Alamosa sponsors Octobrufest event

ALAMOSA — Alamosa city officials on Wednesday unanimously approved a $5,000 sponsorship for Alamosa’s newest event, Octobrufest, which is planned for Saturday, Sept. 30, in Sunset Park.

Luke Yoder, representing the Alamosa Chamber of Commerce, asked for the city sponsorship of the event, which he described as an October festival combined with a celebration of local brews.

He added that the chamber is also trying to highlight different areas of town, so the new event will be held in Sunset Park on the south side of Alamosa. Businesses in that area such as the North River Greenhouse are working with the chamber to provide activities for youth and adults during the event, Yoder explained.

He said the local marketing district had provided a start up grant ($3,325) to help get the festival off the ground, and the city’s sponsorship would enable the event to be successful.

Yoder explained that the event will feature local foods such as Gosar Sausage and Locavores as well as seven or eight brewers and children’s activities such as a bouncy house and face painting. Yoder said this is the type of event people go to Denver or Pagosa Springs to attend, so Alamosa will try to capture some of that attendance and keep it in the area, in addition to drawing folks in from other areas.

The event will be held from 1-8 p.m. and will cost $10 per ticket, which allows attendees to enjoy the activities and live music, or $30 for a VIP package that would encompass, entrance, a commemorative stein and T-shirt and one free beer.

Yoder said the chamber is hoping for at least 100 people this first year to break even. If the event could draw 200 people, the chamber could realize some profit to support the chamber. Beer sales would be the biggest revenue generator for the event, he said.

The city’s sponsorship will help the chamber pay for basic expenses such as porta potties and tents.
Alamosa City Manager Heather Brooks reminded the city council it had $10,000 in its sponsorship budget item, with half of that remaining after the city sponsored the Round-Up Rodeo for $4,000 and the firefighters event with $1,000. She said in the past the chili fest has requested $5,000 but has not done so this year.

The council unanimously voted to sponsor the event at the $5,000 level.

Alamosa City Councilor Liz Thomas Hensley said this event would be helpful for the city economically, and the timing is good, because there are few events this time of year. She said she also was glad to see the event set in a different part of town than other events have been.

“I am really excited about this,” she said.

Councilman Charles Griego said the city tries to help new events like this get started but would like to see it become self sufficient in the future. Yoder said that was the chamber’s goal as well.

“I think this is a great economic development tool,” Alamosa Mayor Josef Lucero said.