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Bigbid

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During the off season, we are always looking to create our own events to bring people into the City.
For a couple of years, we had 6 or 7 local Inns combine and do a Christmas Cookie Tour. People received either a treat or ornament at each inn while touring. We advertised it to our guests during our high season and quite a few did come. It is a lot of work. $5.00 at the door went to cover cost and remainder charity.
Years ago a B&B marketing person told a group of us about a town back east that has a B&B progressive dinner. Once a year 3 inns combine and 5 nights a week for 2 weeks do an outside catered progressive dinner. If I remember right, 50 people (150 combined) ate salads at the same time at each Inn and toured. Then they all switched Inns and had a main course. Switched again for dessert. The city was outside a larger city to allow for a good draw. I remember the amount of profit for each Inn at the end of 2 weeks was substantial but I do not remember the details. I want to say it was $40 a person with a profit of $20 after catering expenses. Multiply that out and it is $10,000.00 per Inn for 2 weeks. This did not count rooms booked or the residual exposure of 1500 people viewing your Inn during a shoulder season. It was so popular they had a waiting list. Does anyone know where this is?
Also, if you have done or know of other events designed just for Inns, could you share?
 
Do you mean that there were 50 at one inn at a time? If so where did they put them and how big were the inns. That is over whelming.
 
Do you mean that there were 50 at one inn at a time? If so where did they put them and how big were the inns. That is over whelming..
It's a great idea if everyone puts in the same amount of effort into planning. Unfortunately we can't do that here as our County only allows us to serve breakfast.
Riki
 
Do you mean that there were 50 at one inn at a time? If so where did they put them and how big were the inns. That is over whelming..
It's a great idea if everyone puts in the same amount of effort into planning. Unfortunately we can't do that here as our County only allows us to serve breakfast.
Riki
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We can only serve breakfast too but if you have it catered you can serve other things. I think this is what they did. That would be the only way to go.
 
Do you mean that there were 50 at one inn at a time? If so where did they put them and how big were the inns. That is over whelming..
It's a great idea if everyone puts in the same amount of effort into planning. Unfortunately we can't do that here as our County only allows us to serve breakfast.
Riki
.
We can only serve breakfast too but if you have it catered you can serve other things. I think this is what they did. That would be the only way to go.
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Of course we would use a caterer at any rate - we are working enough hours.
But - our beloved county only allows one license per locations. Knowing this, I licensed only the main floor of my b&b so when we finish the walk out basement I will have a function room with a big picture window of the vineyard which I will be able to purchase a day license to hold functions which would allow me to have a contractor.
I doubt any other B&Bs in my area have a separate room which they could use which is not already under their B&B license.
Of course, you could get around it possibly by having the caterer apply for the day function license, but I would not count on the County not allowing it in the B&B.
So we cannot do any kind of inn-to-inn that would entail anything more than probably cookies or packaged snacks. But I intend to do wine dinners in the future with my function room.
RIki
 
Our health dept. would not permit us to do any dinner events like you suggest...only breakfast. We did a Christmas Open House Tour for several years. It was very nice and successful until no one wanted to do all the prep and publicity..so it finally died a natural death. I enjoyed it but ended up doing most of the work myself the last year and so after that I felt taken advantage of and since no one else stepped up..that was it. Never did another group event after that and it has been 8 years. Our innkeepers just don't care to do things like this....new turnover...and most just keep to themselves now. SAD :-(
 
Our health dept. would not permit us to do any dinner events like you suggest...only breakfast. We did a Christmas Open House Tour for several years. It was very nice and successful until no one wanted to do all the prep and publicity..so it finally died a natural death. I enjoyed it but ended up doing most of the work myself the last year and so after that I felt taken advantage of and since no one else stepped up..that was it. Never did another group event after that and it has been 8 years. Our innkeepers just don't care to do things like this....new turnover...and most just keep to themselves now. SAD :-(.
We are planning an Artisan's Open House for the first Saturday after Thanksgiving next year. It's to give all the local artists a venue in which to sell their wares before the holidays. It will be free to the public but we will receive 10% from each sale. We'll serve hot mulled cider and cookies and probably have someone playing Christmas music in the background. We can probably comfortably set up for 15 artists on the first floor. Also, they will collectively pay for any advertising. It's a win-win.
 
Our health dept. would not permit us to do any dinner events like you suggest...only breakfast. We did a Christmas Open House Tour for several years. It was very nice and successful until no one wanted to do all the prep and publicity..so it finally died a natural death. I enjoyed it but ended up doing most of the work myself the last year and so after that I felt taken advantage of and since no one else stepped up..that was it. Never did another group event after that and it has been 8 years. Our innkeepers just don't care to do things like this....new turnover...and most just keep to themselves now. SAD :-(.
We are planning an Artisan's Open House for the first Saturday after Thanksgiving next year. It's to give all the local artists a venue in which to sell their wares before the holidays. It will be free to the public but we will receive 10% from each sale. We'll serve hot mulled cider and cookies and probably have someone playing Christmas music in the background. We can probably comfortably set up for 15 artists on the first floor. Also, they will collectively pay for any advertising. It's a win-win.
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Great idea! Wish I had space to do something - oh well, I actually am happy with what I have. It is an idea for something for my City to do. Hmm, we could use the Council Chambers AND the Admin office - they are only a block apart - and I am in the middle so we could do an open house for the Lord;s Pantry again. Thanks for the idea. We have several artisans in town.
 
Do you mean that there were 50 at one inn at a time? If so where did they put them and how big were the inns. That is over whelming..
It was 50 at a time but it is catered and in the back or front yards of the Inns. The guests can tour the inns but eat outside. We can only serve breakfast in our city but we can have anything catered.
 
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