Volunteers   

Just as this festival cannot be put together in a few weeks, it cannot be produced by two or three people. Special events must be planned not only for the whole community, but also by the whole community. For this reason, we want to strive to interest and involve a large number and variety of people to utilize their time and talents.  

A mix of volunteers will be helpful.  It will be beneficial to include volunteers who have strong connections within the community. These are people who can go out and quickly round up all kinds of donations---lumber, sign space, printing, advertising copy, food and drinks, staging supplies, sound equipment, and many other necessities for the event.  

Who Should Do It: Ages 12 and Up

This project is appropriate for middle school, high school, and college-aged young people, as well as adult groups.  Children under the age of 12 can play important roles, but will need older volunteers to help throughout the planning process.

Job Duties

Volunteers can direct attendees; sell food, drinks, or other items; run demonstrations, games, or educational stations; help with safety and security; help with set up, take down, and clean up; and perform other services as assigned.

To ensure Rockville represents all facets in the community, a reasonable balance can be maintained if the board membership includes the following:  

• Large corporations
• Privately owned businesses
• Professional groups
• Ethnic groups
• Service clubs
• Schools
• Churches
• Local government
• Any other group having a separate identity in the community that can provide moral and financial support. 

 You can be a part of one of the following groups or volunteer to lead the group.

1. Fundraising: Takes the lead on securing funding of our event.
2. Permits: Finds out what kind of permits are needed and takes charge of getting those permits.
3. Advertising: Ensures that the target audience finds out about our event. This committee might contact local television and radio stations, produce posters or flyers about the event, attend community meetings, or use other approaches to reach all of Rockville and supporting communities.
4. Decorations:  Decorating committee will create and decorate the event to match the theme.
5. Signage: We will need lots of creative publicity tactics to draw a huge crowd to the event. Posters and signs might display the event name and objective, while others might be informational, and still others logistical.
6. Public Relations:  Be creative when creating publications and speaking to several supporting newspapers.  Our goal is to encourage the media to cover our event.
7. Education: Ensures that the event has plenty of educational components. This committee might provide other educational materials or stations, such as pamphlets, educational displays, demonstration stations, skits, tours, and other creative educational techniques.
8. Vendor Booking: Books the people, companies, groups, or agencies that will be at the event, and takes care of them throughout the event.
9. Food and Beverage:  Decisions need to be made as to the type of food booths and if the city or local organizations should put up a food stand to gain additional revenue.
10. Parade:  Books the people, companies, groups, or agencies that will be at the event, and takes care of them throughout the event.
11. Games:  Determines the types of games, responsible for coordinating, creating, and running the booths.
12. Band:  Responsible for booking and working with the band.  Communications with   the band will include how long they’ll perform, the kinds of songs they’ll perform, and what they need in terms of technical support.
13. Tours:  Coordinate tours, set up schedules, and confirm tour destinations.
14. Set-up:  Responsible for set-up of tents, tables, chairs, fence, lighting, sound, stage, etc. 
15. Waste Disposal:  Organize, rent, and ensure proper location and set-up of units.  Units should be placed at the starting and ending point of the parade route.  Also locate the units in various spots in the city, especially in the area of the food vendors, games, band, and parks (if applicable).
16. Logistics and Security: This group of volunteers will be available to answer questions about lighting, station set-up and take-down, and other logistical concerns.
17. Safety:  CPR trained and certified volunteers posted through-out the event.  Responsible for stationing first-aid kits and fire extinguishers.
18. Clean-up:  Clean up any refuse and put the community back in order.

 Additional committee groups will be developed to meet the needs of the Rockville Festival.

Goals

• Organize Rock-Fest as a means of promoting the benefits of a common bond between the people, businesses, government, education, youth, and civic organizations.
• Provide opportunities for organizations and businesses to showcase their products/services and raise funds for their cause.
• Provide a unique cultural and educational experience for residents and tourists.
• Provide tours that will educate and promote our agricultural community, granite country, businesses, Grand Lake, Pleasant Lake and Eagle Park.  
• Provide fun activities and opportunities which have a broad appeal to Central MN, families and youth.
• Organize events that will benefit the success of Rock-Fest’s future.
• Donate a percentage of funds to local causes or organizations that are in need of financial support. 
• Engage in fundraising activities independently or jointly with other organizations for charitable causes. 

To be achieved by:

• Provide opportunities for local organizations to raise funds.
• Offer vendor space for organizations and businesses to showcase their products and services.
• Create a unique cultural and educational experience for residents and tourists.
• Expand tourism by promoting the city's agricultural, granite country, businesses, and Eagle Park.  
• Provide fun activities and opportunities that will have a broad appeal to Central MN that highlight Rockville, Grand Lake, Pleasant Lake and surrounding communities.

Rock-Fest Planning:

In our meetings the committee brainstorms artists and events that can help educate and entertain the community and guests to Rockville.

Our committee is open to the public and we encourage all ages.  We seek a diversified group of volunteers to create a family event that anyone and everyone can enjoy!

Everyone is urged to be creative and to expand upon the ideas of others. All of these thoughts are promptly recorded and noted in the minutes of the meeting. Each suggestion will be evaluated for the festivals success.

Ideas for Current and Future Discussions:

1. Exhibits from local artists who use recycled materials in their art.
2. Musicians who explore our consumer culture.
3. Store owners who sell green products (Example: Farmers Market).
4. Businesses selling products we’d like to highlight.
5. Demonstration stations that feature important issues in our community.
6. Environmental organizations working on issues related to our theme.
7. Local agencies or government offices working on issues related to our theme.
8. Youth groups conducting projects related to our theme.
9. Farmers using methods we’d like to highlight.
10. Speakers who inspire and entertain festival-goers.

For instance, important historical events can be taken out of the classroom and brought to life through skits, costume contests, reenactments, and other commemorative events. 

Choosing a Theme and Name

Theme

The event must have a theme---a main idea or concept to provide a solid base for a variety of interesting and promotable activities. Rockville should develop a theme that gives the festival a unique identity and prevents it from being a carbon copy of other festivals. The theme should be indigenous to the community's personality, legends, natural beauty, or other attraction.

• The theme gives the event an overall focus.
• The themes give the participating groups a common point from which they can develop a cohesive program of activities.
• The theme gives the event structure.
• A catchy theme makes publicity much easier.

The theme should be something to which the local community can relate and that is either unique or has enough interest to attract visitors. Festival themes can be categorized into several general types:

• local history
• ethnic or cultural
• agriculture
• aquaculture
• holidays or seasonal events
• arts, crafts, and hobbies
• music and drama
• industry
• natural resources

If you have an idea for a Theme, we'd like to hear from you!