If Hollister council members are serious about reviving the city’s signature event and a lucrative economic opportunity – the biker rally – then moving the air show to a July 4 weekend is logistically illogical and would confuse marketing efforts for both events.
Hollister council members this week received a recommendation from the airport advisory commission to move the Hollister Airshow from Memorial Day weekend – when it was held its first three years – to a weekend around July 4, more specifically July 5-7 in 2013.
Airport Director Mike Chambless, supportive of the commission recommendations, contended the Fourth of July is the best time frame due to weather issues around Memorial Day and the preference for a holiday to prevent closures of surrounding businesses. With no other holidays until Labor Day – when Watsonville holds its air show – he said it leaves July 4 as the best option.
It might be the best option for the airport commission and a niche fan base of air show enthusiasts, but it is the council’s job to make decisions that are most beneficial to the entire city, particularly regarding the economy. Â
Hollister council members and other business interests have started the process of reviving the downtown motorcycle rally – the timing is largely due to the absence of former Police Chief Jeff Miller and former Sheriff Curtis Hill, who both opposed the event, along with desperation stirred by the continually stagnant local economy.
Once the city finally re-launches a rally, in either 2013 or 2014, it would have a self-inflicted scheduling conflict for its two biggest events of the year.
If the city can barely get by running one event, how in the world do officials expect to run two of them simultaneously? You could ask a similar question about the airport commission’s other recommendation presented this week, to change the air show from two days to three days. If the city can’t make it work over two days, what makes organizers think it will work better over three?
Further, the target demographics for the two events run in stark contrast. One is family-oriented. Another is for bikers and other adults. The two don’t go together, so they would not only fail to feed off each other, but it could also likely lead to an attendance drop-off at the air show among local residents who would rather walk the downtown streets and look at bikes, and at the biker rally for local residents who would rather watch aerial acrobatics. Â
The other option is to temporarily move the air show to July 5-7 in 2013 and expect to change it again when a rally is organized. What would this accomplish other than putting it off another year – the goal of finding the ideal weekend for the air show? The numbers would be rendered meaningless. City officials would be right back where they are now – trying to make an educated guess what weekend will draw the most people. Â
With a council decision looming on the air show Aug. 20, it appears members’ views vary when it comes to the long-term scheduling of the air show weekend, but they are mostly content with a July 5-7 time frame for 2013.
It is disappointing they are once again leaning toward a passive role instead of giving bold direction, while sending a message of uncertainty instead of leading and mapping out a long-term vision.
