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Danville officials will look to build on the success of last month’s “Gilmore Girls”-themed Flannel and Foliage festival, which drew visitors from as far away as Australia and Germany, as they consider future town events.
The Town Council is set to hear a recap of the event, which transformed the town into the show’s fictional setting of Stars Hollow, at its Wednesday meeting, rescheduled from Election Day.
Town Manager Tai Williams will deliver the update as part of her monthly report to the council. She called the event, which took place Oct. 23-25, a “wildly successful debut” that “far exceeded expectations.”
“For many of these guests, the festival served as their first-ever visit to Danville — and throughout the weekend, town staff heard visitors speak with genuine wonderment about how quaint, walkable and welcoming the community is,” Williams wrote in her report.
First-time visitors to the town made up approximately a third of event attendees, according to pre-event data from event organizer Small Town Ventures. Danville residents made up 20% of pre-registered attendees surveyed, and just over half of those who attended the festival had previously visited Danville.
The event filled downtown restaurants and shops throughout the weekend, Williams said, with some businesses reporting more transactions in two hours than they typically complete in a full day. She called the event the “‘Meet me in Danville’ strategy come fully to life.”
“The weekend demonstrated — with real visitor volume and real sales — that Danville has the character, the facilities and the regional appeal to serve as the setting for destination-caliber events,” Williams wrote, adding that the town accomplished that without a single street closure.
The festival’s “ingredients for success” included a unifying theme with a large following, festival activities inside local businesses, a well-organized event promoter and audience alignment with the town’s character and offerings, Williams said.
“Looking forward, the goal will be to replicate small- and medium-sized events that share these same core ingredients — expanding Danville’s calendar of destination-caliber experiences in a way that is sustainable, repeatable and consistent with the town’s broader economic development strategy,” Williams said.
Williams is also expected to update the council on e-bike safety, Sycamore Valley Road improvements and work on the Diablo Road Trail as part of her report.
The Danville Town Council is set to meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday (Nov. 4). The agenda is available here.
In other business
*The council is set to issue proclamations recognizing longtime resident Alice Kalin’s 104th birthday and Nov. 4 as Shelter-in-Place Education Day.
*Vice Mayor Robert Storer will provide a school district liaison report.
*The council will convene a meeting of the Danville Disaster Council, during which Emergency Services Manager Nate McCormack will present a report on emergency preparedness activities.
