCHASING DECISIONS.
Partners benefit from the Riverfest advertising, public
relations and marketing campaign, which includes
extensive news coverage on television, radio, print
and online media outlets throughout the state, along
with newspaper ads, special inserts, online and mobile
advertising, on-site signage, merchandising, brochures,
posters and prominent visibility on Riverfest’s website
(riverfestarkansas.com) and various social media
portals. Riverfest exposure includes:
Over 57,000
Facebook fans
More than 9,000
Twitter followers
Over 1,000
Instagram followers
210,000+ unique visitors
Partnering with Riverfest will boost your
company’s image. You’ll be supporting the
state’s largest tourist attraction and making a
VISIBLE IMPACT in the local community.
to the Riverfest website during the
promotional period, yielding more than
807,000 page views
Over 200,000 festivalgoers
NATIONWIDE
ATTENDANCE
tickets sold in 35 states each
year for the last 6 years
Riverfest gives sponsors the opportunity
to reward customers and employees with
special access and privileges during the
festival, including entrance to our VIP
areas, sponsor parties, reserved seating
at performances and more. Fancy!
ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT OF
$33,000,000
4 PAID EMPLOYEES
30-MEMBER BOARD
250-PERSON
SMART MARKETING:
PLANNING COMMITTEE
3,000 VOLUNTEERS
Making the biggest splash.
ECONOMIC IMPACT: How corndogs benefit the community.
According to the IFEA, Riverfest has an estimated economic impact of $33 million – and that’s with just four
paid employees! Riverfest relies on volunteers to cover the rest, including a 30-member Board, a 250-person
planning committee and an amazing group of 3,000 who labor tirelessly during the three-day weekend.
All of this volunteer effort allows remaining festival funds to be pumped back into the riverfront area.
$50,000 to construct the East
Fountain in Riverfront Park
1983
$200,000 pledged toward construction of the
Riverfront Amphitheatre (now First Security
Amphitheater/Riverfest Stage)
1986
Third $50,000 payment toward Amphitheatre pledge
1990
$50,000 payment to pay for fencing
around Amphitheatre
$25,000 payment toward Pavilion
Final $50,000 payment toward Pavilion
$3,500 to replace vinyl curtains in
East Pavilion at River Market
1994
1998
2000
2003
$30,000 to the City of North Little Rock for
park improvements; $20,000 to the City of
Little Rock for playground renovations in
Riverfront Park; $15,000 to the City of Little
Rock for renovations and improvements to
the History Pavilion in Riverfront Park
2005
$100,000 is pledged towards the La Petite
Roche project in Riverfront Park
2008
$150,000 is pledged to the City of Little Rock for
construction of a new roof for the Amphitheatre
2012
MORE THAN
$1,000,000
IN DOWNTOWN LITTLE ROCK
AND NORTH LITTLE ROCK
1986
$1,000 toward construction of the
Belvedere in Riverfront Park
1987
Second $50,000 payment toward
Amphitheatre pledge
1991
Final $50,000 payment toward Amphitheatre pledge
1996
$175,000 pledged for East Pavilion at the River
Market; first $50,000 payment made
1999
$50,000 payment toward Pavilion
2002
$25,000 to the Junior League of Little Rock to
complete remodeling of the Woman’s City Club
2004
$50,000 to enhance and renovate the Amphitheatre
2006
Funds from the $50,000 pledged for improvements to
the Amphitheatre used to construct a new floor on the
Amphitheatre stage
2010
$6,000 to add wrought-iron fencing around
the Amphitheatre stage and replace tarp
under Amphitheatre roof
A PORTION OF EVERY TICKET SOLD
GOES BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY
These financial contributions are in addition to rental
payments made to the cities for use of Julius Breckling
Riverfront Park and the North Shore Riverwalk.
FESTIVAL VISITORS: Anatomy of a festivalgoer.
In 2005, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock conducted a survey of festival visitors.
Here’s just some of what they found:
75%
reported education
beyond high school
70%
had attended
Riverfest previously
46%
54%
MALE
FEMALE
90%
were Arkansas
residents
60%
were between the
ages of 18 and 44
87%
48%
rated Riverfest as
“excellent” or “good”
had household incomes
above $50,000
PARTNER OPPORTUNITIES:
Jumping on the bandwagon.
PAST PERFORMERS:
The ones who rocked the river.
There are as many ways to become a Riverfest
sponsor as there are to have fun at Riverfest!
From sponsoring an entrance gate, performance
stage or special attraction to becoming
an official product or provider, the options
are limitless.
Media exposure, site signage, sponsor
privileges and other benefits vary with each
sponsorship opportunity, so ask how you can
make the most of Riverfest’s phenomenal media
promotion. Call the Riverfest office at
(501) 255-3378 for a complete sponsor
presentation, or visit riverfestarkansas.com.
CUSTOM OPPORTUNITIES
Every sponsor’s marketing and public relations
needs are different. That’s why we listen to your
goals and objectives to customize a sponsorship
package that meets your individual needs.
IN-KIND SPONSORS
Many opportunities are available that allow
your company to receive the same benefits as
a financial sponsor in exchange for a product
or service.
COMPANY VOLUNTEERS
Boost your company morale and help Riverfest
by volunteering as a group to sell beverages
or RiverMoney. All volunteers receive free
admission and a free t-shirt. Companies may
print their logo or name on the back of their free
t-shirts, and companies that staff a tent for a
day may hang a company banner in that tent.
311
Al Green
Ana Sia
Arrested Development
B-52’s
B.B. King
B.o.B.
Barenaked Ladies
Bell Biv DeVoe
Better Than Ezra
Big K.R.I.T.
Black Stone Cherry
Blake Shelton
Blue October
Blues Traveler
Bobby Brown
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
Boyz II Men
Brad Paisley
Buddy Guy
Bush
Carrie Underwood
Chaka Khan
Charlie Daniels Band
Cheap Trick
Chevelle
Chicago
Cody Belew
Collective Soul
Cross Canadian Ragweed
Darius Rucker
Daughtry
David Nail
Diamond Rio
Dierks Bentley
Digital Underground
Don McLean
Drive-By Truckers
Dwight Yoakam
Earth Wind & Fire
Easton Corbin
Everclear
Florida Georgia Line
FreeSol
Galactic
Gary Allan
Gavin Rossdale
George Clinton
& the P-Funk All-Stars
Girl Talk
Gov’t Mule
Gym Class Heroes
Halestorm
Hank Williams, Jr.
Heart
Hinder
Hootie & the Blowfish
Huey Lewis & the News
James Brown
Jake Owen
Jamey Johnson
Jana Kramer
Jason Aldean
Joe Nichols
Joe Walsh
Johnny Gill
Keb’ Mo’
Kelly Rowland
Kip Moore
Lee Brice
Lifehouse
Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials
Little Big Town
Little River Band
Live
LL Cool J
Los Lobos
Loverboy
Lucero
Ludacris
Lupe Fiasco
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Macy Gray
Mark Wills
Mike Posner
Miranda Lambert
Morris Day and the Time
MUTEMATH
Nappy Roots
Nelly
Neon Trees
Nickel Creek
Papa Roach
Pat Benatar
Pat Green
Peter Frampton
Poison
Ralph Tresvant
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
REO Speedwagon
Richie Spice
Rick James
Robert Earl Keen
Robert Randolph
& the Family Band
Rodney Atkins
Ruben Studdard
Run DMC
Salt-N-Pepa
Sam Hunt
Sheryl Crow
Sister Hazel
Snoop Dogg
Staind
Steve Miller Band
Styx
Sugar Ray
Switchfoot
The Black Crowes
The Doobie Brothers
The Fray
The Pretty Reckless
The Wallflowers
Third Eye Blind
Three Days Grace
Tone Loc
Train
Trapt
Trick Pony
Trout Fishing in America
Uncle Kracker
Widespread Panic
Will Hoge
Willie Nelson
ZZ Top
New this year:Springfest!
Grab the kids and come out to play! Springfest is a special day packed
with food, family, fun and sun on the banks of the Arkansas River.
You’ll find everything from acrobats and art projects to food trucks
and flying dogs. It’s your family’s new favorite event! Don’t miss
Springfest, a free family festival, brought to you by Riverfest.
Activities for the young (and young at heart!) include:
Food Trucks • Arts & Crafts • Springfest 5k Fun Run
Various community performances
OUR MISSION:
Why we do all that we do.
The mission of Riverfest, Inc., is to produce a quality recreational,
cultural, educational, family-oriented celebration of the visual and
performing arts for the benefit of and in partnership with the community.
We invite you to share our mission and become a part of the state’s most well-known and
best-attended event. As a sponsor, you can be associated with what has become a positive,
family event for people in Arkansas and beyond.