Help Plan Twin Cities Veg Fest (Annual, March-Sept)

Interested in learning more? Read on, and please contact Breanna Knutson, festival chair, at [email protected] to get involved.

CAA is planning the next Twin Cities Veg Fest. Organizing this event takes place over nine months, starting in January. Committee responsibilities begin in March. Committee members are responsible for specific tasks related to the festival.

Twin Cities Veg Fest is a one-day event focused on vegan food and outreach. The goal is to attract at least 5,500 people during the course of the day. The event includes exhibitors, speakers, and entertainment.

General Requirements and Responsibilities

Everyone on the committee needs to have strong organizational skills with the ability to keep track of many tasks over several months. All committee and sub-committee members need to have basic computer skills and be comfortable using email and other online tools. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are also required.

Committee members are expected to attend three to four whole group committee meetings, document and report on the progress of their tasks, and respond to group communication on a regular basis. Subcommittee members will have the same responsibilities but will attend fewer meetings.

Typically, the time commitment ramps up over the course of the planning period. Initially, it will require two to three hours per week. Later, the time requirement may increase to four to six hours per week. The last few weeks before the festival may require as much as five to ten hours per week. This time commitment varies based on requirements of the specific role.

Committee Positions

Committee Chair

The Committee Chair will do the following:

  • Know everything about the event
  • Know what needs to gets done when and what is most important to do at any time during the planning
  • Make sure the entire committee is on track for success
  • Create timelines and to-do lists for every step of the event, including planning, day-of, and post-event tasks
  • Assign tasks (with due dates) to committee members or other volunteers as appropriate
  • Check in with committee members on a regular basis to make sure that they have all the resources they need to complete their tasks
  • Create meeting agendas
  • Schedule meetings and send meeting reminders as needed
  • Facilitate meetings

The Committee Chair must be a detail-oriented, responsible person with excellent written and verbal communication skills. They need to be able to keep track of both short-term and long-term plans simultaneously, and they need to be willing to pitch in to help as needed.

The Committee Chair’s workload will be fairly consistent. Closer to the event, the work will ramp up, especially if unexpected things happen.

Assistants to the Chair (2 positions available)

These subcommittee members will take on tasks assigned to them by the chair. They will also coordinate supplies. Their duties will include the following:

  • Assist in the ordering of t-shirts, and checking the order
  • Arrange for printing, distribution, and collection of surveys
  • Assist the executive director in survey follow-up
    • editing forms to tabulate results
    • sharing of results,
    • adding to email list
    • contacting interested volunteers
  • Purchase raffle prizes for surveys
  • Distribute raffle prizes for survey
  • Take inventory of festival supplies stored at the CAA community space
  • Arrange for the purchase of supplies as needed
  • Work with the committee to make sure that all necessary supplies are brought to the festival and properly distributed
  • Assist the executive director in supply organization after the festival
  • Assist the chair in other duties as assigned

The Assistants should be a well-organized, detail-oriented people who are comfortable with spreadsheets. The assistants will need to attend general committee meetings.

Food Vendor Coordinator

The Food Vendor Coordinator must have excellent written and verbal communication skills with an understanding of commercial sales, including an idea of what target sponsors and exhibitors most value. They must be comfortable with phone and in-person outreach to potential exhibitors. They should also be capable of conduction comprehensive online research in order to successfully identify the greatest number of potential sponsors and exhibitors.

The Food Vendor Coordinator will do the following:

  • Recruit food vendors to sell on site vegan meals. We seek to provide a wide variety of cuisines, and to ensure representation from diverse communities.
    • Create exhibitor recruitment materials based on past templates
    • Coordinate outreach to potential exhibitors based on past templates using mass emails, personal emails, phone calls, and some in-person visits
  • Use an online system to ensure food vendors provide any materials needed, including text and logos for the event website and exhibitor fee (often requiring multiple interactions with each exhibitor)
  • Ensure that electricity needs for food vendors are met
  • Make sure that food exhibitors are aware of guidelines
  • Coordinate shipping exhibitor supplies from/to food exhibitors as needed
  • Thank food exhibitors after the event and ask them to provide feedback for us on their experience
  • Be the primary point of contact for all food exhibitors on the day of the event, and assist in leading the load-in and load out processes
  • Help develop special offerings such as a “fast pass” and samples in collaboration with the chairs and executive director

Exhibitor Recruitment Coordinator

The Exhibitor Recruitment Coordinator must have excellent written and verbal communication skills with an understanding of commercial sales, including an idea of what target sponsors and exhibitors most value. They must be comfortable with phone and in-person outreach to potential exhibitors. They should also be capable of conduction comprehensive online research in order to successfully identify the greatest number of potential sponsors and exhibitors.

The time commitment for this position will be more extensive in the first few months of planning for the festival.

  • Recruit exhibitors to sell or distribute pre-packaged food, clothing, art, information, or other goods. We seek to provide a wide variety of vegan and/or animal friendly exhibitors for attendees to browse, and to ensure representation from diverse communities.
    • Create exhibitor recruitment materials based on past templates
    • Coordinate outreach to potential exhibitors based on past templates using mass emails, personal emails, phone calls, and some in-person visits
  • Use an online system to ensure food vendors provide any materials needed, including text and logos for the event website and exhibitor fee (often requiring multiple interactions with each exhibitor)
  • Ensure that electricity needs for food vendors are met
  • Make sure that food exhibitors are aware of guidelines
  • Coordinate shipping exhibitor supplies from/to food exhibitors as needed
  • Thank food exhibitors after the event and ask them to provide feedback for us on their experience
  • Be the primary point of contact for all food exhibitors on the day of the event, and assist in leading the load-in and load out processes
  • Help develop special offerings such as a “fast pass” and samples in collaboration with the chairs and executive director

Media Outreach Coordinator

The Media Outreach Coordinator will do the following:

  • Collect contact information for local media and relevant blogs
  • Write and distribute press releases to all relevant media
  • Get the event listed in local calendars, both online and in print
  • Be the first point of contact for the media (though it’s fine to send requests for interviews to another committee member as appropriate)

The Media Outreach Coordinator must be a good writer who can develop interesting tactics for getting media attention. They must also be capable of online research to identify local media outlets and the contact info for them.

The Media Outreach Coordinator will be most busy a few months before the festival, since it’s not effective to do media outreach too far in advance of the event. However, research for this outreach should start at least six months before the festival date.

Advertising Coordinator

The Advertising Coordinator will do the following:

  • Work with a graphic designer to create advertising materials (alternatively, the Advertising Coordinator can do the design themselves if they have the skills to do so)
  • Research advertising opportunities in local media, blogs, Facebook, and Google (includes gathering requirements, costs, and deadlines for all these forms of advertising; may be shared with the logistics coordinator)

The Advertising Coordinator should be familiar with modern graphic design tools and formats to communicate clearly with a graphic designer, print shops, and online ad hosts. They also must be a very clear communicator, able to clearly articulate requirements, especially when working with an external graphic designer.

The Advertising Coordinator will focus on coordinating designing and printing at first, and then shift focus to the distribution of printed materials.

Advertising Logistics Coordinator

The Advertising Logistics Coordinator will do the following:

  • Organize the distribution of print materials, such as flyers and posters (requires identifying the best places to distribute materials, working with volunteers to distribute the materials, and keeping track of where materials have already been placed)
  • Researching advertising opportunities in local media, blogs, and on Facebook and Google (includes gathering requirements, costs, and deadlines for all these forms of advertising, as directed by the advertising coordinator, committee chair, or executive director)

Social Media Coordinator

The Social Media Coordinator will do the following:

  • Create an overall social media plan and communicate that plan to social media team members, tracking overall social media performance
  • Manage the Twin Cities Veg Fest Facebook page, creating and posting content as well as sharing related content
  • Coordinate social media efforts to engage directly with bloggers, sponsors, exhibitors, and other interested parties (with the goal to have them share and comment on the Twin Cities Veg Fest content)

The Social Media Coordinator should be a good writer who understands how each of the relevant social media sites works. Ideally, they will be online often enough to effectively engage in discussion on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Social Media Coordinator will be more busy as the festival approaches. The frequency of social media posting can start at just once a week about six months before the festival, and it should gradually ramp up to every day in the last few weeks before the festival.

Festival Logistics Coordinator

The Festival Logistics Coordinator will do the following:

  • Arrange for parking as directed by the chair or executive director
  • Arrange for shuttle buses as directed by the chair or executive director
  • Create clear exhibitor guidelines for ALL exhibitors based on past templates
  • Write clear exhibitor instructions for ALL exhibitors that identify where and when to unload and load, where to set up their exhibit, how many attendees to expect, etc.
  • Communicate extensively with the Food and Sponsorship coordinators
  • Plan the festival layout to make sure that all exhibitors get what they need, including the correct number of tables and access to electricity if needed
  • Create a map of festival layout
  • Work with the venue and vendors on electrical and equipment needs
  • Work with the venue to coordinate waste management
  • Work with the committee on the event layout and electrical needs for exhibitors
  • Work with the Speaker Coordinator and Cooking Demo Coordinator to make sure that the venue meets our needs
  • Plan signage as appropriate for the venue

Festival Electrician

The festival electrician works with the logistics coordinator to ensure that electrical needs of exhibitors are met. This position begins work in August.

  • Ensure all permits are received
  • Review electrical needs of exhibitors and rent equipment needed to meet their needs
  • Assist with electrical set up in the day(s) prior to the festival
  • Assist with connectivity and electrical safety on the day of the festival

Exhibitor Recruitment Coordinator

The Exhibitor Recruitment Coordinator will do the following:

  • Make sure non-food exhibitors (such as animal advocacy groups and vendors of dry goods) provide any materials needed, including text and logos for the event website and exhibitor fee (often requiring multiple interactions with each exhibitor)
  • Make sure that non-food exhibitors are aware of guidelines
  • Coordinate shipping exhibitor table supplies from/to non-food exhibitors as needed
  • Thank non-food exhibitors after the event and ask them to provide feedback for us on their experience
  • Identify potential non-food exhibitors, including national and local businesses and  organizations
  • Create exhibitor recruitment materials based on past templates
  • Coordinate outreach to potential exhibitors based on past templates using mass emails, personal emails, phone calls, and some in-person visits (working with at least two other volunteers)
  • Be the primary point of contact for all non-food exhibitors on the day of the event

The Exhibitor Recruitment Coordinator must have excellent written and verbal communication skills with an understanding of commercial sales, including an idea of what target sponsors and exhibitors most value. They must be comfortable with phone and in-person outreach to potential exhibitors. They should also be capable of conduction comprehensive online research in order to successfully identify the greatest number of potential sponsors and exhibitors.

The time commitment for this position will be more extensive in the first few months of planning for the festival.

Exhibitor Support

The Exhibitor Support will provide support to the Exhibitor Recruitment Coordinator as needed and should possess many of the same skills. This subcommittee member will not need to attend committee meetings.

The Sponsorship Coordinator will do the following:

  • Identify potential sponsors and exhibitors, including national and local business, using leads provided by CAA
  • Working off of past templates, create sponsor and exhibitor recruitment materials (including  a persuasive single sheet prospectus outlining the benefits of sponsorship or exhibiting)
  • Coordinate outreach to potential sponsors and exhibitors using mass emails, personal emails, phone calls, and some in-person visits (working with at least two other people)
  • Coordinate with other committee members to ensure sponsors receive all benefits, such as advertising and social media mentions
  • Follow up with festival sponsors to collect the information needed to include them on the event website, including a blurb, website link, and logo
  • Ask sponsors to fill out the exhibitor application form if they are planning to exhibit
  • Follow up with sponsors to collect any additional materials, such as items for putting into swag bags or ads for programs (multiple email reminders may be required)
  • Make sure that the volunteers coordinating the bag stuffing are aware of what sponsor materials need to go in the bags
  • Ensure that sponsors have all materials they need (tables, chairs, etc.) on the day of the event
  • Thank sponsors after the event and ask them to provide feedback on their experience

The Sponsorship Logistics Coordinator must have excellent writing skills, as most of the communication with sponsors will be through email.

This process begins in October, many months before the festival. This Sponsorship Logistics Coordinator is also responsible for sending a number of reminders to the sponsors as the event approaches.

Sponsorship Subcommittee Member

The Sponsorship Subcommittee Member assists the Sponsorship Coordinator in recruiting sponsorships and making the event great for sponsors throughout the process.

Volunteer Coordinator

The Volunteer Coordinator will do the following:

  • Determine how many volunteers are needed for every aspect of the festival, including pre-event, day-of, and post-event tasks
  • Update descriptions for each position
  • Create a complete schedule for all volunteer shifts, noting where shift leaders are needed and determining how many volunteers are needed for each position
  • Recruit and schedule volunteer leaders through individual emails and phone calls
  • Arrange for each volunteer leader to receive the training they need through either a phone call or an in-person meeting with the volunteer coordinator or another committee member
  • Recruit volunteers for all positions through mass emails and social media posts, as well as individual emails, phone calls, and text messages
  • Assign interested volunteers to positions based on their availability, skills, and preferences
  • Along with other committee members, check volunteers in as they arrive on the day of the festival, direct them to their volunteer leader, and give them a Twin Cities Veg Fest t-shirt (if appropriate)

The Volunteer Coordinator should be a friendly, well-organized person who is comfortable reaching out to people directly. They should be good at working with others on the committee to compile volunteer instructions. They will also need to have excellent verbal communication skills in order to effectively train volunteer leaders and direct volunteers when they arrive at the festival.

The time commitment for this position becomes more extensive in the last three months before the festival.

Volunteer Support (2 positions)

The volunteer support team assists the coordinator in responding to volunteer inquiries, keeping updated records, and providing volunteer support on the day of the festival.

Speaker Coordinator

The Speaker Coordinator will do the following:

  • Research and recruit speakers to speak at the event through mass emails, personal emails, and possibly phone calls
  • Work with speakers to come to a mutually acceptable agreement regarding travel reimbursement and speaking fees
  • Make sure speakers know when and where they are speaking
  • Help speakers coordinate travel if they are coming from out of state (finding volunteers to take them to and from the local airport, train station, or bus station)
  • Make sure the speaker room has the appropriate A/V equipment
  • Make sure speakers know what equipment they are expected to provide

The Speaker Coordinator should be a friendly person who is well organized and comfortable contacting well-known figures in the animal advocacy community.

The beginning stages involve recruiting and vetting speakers. Closer to the event, the position includes arranging for travel and other logistics.

Webmaster

The webmaster will do the following:

  • Keep the event website updated, coordinating with other committee members to identify what changes are needed
  • Add new sponsors and exhibitors to the website in a timely manner, ideally at least once a week

The Webmaster should be comfortable with content management systems like WordPress. Basic HTML and CSS experience is also extremely helpful.

This position has a moderate time commitment. The Webmaster will be most busy when first launching the site (six to nine months before the festival date) and then again in the last month leading up to the event, updating the exhibitor and sponsor listings.

Cooking Demo Coordinator

The Cooking Demo Coordinator will do the following:

  • Research and recruit chefs to speak at the event through mass emails, personal emails, and possibly phone calls
  • Work with chefs to come to a mutually acceptable agreement regarding travel reimbursement and speaking fees
  • Make sure chefs know when and where they are doing their demo
  • Help chefs coordinate travel if they are coming from out of state (finding volunteers to take them to and from the local airport, train station, and bus station)
  • Make sure the chef room has the appropriate equipment, including a station for preparation as well as video projection so the audience can see what the chef is doing
  • Make sure chefs know what equipment, ingredients, supplies, and pre-made samples they are expected to provide (CAA will provide basic equipment, including knives, cutting boards, and bowls)
  • On the day of the festival, coordinate volunteers to prepare food, distribute samples, and assist with the chefs as needed

The Cooking Demo Coordinator should be a friendly person who is well organized and comfortable contacting well-known figures in the vegan food community.

The Cooking Demo Coordinator will start with recruitment and getting materials (such as photos of the chefs) from the chefs for promotions. Closer to the festival, their focus will be on presentation details and securing on-site equipment.

CAA Tables Coordinator

The CAA Tables Coordinator will do the following:

  • Plan the CAA information, pay-per-view, virtual reality, and food giveaway tables, including volunteer instructions, supplies, layout, based on past templates
  • Work with the Volunteer Coordinator to ensure volunteers are recruited for the table
  • Work with the Supplies Coordinator to make sure that we have the necessary supplies for the tables
  • Manage these tables on the day of the event

The CAA Tables Coordinator should be a friendly, well-organized person who is good at leading volunteers.

The person who fills this position does not need to come to more than one planning meeting. This position is substantially less work than most other positions.

Waste Coordinator

The Waste Coordinator will do the following:

  • Come up with a plan for minimizing waste, focusing on effective composting and recycling
  • Work with the Venue Coordinator on waste management
  • Work with the Exhibitor Logistics Coordinator to make sure that exhibitors bring compostable items
  • Come up with a day of plan to ensure that compost and recycling are not mixed or contaminated

Accessibility and Welcome Coordinator

  • Ensure that festival grounds, parking, and activities are accessible to people with disabilities
  • Ensure that the festival is welcoming to people from a range of demographic groups from the Twin Cities
  • Review and gather feedback from community members
  • Work with other committee members to create plans and/or policies that will create accessibility and welcome

The Accessibility and Welcome Coordinator should be a friendly person who is well organized and has contacts, or is willing to  make contacts, with diverse figures in the community.

Community Building Coordinator

  • Create a plan for community building activities at Twin Cities Veg Fest that support CAA’s strategic goals
  • Recruit and support leaders for these activities
  • Identify what volunteer support may be needed for these activities
  • Identify what materials will be needed to support activities
  • Arrange for needed materials to be at the festival
  • Support the outdoor games coordinator

The Community Building Coordinator should be a friendly person who is well organized and has contacts, or is willing to make contacts, with diverse figures in the community.

The Community Building Coordinator will start with planning and recruitment. Closer to the festival, their focus will be on presentation details and securing on-site equipment.

Outdoor Games Coordinator

The Outdoor Games Coordinator assists the Community Building Coordinator through the organization of outdoor games.

The concert coordinator should have previous experience in organizing an outdoor concert. They need to be organized, willing to document their work, and comfortable spearheading a new project.

Family Area Coordinator

The family area coordinator will plan and lead children’s activities, including art and games, for children and their grown-ups. Activities will fit the festival theme.

  • Plan activities
  • Create supply list
  • Purchase materials as needed (will be reimbursed)
  • Create activity timeline
  • Provide leadership of activities and direction for support volunteers on the day of the festival

If you’re interested in joining the planning committee, please contact Nathan Gaut and Lillie Gardner, co-chairs, at [email protected].

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