Restaurant All the info you need to showcase your riggies! Saturday, April 24 th. 12 noon 3pm Utica Memorial Auditorium

Transcription

1 April 24, 2010 Restaurant All the info you need to showcase your riggies! Saturday, April 24 th 12 noon 3pm Utica Memorial Auditorium

2 Dear Restaurant, Let s face it, this economy is tough on business, it cuts into your advertising budget and makes it difficult to expand your presence in the Mohawk Valley. Well, the YWCA has a great opportunity for you - Riggiefest! This event, visited by thousands of local riggie fans, is an unmatched opportunity for face to face marketing. What does it take to get involved? Simple. You and your staff come to the AUD on April 24th with all the supplies you need to feed 3,500 hungry riggie aficionados 4 ounce samples of your recipe. First, Second and Third place will be determined by a panel of culinary judges. RiggieFest attendees get to choose Crowd Favorite, Best Service, Best Decorated Booth, and Kids Pick. The key to success at this event is making a great impression on each potential customer you meet at Riggiefest. They will tell their friends and, before you know it, they are coming to your restaurant for more. Think this sounds too good to be true? Just talk to The Secret Garden Restaurant from Utica. They will tell you that this event grew their business three-fold. That s right, after one afternoon of showcasing their personality and cooking prowess, The Secret Garden s patronage tripled. And look at Teddy s Restaurant in Rome. As a three-time Riggie Champion, Teddy s has become the best known name in the world of chicken riggies. You can find more details within this booklet but, trust us, this opportunity is not to be missed. Your restaurant receives advertising in The Observer-Dispatch, on WKTV NewsChannel 2, and on Lite 98.7, Big Frog 104, Oldiez 96 and WIBX. If you need more info, please feel welcome to contact Shelly Northrup, snorthrup@ywcamv.org, ext I hope you can join the fun at this year s Riggiefest! Sincerely, Dave Dave Gibson Riggiefest Founder

3 Contents: Event Overview 2. Why Participate 3. Vendor Details 4. A Great Cause 5. 1.

4 Event Overview: Riggiefest is the largest chicken riggie cook-off event in Upstate New York with over a dozen restaurants competing for the coveted title of Best Chicken Riggies and winner of the Riggie Cup. Thousands of individuals gather at the Utica Memorial Auditorium to sample this culinary speciality from area restaurants. A panel of culinary judges selects first, second and third place restaurants, while RiggieFest attendees vote for Crowd Favorite, Best Service, Kids Pick, and Best Decorated Booth awards. Prize money and an exciting advertising package from The Observer-Dispatch are awarded to event winners. Each year Riggiefest also includes a Children s Area, Wine Tasting, and live entertainment promises to be more fun and delicious than ever before. Don t miss out - register today! Vendor space is limited. Saturday, April 24 th 12 noon - 3pm Utica Memorial Auditorium 2.

5 Restaurants Receive: Advertising on television, in print, on the radio, and on-line, valued at more than: $ 20,000 Restaurant listed on television commercial to air April 10 th -23 rd Print advertising in The Observer-Dispatch, Weekly Pennysaver, The Mid-York Weekly, Weekend Plus, & Fusion On-air riggie sampling on Lite 98.7, Big Frog 104, Oldiez 96 &WIBX Web exposure on YWCA and partner websites Face-to-Face marketing with 3,000 individuals. The opportunity to win an advertising package with The Observer- Dispatch valued at $ 1,330. The reward of doing good business while helping a great cause. A fun, exciting day of friendly competition and great food! 3.

6 Vendor Details: What Riggiefest Provides: Tables, allotted space for each vendor, gloves, cups for riggie tasting, forks, napkins, a fun atmosphere, garbage cans and tons of event publicity. What Restaurants Must Bring: Prepared Chicken Riggies and/or supplies to make Chicken Riggies (restaurants must be able to fill 3,500 four-ounce cups), serving equipment (chafing dish, burner, extension cord, serving spoons etc.) and serving heat source if necessary, thermometer, five-gallon bucket for running water and clean-up, one ABC or CO2 fire extinguisher, tablecloths, and booth décor (to include restaurant signage and other restaurant marketing materials). If you feel you may need special arrangements, call ext Set-up: Competitors are encouraged to set-up booth displays on Saturday morning beginning at 8:00 a.m. Booth set-up must be completed by 11:00 a.m., the day of the event. Each restaurant will be provided (3) 8 foot long banquet tables. You may not staple, nail or put any materials into the tables. In the instance that one of your tables is damaged you will be billed for the cost of repairs or for the replacement of the table. Booth Decoration and Promotion: Get the maximum promotional value possible by decorating your booth in a festive and entertaining fashion. Use banners, posters or signs to prominently display the name of your restaurant. Use your business theme colors for tablecloths and server s shirts or uniforms. Although only 3-5 staffers are required for serving the riggies, consider having some extra staff on hand. Roaming servers and distribution of promotional flyers outside the booth area are prohibited. Tossing anything from the booth area is also strictly prohibited. Reheat: Restaurants that are close enough may bring their riggies hot to the event provided all Oneida County Health Department (OCHD) requirements are met. The YWCA wants to ensure that guests will be served a safe product, so each restaurant s plan for reheating riggies must be approved in advance by event officials. Let us know if you will need an electrical hook-up 4.

7 Reheat: cont and please adhere to the OCHD s standards for the temperature (140 degrees), cooking and reheating of food. We will be dropping electrical hook-ups via the ceiling of the Aud. to allow for adequate electricity. Burners using butane are allowed, however butane tanks must be less than one pound. Health Department: Please adhere to Oneida County Health Department guidelines. Please also make sure to send your temporary health permit to the YWCA for submission to the OCHD. There is no cost for this permit. The YWCA will have a copy available on the day of Riggiefest for each participant. Serving and Booth Staffing: Serving is continuous 12 noon 3 pm. Riggies must be kept at a temperature of 140 degrees. Each restaurant must guarantee 3-5 staffers for this time period to oversee the serving of riggies. If you believe you will need volunteers to help restaurant staff serve please let the YWCA know at least two weeks prior to the event. Clean-up: Competitors are responsible for leaving their areas clean and in good condition. Garbage cans will be provided. Tables will be removed by event personnel shortly after the event ends, so please have all booths disassembled immediately after the awards ceremony. Leftover riggies may be brought to the Children s Area and are then distributed to local charities. Strict Rules on Voting Area: Competitors will be vying for first place and the prized Riggie Cup. A panel of culinary judges will select first, second and third place winners, while RiggieFest attendees select Crowd Favorite, Best Service, Kids Pick and Best Decorated Booth. Participants must avoid any appearance of interfering with the voting process. The voting area will be designated off-limits to participants. Participants stepping into this area risk disqualification. Restaurants are responsible for advising all booth staffers of the necessity to stay clear of the voting area. A Great Cause: All proceeds from Riggiefest benefit the YWCA Mohawk Valley. Each year the YW provides services to more than 25,000 individuals in Herkimer and Oneida counties. The YWCA is committed to creating a violence free community by eliminating racism and empowering women everyday. This event helps the YW to continue promoting positive change in our community. 5.

8 YWCA Mohawk Valley 1000 Cornelia St. Utica, NY (315)