Included in this guide is everything needed for a successful Patchfest! festival anywhere. With over 50 years of experience, we will show how to maximize income and minimize expenses. Plus, Rick (401-338-9900) and Marshall (401-732-4483) will be available by phone from start to finish! 

We are building a 40-bed FREE hospital for Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams. Having PatchFest! in your city/town makes you part of the construction crew! Feels great, doesn’t it. Ready? 

Step-1: Create a PatchFest! Committee. Call everyone you know with integrity, stamina, an open mind, and a little craziness. 5 to 7 should be an ideal group. Schedule meeting #1. Serve inexpensive snacks. No alcohol. Take many notes. Decide what your festival should include, such as live bands, a DJ, food trucks, craft vendors, retail vendors, car show exhibitors, souvenirs, games, artworks, bounce-houses, a farmers market, fair, petting zoo, carnival rides, a guest-of-honor, raffles, penny social, entertainers, contests, or ????? The more, the better!

Step-2: Target a date 6 to 11 months away. Select several locations. Remember, go big or go home. List every spot big enough for “lots and lots” of people. 

Step-3: This is the biggie. Call the decision maker of each location. Start by saying, “We’re building a 40-bed FREE hospital for Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams.” And then ask them to DONATE the space for your target date or an alternative one. Many will say “No.” Some will laugh. It only takes one to agree. Here in Rhode Island we spent 28 weeks of discussions with our R.I. Airport Authority as well as The City of Warwick over two different locations. Then, frustrated, we called Mulligan’s Island in the neighboring City of Cranston. In 28 MINUTES, we had a free location. You might get a bunch of “No’s”, but it only takes one “Yes”, and you have your location. With a free location, your success is almost certain. 

Step-4: Schedule meeting #2. Your agenda should include:

  1. Titles of Committee members. (Director of Volunteers, Director of Vendor Sales, Director of Social Media, Director of Security, Director of Information, Director of Corporate Sponsorship, etc.)
  2. Income streams: The admission gate, corporate sponsors, souvenir sales, vendor table-rents, donations, car exhibitor entry fees, raffle ticket sales, etc. Vendor table rents and corporate sponsor donations, collected well in advance, will give you seed money for mandatory expenses that must be paid-in-advance such as insurance, permits, licenses, etc. Make that a key focus of the meeting. 
  3. Probable expenses: City/town/county/state licenses, permits, liability insurance, signs, printing, TV/radio, commercials, advertising, Facebook, web site, trophies, DJ, PA system, and more printing.
  4. Create forms needed for an introductory letter, vendor agreements, vendor receipts, Corporate Sponsorships, etc. We will supply you with examples of each, at no cost. Make SURE they conform with your local laws.
  5. Create Facebook page, and other social media popular in your area.
  6. Now, and this is absolutely crucial, GO OUT AND SELL! Visit every car show, fair, festival, church event, 4-H, farmers market, home show or art show, and invite those vendors to be a vendor at PatchFest! Always, always, always start your conversation with “We are building a 40-bed FREE hospital for Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams.” And when they ask about the vendor-rent, as they invariably will, say “It is at a first-year discount rent of $____. It WILL be double in year two.” That creates desire. Always ask for referrals. Vendors want to “share”. Help them! Persistence is key!
“We are building a 40-bed FREE hospital for Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams.

Having PatchFest! in your city/town makes you part of the construction crew! Feels great, doesn’t it. Ready? “

6-months out— Open a Patchfest! bank account and sell vendor booths; sell corporate sponsorships; sign-up free entertainment such as bands, a DJ, bounce-house rentals, carnival rides, Santa Claus, etc. If they are providing a free service, make sure you write “FREE” on the vendor agreement. If you receive a “No”, just ask for a donation. We say, “Would you like to donate a raffle item, or would you just prefer to give us a check?” Solicit ALL the free newspapers in your area for FREE, front cover advertising. Don’t just ask sign companies to make signs for free. Ask “How many can you donate?” Call Rick and Marshall for advice.

3 months out— Start putting up signs. When asking to put one in a store window start by saying “We are building a 40-bed FREE hospital for Dr. Hunter “Patch Adams.” Every mom-and-pop store will say “Yes!” PLUS, you can make five-foot multi-color signs for under twenty cents! Take 5 different, bright-color sheets of 8.5 x 11 paper. Copy (it helps if you have access to a copier) 5 signs that say “PatchFest!- Your Town- Date,”  and staple 5 differently-colored signs on EVERY telephone pole in a busy location. HUGE exposure – 20 cents each! Send out press releases to all media, including newspapers, TV, and radio. Keep calling them too.

Start weekly e-mails to your vendors reporting your growing success and asking for more, and more referrals. Tell them you have already started PatchFest! for next year and they are “Charter-members” receiving a 20% discount on ALL FUTURE Patchfest! events. That will create “desire!” and more referrals.

1 month out— Tell everyone “We are building a 40-bed FREE hospital for Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams. COME to Patchfest!” Resend press releases with updates showing how the festival is “growing into a mega-event”. Don’t lie. DO exaggerate, enhance and embellish! It’s a festival! Be festive!!! Have too-much fun. Fun is contagious! Patch says, “The most radical act a person can commit is to be happy”. So BE HAPPY! Create a diagram of the event with a layout of vendor booths, entertainment etc. Decide how to collect, hide, and protect the money. Only two people should know about this for security reasons. Make sure you have 1, 2, or 3 booths for PatchFest! souvenirs, donations, raffles, etc. MAKE THE BOOTHS COLORFUL!!! Streamers! Balloons!  Think “What would Patch do?”

14 days before event— Call Rick and Marshall for last minute advice such as a Patchfest! Thank You board, “Patchfest! Special” signs, “Charter-Member” certificates for a 20% discount “for life!” for all future PatchFest! events etc.

The day of the event— Congratulations! You made it! This is very probably the best thing you have ever done and today is the day it all comes together. Relax. Delegate. Smile. Laugh. Walk (don’t rush). Welcome guests. Keep your vendors happy. Smile some more. Talk to every one of them several times during the day. Be decisive. Keep a “runner” with you at all times and keep a keen eye on the money. Be the first to arrive – the last to leave, and pace yourself and be happy in the knowledge that you are part of the construction crew for a 40-bed FREE hospital for Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams! Call Rick and Marshall and brag!!!!!!!!!!

Patch Adams MD & Gesundheit Institute, P.O. Box 307, Urbana, IL 61803

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