Eroding Sponsorships Means No Day in the Park This Year

A decline in sponsorships and limited staff resources were the main reasons the Day in the Park Committee decided it will not to hold the popular city festival this year.

Day in the Park is traditionally held in September and to enjoy food, performances and exhibitions. Last year was the festival’s fourteenth year.

But Sharon Ranals, director of the , said critical sponsorships necessary to support the event’s budget of over $80,000 have drastically diminished.

“In the past, Genentech has been the biggest sponsor,” she said. “The level of support has just been declining over the years.”

From high contributions of $40,000 in 2006 and 2007, Genentech’s contribution dropped to $30,000 in 2008 and only $5,000 in 2009 and 2010. Most other businesses contribute amounts in the thousands of dollars, though the Rotary Club made a generous contribution of $10,000 last year.

The diminishing contributions means the Day in the Park Committee was looking at a carryover budget of only $5,000 from last year and a lot of money to raise from small businesses.

“With no carryover from the previous year, and knowing that our biggest sponsor was just not there,” the committee decided not to continue the event in 2011, Ranals said.

The committee will meet again to decide whether to hold onto its $5,000 budget for a possible Day in the Park in 2012, host a smaller community event or allocate it to a community program.