Home Oakley Citing Financial Issues, Oakley Chamber Cancels Almond Festival… Again!

Citing Financial Issues, Oakley Chamber Cancels Almond Festival… Again!

by ECT

Oakley Chamber

For the second time in as many years, the Oakley Chamber of Commerce has cancelled its Almond Festival citing financial issues. The following was posted on the Chamber Website on June 5 which was written by Chamber President Sallie Goetsch.

Here is a look at the letter.

About the Almond Festival

Many people have been asking recently about the Oakley Almond Festival. Because the Chamber of Commerce was one of the main sponsors we would like to update the residents of Oakley on the status. Sadly, we will not be holding the Almond Festival this year.

The Almond Fest in its familiar form came to an end because it was no longer possible to get the carnival, and the rides were the biggest attraction. The carnival pulled out of the 2011 Almond Fest at the last minute, leaving the Chamber in an awkward financial position and the citizens with a disappointing event.

There’s also been some debate as to whether “Almond Fest” represents who we are as a city and a chamber. Older residents feel nostalgia for the almonds; newer residents may never have seen an almond tree in Oakley. The primary crop grown in Oakley for the past several decades has been grapes; hence the new “Water and Wine” theme the City is pursuing. Yet, with only one small winery actually located in Oakley, we’re not ready for a full-scale wine festival.

The City of Oakley will be holding its new Heart of Oakley Festival downtown on Main Street on September 14th, 2013–approximately the time of year at which the Almond Fest normally took place. The Chamber of Commerce is one of the sponsors of the Heart of Oakley Festival and will be providing the Beer and Wine Garden, offering wines made from Oakley grapes.

This should not be taken to mean that the Heart of Oakley Festival is a replacement for the Almond Festival. Heart of Oakley is essentially a City event. Admission is free and revenue from booth rentals goes to the City.

We’d love to hear your suggestions for an event to replace the Almond Fest—one that would attract locals, out-of-town visitors, and vendors. Please contact me at [email protected].

With Appreciation,
Sallie Goetsch
Chamber President
[email protected]

While I can appreciate Ms. Goetsch candidness of the event being cancelled, unfortunately, a pattern is beginning to show of the Chamber not being able to achieve much in terms of funds being raised or participation in events. This is now the fourth event cancelled in less than twelve months while I am hearing the Citizen of the Year Dinner is also on thin ice.

  • 2012 Almond Festival
  • 2012 Citizen of the Year
  • 2013 Poker Tournament
  • 2013 Almond Festival

The bigger issue now for the Chamber is the explanation we got last year from then President Doug Scheer who stated they “tabled” the event to work with the City of Oakley to bring it back strong and better–well that didn’t happen.  Here is what Scheer said last February.

Almost Festival

It is with mixed emotions the Oakley Chamber of Commerce has decided to table the 2012 Almond Festival.  Our mission during this year is two-fold:  increase our membership and strengthen our support of the members.  We have already started the process by working more closely with the City and feel this union will make us stronger and better able to serve the business community.  We will be joining forces with the City to improve the 2013 Oakley Almond Festival and plan to combine the redevelopment of Main Street with the Almond Festival location.  We will keep you updated on our website as they become available.  If you would like to be involved in the planning of the 2013 Almond Festival, please feel free to call our Chamber office at 925-625-1035 and we’d be happy to place your contact information on a list for the future.

Thank you for your understanding and support!

So for over a year, whether it be poor planning, lack of leadership, city roadblocks, or whatever else,  an event that could be wonderful again had no movement or urgency. Citing “lack of finances” is the easy way out because the truth is they never even brought it up to the city council to announce that planning was occurring, looking for the public’s help and in need of event sponsors.  The money was always there, they simply didn’t figure out how to get it–heck, Brentwood loaned $41k for CornFest so in theory the City of Oakley could have thrown in at least $10k for the event in one form or another.

Ultimately, if finances are the issue, start small and build it up over the course of a few years.  The event doesn’t have to be on the same level as say CornFest in Brentwood.  Figure out a draw and run with it by creating real value for sponsors, vendors, and participant as it doesn’t have to be complex.  Provide kid friendly atmosphere and throw in local produce, wine and brewery booths for the adults enjoyment.

The sad part is I am hearing multiple versions as to why the event is cancelled which comes down to a game of finger pointing to blame gets us anywhere. Cancelling the event only hurts the reputation going forward and the Chamber needs to break its pattern of cancelled events sooner rather than later by changing its tone and approach towards events.

If either the City or Chamber are serious about an event in 2014, its time to start planning now or simply hand it over to a citizen group that will make it happen.

If a citizen committee in Antioch can bring back fireworks in a troubled town, surely  Oakley residents can put on an enjoyable festival that the kids could at least enjoy.

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3 comments

JimSimmons42 Jun 11, 2013 - 7:54 am

More proof Chambers are a thing of the past. City of Oakley sure didn’t do them any favors on this one.

Julio-Antioch Jun 11, 2013 - 4:40 pm

Antioch Chamber has had a few terrible years and has reinvented itself. Years ago the chamber gave us the River Town Jamboree. It was great fun just as was the Corn Fest and the Almond Fest but their time has passed. Even the Walnut Festival in Walnut Creek is no longer what it was when I was a child. As these wonderful cities have grown it is time to put aside some of these things and start anew.

ME Jun 11, 2013 - 10:43 pm

Really sad they don’t think almonds are what Oakley is about. Yes newer people to Oakley might not know that but that is history. Oakley started changing when we became a city and not for the good. Low income housing, poor money planning, trying to make Oakley a wine city as if they think we are Blackhawk. Most people moved to Oakley for the small older town feeling but it looks like the city has decided we need to be something more. Very disappointed with her letter and the city not trying to represent Oakley as it was. A wine festival makes no sense we are not a high scale city and if I wanted to live in one I would. Growth is good but keep Oakley as a nice country city. We even have more crime than ever before very sad to see the city I grew up in and still live in be changing for the worse. I stayed here wanting to raise my kids in what I was but that is not he case.

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