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By Tiffany Dinsmore, Manager and Magic Maker Community Impact - TEF Gives A+ Effort! My Big Day has had the opportunity to creatively connect with the Thompson Education Foundation for the past couple of years. We have worked to build engaging events and fundraisers, and we also create, curate, and maintain their social media marketing. Thompson Education Foundation works closely with the Thompson School District and community partners to help improve students’ lives as well as recognize the importance of the treasured schools’ staff, teachers and principals. “Thompson Education Foundation (TEF) enhances educational opportunities for students and educators in Thompson School District (TSD). TEF removes barriers and supports experiences that students need to more deeply engage in their academic environment.” - TEF’s Website  How does Thompson Education Foundation Impact their community? ● 1 in 9 students receive a supply-filled backpack each year with the Help Kids Succeed school supply program ● More than 700 unhoused TSD students receive additional resources to overcome barriers to classroom attendance and success Over $1.75 million dollars awarded in postsecondary student scholarships since 2015 Music and arts programs at schools are enhanced with support for visual art consumable supplies and musical instrument repair ● Educator excellence is celebrated with the annual Educator of the Year awards and educator recognition events Three teacher grant programs to create new classroom experiences for students ● Two field trip opportunities for all 2nd and 4th grade students to explore local learning areas ● Individual student experiences made possible by the Scheer Student Opportunity Fund 15,000+ TSD students engaged by TEF's programs, grants and scholarships each school year  As a team, MBD and TEF help impact so many people in such positive ways! Follow TEF on Facebook to keep up with their efforts to help the community and for some amazing event opportunities! Want to Donate? Click this link to be a part of something spectacular! https://www.thompsontef.org/donate  Getting young children out of the house boosts mental and physical development, encourages social skills, provides a distraction from daily stress and challenges, and is part of a healthy lifestyle. We put this together for our clients, The Family Center/La Familia - a list of free and low cost family events in northern Colorado – and at popular Denver attractions – so you can keep your young ones engaged and thriving this spring! February and Forward  Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms SCFD Free Days Cost: FREE 8500 Deer Creek Canyon Rd., Littleton (720) 865-4346, info@botanicgardens.org Dates: February 17, March 16, April 21, June 7 Advance online registration is required. Tickets are released on the 15th of the current month for the following month. Free days include regular garden access (no ticketed special events).  Denver Botanic Gardens at York Street SCFD Free Days Cost: FREE 1007 York St., Denver (720) 865-3500, info@botanicgardens.org Dates: February 17, March 16, April 21, June 7 Advance online registration is required. Tickets are released on the 15th of the current month for the following month. Free days include regular garden access (no ticketed special events).  Denver Museum of Nature and Science SCFD Free Days Cost: FREE 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver (303) 370-6000, guestservices@dmns.org Dates: February 27 (Black Science Day), May 1 (Día del Niño), May 23 Museum capacity is currently limited during the pandemic. The museum encourages guests to check the ticketing page daily leading up to free days for the latest information and availability.  Baby & Toddler Storytime at Loveland Public Library Cost: FREE Dates: Every Wednesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. and every Tuesday at 11 a.m. in February 300 N Adams Ave, Loveland (970) 962-2587, LibraryChildrensDivision@cityofloveland.org Encourage early literacy skills with books, rhymes, music and fun! Suggested for children ages 0-3 and their caregivers. Space will be very limited, so please arrive early. Masks will be required for everyone ages 3 and up per the current Larimer County mandate. Preschool Storytime at Loveland Public Library Cost: FREE Dates: Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. throughout February 300 N Adams Ave, Loveland (970) 962-2587, LibraryChildrensDivision@cityofloveland.org Enjoy books, songs and activities while building early literacy skills. Suggested for children ages 3-5 and their caregivers. Space will be very limited, so please arrive early. Masks will be required for everyone ages 3 and up per the current Larimer County mandate. Bilingual Storytime - Hora de los Cuentos Bilingües at Loveland Public Library Cost: FREE Dates: Every Thursday in February at 11 a.m. 300 N Adams Ave, Loveland (970) 962-2587, LibraryChildrensDivision@cityofloveland.org Join Miss Claudeth for stories, music, fingerplays, and fun in English and Spanish! Suggested for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers. Hora de los Cuentos Bilingües ¡Únase a Miss Claudeth para disfrutar de cuentos, música, juegos de dedos y diversión en inglés y español! Recomendado para niños de 0 a 5 años y sus cuidadores.  Family Night at Urban Air Fort Collins Cost: $49.99 includes a large cheese pizza, four water bottles, and two hours of play for a family of four Upcoming dates: February 24, March 3, March 10, March 17, and March 31 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. 4250 Corbett Dr., Fort Collins (970) 682-3374 One ultimate pass for a family of four, plus dinner. Reservations are valid for 3-5 p.m., 4-6 p.m., OR 5-7 p.m. Jumperoo! Parent/Tot Fun at Urban Air Fort Collins Cost: $9.99 per child + one FREE parent per child Upcoming dates: February 11, February 18, February 25, March 4, and March 11 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. 4250 Corbett Dr., Fort Collins (970) 682-3374 Parents and caregivers – enjoy some time with just the little ones. Tubes, playground, and trampolines available. Enjoy parent-child playtime and stay for some lunch! Reserved for children 5 and under only. Kids’ meals can be purchased for $3.99.  Super Cool Kids Club Cost: FREE Upcoming dates: Every Thursday from 4-5 p.m. The Lyric Cinema 1209 N College Ave, Fort Collins (970) 426-6767, marketing@lyriccinema.com Weekly live music, art projects, educational demos, and more. Past kids clubs have included jugglers, reptiles, dancers, chemistry experiments, pottery wheels, musical theater, and story time. The Super Cool Kids Club is based on community building – don’t worry if you’re running late, as our festivities often run until 5:30 p.m. Feel free to stay for dinner, too! Indoors during winter; masks required.  STEM Program – Can We Send Trash to Space? Cost: FREE Larimer County Garbage Garage Education Center 5887 South Taft Hill Road, Fort Collins (970) 498-5775, gcohen@larimer.org Dates: February 15-18, from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Grade school. Explore what might happen to trash in space. Design an air powered rocket and test it out. Registration required. Coming in March:  Denver Art Museum SCFD Free Days Cost: FREE 100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy., Denver (720) 913-0130, info@denverartmuseum.org Dates: March 8, April 12, April 24 Ticket reservations are encouraged. Tickets for March 8 are currently available; later dates coming soon. Children 18 years and younger are ALWAYS FREE.  DIY Reusable T-Shirt Bag Workshop for Teens Cost: FREE Larimer County Garbage Garage Education Center 5887 South Taft Hill Road, Fort Collins (970) 498-5775, gcohen@larimer.org Dates: March 4 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Practice reusing by turning an old t-shirt into a tote bag. We will show you how to do it yourself. It's easy! Provide your favorite used shirt or use one of ours. Registration required for adults and teens.  Spring Into Song (ages 3-6) Cost: FREE Larimer County Garbage Garage Education Center 5887 South Taft Hill Road, Fort Collins (970) 498-5775, gcohen@larimer.org Dates: March 9 and March 11 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Registration required. Recycling education and activity – move, learn and sing: Make an upcycled musical instrument, observe the different sounds different objects make, and go through our outdoor Recycle Hero Obstacle Course as fast as you can.  Free Admission Day at Global Village Museum Cost: FREE 200 West Mountain Avenue, Fort Collins 970-221-4600, info@globalvillagemuseum.org Date: March 12, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. The Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures welcomes all visitors for free on Saturday, March 12, the 110th anniversary of the Girl Scouts. Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Scouts on March 12, 1912. "Girl Scouts Impact the World” is currently showing in the Museum’s Main Gallery. The exhibit highlights how Girl Scouts have made the world a better place through courage, confidence, and character. No registration required.  Spring Break – Early Bird Gets the Worm Cost: FREE Larimer County Garbage Garage Education Center 5887 South Taft Hill Road, Fort Collins (970) 498-5775, gcohen@larimer.org Dates: March 15-18; two sessions per day – 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30-2:30 p.m. Registration required! For grade school aged participants with their caregiver. What do you know about birds and worms? Learn what they have to do with garbage. Make an upcycled bird feeder. Pot a plant you can care for at home. Starting in April:  Denver Zoo Free Days 2300 Steele St., Denver (720) 337-1400, guestcare@denverzoo.org Spring dates: April 10 (Lottery runs from March 29 - April 2) To provide the best experience for all guests, the Denver Zoo is offering a limited number of tickets for each Free Day, using an online lottery system. Anyone who wants to attend a Free Day must register online during the open lottery period for a chance to obtain up to five (5) vouchers for its corresponding Free Day. We invite you to take advantage of these community events and special deals to entertain the whole family this spring – on a budget!  Contact MBD Marketing & Events
Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken Safe, In-Person fundraisers are back and better than ever! When Covid-19 hit in full force back in 2020, many non-profits were forced to pivot with their fundraising plans. In-Person galas, games, and races were all forced to move to virtual events - some within days of their original event. Others were simply forced to cancel. These changes sent avid givers and supporters from ballrooms and racetracks into their living rooms and chatrooms. It also sent non-profit event planners and professionals into a two-year-long strategic pivot just to sustain their mission and goals. As we move from full Covid-19 lockdowns and mandates, nonprofits and their donors are headed back to in-person events. Bringing people back together after a two-year hiatus is exciting. As event planners who work with a lot of non-profits, we are thrilled to be able to create a sense of normalcy for our clients. As we plan we are creating new ways to bring people back together in safe, comfortable, and engaging ways - a new normal.  ur calendars are full of new in-person events Spring is typically a time for non-profits to hold their Galas and large-scale fundraisers. As we look at our calendar, we are full of a variety of in-person fundraising events. We are creating and executing a total of eight large-scale in-person events for clients now through June. These events range from game shows, corporate giving events, open houses, auctions, and galas. Our clients are eager to get back in front of their donors and the community. While we are too, we are still planning these events to be socially safe and able to pivot at a moment’s notice, should restrictions surrounding the pandemic change. We are encouraging our non-profit clients who are hosting spring events to incorporate social distancing steps and protocols into their planning. We suggest that our clients include their safety measures on their event landing pages. We also encourage them to provide hand washing stations and hand sanitizers for their guests. Most importantly, we are promoting clear communication between their organization and their guests. When it comes to the health and safety of donors and supporters, strong, consistent communication is best! Spring Events are highlighting organization missions Many of our clients have missed the face-to-face connection with their donors and supporters. That is why we are working hard to create compelling and engaging programming for their events. Focusing on the organization’s mission is the best way to re-engage with donors and supporters. This is the most important part of these in-person spring fundraisers. We want to make giving easy and fun! Some of the events that we are currently organizing include:
Getting back in person has been a long time coming We are excited to be able to plan events that reconnect our clients with their donors. We pride ourselves on planning that creates safe and fun events for our clients. Finding and creating new opportunities to re-engage supporters and donors is a fun challenge. Our events may still have some pandemic elements - we anticipate many clients choosing to go the “hybrid” route for a while in order to meet supporters on their own comfort level. We believe that this will be the new “normal” of the future. But, we also believe that these new Spring Fundraising Events will serve to re-engage the greater community around the missions of these organizations. People are ready and excited to get out, to come together, and to have fun! Two years apart has been two years too long!  Contact MBD Marketing & Events Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken  Couples Travel from Across the Country for the Fifth Annual Loveland Valentine's Day Group Wedding2/16/2022
Dozens of couples married or renewed their vows at this year’s Loveland Valentine’s Day Group Wedding and Vow Renewal! My Big Day was honored to put on this event in the Sweetheart City for a fifth year, and the weather was beautiful for this year’s ceremony in front of the LOVE sculpture at the Loveland Visitor’s Center.  Couples gather in front of the LOVE sculpture at the Loveland Visitor’s Center to get married and renew their vows at the Loveland Valentine’s Day Group Wedding and Vow Renewal. We were thrilled to have couples join us from all over the country – as far as Florida – and from all parts of Colorado. One of our couples renewed their vows after nearly 40 years together! We love being part of each of our couples’ special days.  A couple exchanges a kiss while the bride holds a bouquet of fresh flowers at the Loveland Valentine’s Day Group Wedding and Vow Renewal ceremony on Valentine’s Day. As always, our event partners are a huge part of this event’s success:
 A man in a suit (officiant Todd Harding) stands in front of the large, red LOVE letters sculpture at the Loveland, Colorado Visitor’s Center as couples participating in the ceremony look on. This year’s event received coverage from news outlets statewide. We invite you to view some of the fantastic articles, photo galleries, and videos from this event: Thank you to all of the adventurous couples who joined us for this unique event in 2022! We hope to see you in 2023! Check out the event details here: http://www.valentinesdayinloveland.com/ This event is based in Loveland, CO but serves all of Colorado and surrounding states. While the majority of our guests come from Northern Colorado and Denver, we have had wedding couples join us from NE, WY, MS, MO, IL, and Florida! Celebrate Valentine's Day in the most unique way with us!
Most people's fondest grade school memories involve boarding a bus, traveling off to explore someplace new. Field Trips feel like a day off school, a break, a chance to feel like a real human rather than just a kid. Most kids don't realize that field trips are a really an in-depth learning experience than regular day-to-day classroom moments. Studies and statics from all over the country have proven that field trips are more than just a day of fun. Social-Emotional Learning Experience Teaching students social-emotional traits and behaviors is often a complicated matter. Diverse classrooms with students from all different types of backgrounds and living situations make teaching things like self-awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision making extremely difficult in the classroom set up. A study done by the University of Arkansas found that field trips give students “stronger critical-thinking skills” and that they, “exhibit increased historical empathy, display higher levels of tolerance, and have a greater taste for consuming art and culture.”  Academic Improvement Many students learn best by visual and hands-on learning. The U.S. Travel Association conducted a study that revealed that “regardless of gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic status, youth who take educational trips have better grades (59 percent), higher graduation rates from high school (95%) and college (63%), and greater income (12% higher annually). In fact, 89% said educational trips had a positive, lasting impact on their education and career because the trips made them more engaged, intellectually curious and interested in and out of school.”[1] [1] https://www.neamb.com/work-life/how-field-trips-boost-students-lifelong-success  Practical Knowledge Being stuck in a classroom day in and day out for the entire school year is not only a daunting thought, but it can often contribute to students feeling burnt out and detached from the real world. Getting out to see a museum, a farm, or even just the local library can help expand a student’s world and mind. “The best field trips can bring two seemingly unrelated worlds together.”  Professional Development If you ask successful adults today about their field trip memories, chances are you will find a few who had an eye-opening field trip experience which helped to lead them to the career they are in today. Getting the chance to see a symphony, going to a construction site or a university can get students thinking about what they are passionate about and what they want to achieve in their adult lives.  Field Trips Ideas in Northern Colorado Colorado has so many beautiful natural places to visit for a field trip. Take students to a Colorado State Wildlife Area to see all the amazing creatures in the state. With Denver close by, amazing opportunities for students are just a bus ride away. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science provides field trip adventures for all ages! These Links have other great Field Trip Ideas for In-Person and Virtually: https://www.homeschooltreasury.com/fieldtrips.html https://www.uncovercolorado.com/educational-field-trips-colorado/ https://www.northerncoloradokids.com/Field_Trips.php#close https://www.pinterest.com/MyBigDayEvents/education-k-12/remote-learning-field-trips/   Colorado is so beautiful in the wintertime, with snowy mountains and lots of festivities! It’s the perfect time to have some fun while remaining safe with the whole family. We are bringing you our top picks for activities in Northern Colorado for winter this year!  With the COVID pandemic in mind, there are lots of options for safe fun. From festive light displays to ice skating at the Promenade Shops at Centerra, there are plenty of budget-friendly activities outdoors where you can keep a safe distance while having a great time. Getting creative with fun at home activities is another way to celebrate and enjoy your time with your family while keeping warm all from the comfort of your own home.  Outdoor Winter Activities in Northern Colorado 1. Downtown Fort Collin’s Santa Quest Go on a scavenger hunt around Old Town for Santa! If you find them all you can be entered for a chance to win gift cards!  2. Loveland Winter Wonderlights See the beautiful lights at Chapungu Sculpture Park this December. A romantic night out or a fun family night to see Santa and his reindeer!  3. Bundle up for a Cross Country Ski Everyone can cross country ski! In town or up in the mountains, get on some snow gear and explore a beautiful snowy day! We recommend some of the trails in Estes Park!  4. Hunt for the Loveland Holiday Gnomes Back by popular demand, get ready to hunt for Herbie (Loveland’s holiday gnome) and all of his gnome friends around Loveland! Herbie and his friends have homes at various locations throughout the city. To play, you must download EVENTZEE, a free mobile app, to find out where they are, meet each of them, and complete each of their challenges. You’ll snap photos of yourself with the gnomes and be entered into our contest through the app to be able to win one of the grand prizes below. All players who successfully complete all of the challenges on the app will win a holiday prize! Home for the Holidays-Fun Activities to do at Home  1. CP Holiday Train at Home"Canadian Music Hall-of-Famer Steven Page and The Strumbellas will lead an all-star cast of performers aboard the CP Holiday Train for the 2021 "Holiday Train at Home" concert."  2. Make a Hot Cocoa Bar for a Family Movie Night Make an ordinary family movie night extraordinary with a hot chocolate bar. Marshmallows, caramel, peppermints, cookies, you name it! Let the family have their way with their hot cocoa!  3. Make Snow/Ice Sculptures Give your snowman a mohawk! Design a winter wonderland with not just snow but ice as well! For more ideas check out our Pinterest Board https://www.pinterest.com/MyBigDayEvents/education-k-12/winter-activities/  Contact MBD Marketing & Events
Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken Event Sponsorship can benefit your marketing and sales By Carrie Stadtmueller, Content Conductor Event sponsorship can be a great cost-effective way to reach your customers, and allow you to reach targeted niche markets without the expense of traditional advertising. Through sponsorship, your business won’t directly promote your company or product, but you will pay to support an event or cause that your customers care about. Through this support, your business is then associated with the event by customers, attendees, media, and the larger community as a whole.  The many benefits of sponsorship There are many benefits associated with sponsorship - many are related to promotional opportunities. If you are looking to sponsor larger events on a nation-wide level scale, there are multiple opportunities to get your branding on items and in the hands of event attendees. Local causes such as sports teams or charity drives might offer more limited spaces for branding and products, but they also allow you to reach a more specific local audience. In all its forms, event sponsorships offer a certainty that traditional advertising simply cannot. They can also help you meet multiple marketing goals at once. Here are just a few:
If it’s a non-profit you’re supporting, you’re getting your name out in the community, building brand visibility - perhaps getting your logo on a t-shirt, creating brand visibility long past the event!
 How you can add sponsorship to your marketing plan Adding an event or non-profit sponsorship to your marketing plan should be a part of your overall marketing strategy. You should spend time asking the following questions:
It doesn’t have to be a huge event to make a huge impact on your business. You should choose something that makes the most sense for your brand and mission, and most of all, something that you believe in. My Big Day Marketing & Events can help My Big Day Marketing & Events works with a variety of non-profits and can help your business find an organization to partner with. We can do the research for you and find the right sponsorship level that will benefit your business as well as the non-profit, making it a win-win for both! If you are interested in finding out more about how an event sponsorship might benefit your small business, please reach out for a consultation.  Contact MBD Marketing & Events
Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken MBD works with a number of non-profit clients and we love supporting the important work they all do to support our community. Partners is a special 501c3 to MBD's owner, Christine, as they provide programs to our youth and a large mentorship program. Christine was a mentor to teen girls for over 10 years and has first hand experience as a mentor for Partners. Now as their fundraising team, we are asking our followers to support them and their vital programs for Northern Colorado Youth.  Please choose to give to Partner’s Spark Campaign! Partners relies on community support to fund our youth programs and The Spark Campaign is our biggest fundraiser of the year. All of the funds we raise--from corporate sponsors, community groups, and individual donors--benefit our youth programs. Did you know that through Partners over 500 youth achieve a 70% increase in their confidence and self-esteem? A small donation of $50 can provide a youth with some basic life skills that they can take with them into adulthood.  This year they aim to raise $150,000—it’s a big goal that will allow them to continue serving our community in big ways, and helping local youth gain confidence, social skills, resiliency, and hope. Supporting The Spark Campaign means supporting local kids and families at a time when they need it most. Please consider giving to Partners to help reach their 2021 fundraising goal. Donate Now! You can also help by igniting the spark in others. Help share the amazing work Partners does. Ways to help:
   Halloween has come and gone and My Big Day Marketing & Events, along with Thompson Education Foundation are thrilled with the turnout of NoCo’s Greatest Drive Thru Trick-or-Treat Experience! This year it was held at the Thompson School District Building in their parking lot. With 40 staff and volunteers and many amazing sponsors and booth vendors, 3,000 attendees were able to enjoy driving through the most festive parking lot this season!
Tickets were up for grabs for less than a week before selling out. Having tickets booked in advance ensured a safe event and that every kid would get candy, as the booth vendors knew how much to bring in advance. Parents and kids from all over Northern Colorado drove to the venue in full costume and stayed comfortably in their vehicles for the entire duration of the event keeping it a socially distanced and safe time for everyone involved.
A bright colored numbered paper was placed on the windshield of each car letting booth vendors know how many kids were trick-or-treating from that vehicle. TEF provided bags to hang on the mirrors on each side of the vehicle to help keep up the flow of the event. Some came in small cars with one or two children but others found it best to bring large vans packed full of trick- or-treaters. Smiling parents, kids, volunteers, and booth vendors was one of the many highlights of this event. The sun was out and smiling with everyone as they all celebrated the community and had fun dressing up and snacking on sweets! We were so fortunate to have fantastic Fall weather!  A HUGE thank you to all of the wonderful sponsors and booth vendors! This could not have happened this without your generosity and holiday spirit! Our supporters: Center for Advanced Dentistry, UCHealth, Aims Community College, Bank of Colorado, Foothills Credit Union, Perch Real Estate Loveland + South Lifestyle, Xfinity, No DUI Larimer, Toothzone, Tutoring Excellence Loveland, Conduct All Electric, Scheels, , Ascend Orthodontics, My Big Day LLC, Family Promise of Larimer County, Advance America, NOCO Style, Macaroni Kid Loveland CO, Loveland & South Magazine and Janice Ververs Remax Alliance Thank you also to Thompson School District, Loveland Barricade and Golf-N-Fun Carts for helping provide a venue and all the necessary means that it takes to get hundreds of vehicles safely through!  Contact MBD Marketing & Events
Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken - by Tiffany Dinsmore With another year ending, the fall and winter festivities are beginning! As always Halloween is kicking off our holiday season! Although there are a lot more events being held this year people are still being cautious and most events are being held outside. Christine Forster with My Big Day Events and Marketing along with Thompson Education Foundation created a way to celebrate Halloween in a safe and easy way with NoCo’s Greatest Drive Thru Trick-or-Treat Experience. It was a huge success for 2020 and they are hoping for another successful event at the end of the October!  I have asked Christine to answer a series of questions to help give some insight on the second year of this event! How long have you been working with TEF? MBD has been working with Thompson Education Foundation for a couple years now. Although Christine and Kim go way back. "We met 17 years ago volunteering for the Downtown Loveland Association." What was your creative process when creating the Drive Thru Trick-or-Treat Event last year? "The idea came about quickly and naturally, but when developing the concept, it was crucial to us that we evaluate who all may benefit from partnering with an event such as this, where might the drive-thru traffic be most appreciated, etc. We reached out to other entities to inform them of our concept and to invite others to join in to give families a safe Halloween."  The event must have been a success to do it again this year, what are the fundraising goals for 2021? "When we initially created this, we didn't have a fundraising goal. We wanted to cover expenses of course - but a safe trick-or-treating option for local families was our biggest goal. We were thrilled by the number of sponsors who supported the event last year and have already seen great response this year!" Is there a particular moment or memory from 2020’s event that stands out to you? "Being on the back end of management for the event, watching hundreds of tickets get snagged up in minutes was a real Ticketmaster moment. To know that we had 3,000 people attend the event and thousands more on the waiting list is our top memory for 2020."  Where is the event located this year and how will it be different from the 2020 event? "This year we are taking advantage of the generous access we have to the Thompson School District Administration building. This allows for plenty of space for booths, vendor parking, volunteer parking, regulated entrance/exit flow, and indoor facilities for our staff and volunteers. The event itself will be the same, with the exception of limitations by county and state. Last year we were limited to the number of people we could have 'gather' at an outdoor event, so our booths could only host 2 workers, and we had to limit volunteers and number of cars in attendance by timed interval." What is the biggest challenge that you are facing with putting this event together? "As with any outdoor event, one challenge can be weather. There is always a chance for snow at the end of October. This event will happen rain, shine, or snow. It will only cancel should there be an absolute blizzard. Also, as with any event right now, we are still dealing with a global pandemic. MBD has planned enough events during the pandemic to have plans and processes in place to offer guests, staff and volunteers a safe experience!"  The drive-thru trick-or-treat experience is just $5 per vehicle (no campers or busses). All guests will sign up for a 30 min window of time to arrive. All tickets will need to be purchased online in advance. Booths are available for businesses, non-profits and schools (and each booth comes with 1 free guaranteed entrance to the event). Thank you Christine for inventing such a unique Halloween experience!
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My Big Day Company LLC 2006-2022 www.MyBigDayCompany.com
970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 EMAIL US
We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken
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