After discussions over possibly moving the Hollister Airshow to a weekend near July 4, council members Monday decided in a 4-1 vote to keep the event running over Memorial Day weekend.
Council members Ray Friend, Victor Gomez, Robert Scattini and Pauline Valdivia on Monday supported the Memorial Day time frame for the fourth Hollister Airshow next year. Councilman Doug Emerson indicated support for the July 4 time frame and voted against the motion for Memorial Day.
Airport Director Mike Chambless, who oversees the Hollister Airshow and represented the airport advisory commission’s position, made the recommendation in early August to change the air show to July 5 to July 7. The intention was to find a more attendance-friendly schedule and expand the number of days for the previously two-day event. It lost about $18,000 in 2012 and is financed through the airport fund.
Scattini, however, initially expressed concern about creating a scheduling conflict with the air show and a future Hollister Motorcycle Rally, which traditionally has taken place near the Fourth of July.
Hollister council members canceled the sanctioned bike rally after the 2008 event that resulted in a loss of about $200,000 for the city – largely caused by a failed attempt to sell T-shirts and security costs of about $360,000.
Friend, Gomez and Valdivia previously said they were open to the July 4 time frame, but ultimately supported Memorial Day for the air show.
“If we have any chance of getting that rally back up to speed,” Friend said, “I just don’t think we have the services and volunteers to do both of those situations like that.”
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