GENERAL BACKGROUND
Avon is centrally located in the heart of the Vail Valley and is the entryway to world renowned Beaver Creek Resort.  Eight miles west of Vail on the I-70 corridor, Avon is an unpretentious, small-town that connects the shared values of both its residents and visitors creating a one-of-a-kind place to visit, work, grow a business, raise a family and play in a spectacular outdoor setting. With 6,500 year-round residents, plus another 3,500 part-time residents, Avon offers those looking for vibrant and inspiring Rocky Mountain experiences a comfortable community to recreate and enjoy the vast and rich cultural offerings of the region.
 
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Town of Avon is interested in seeding and supporting special events and festivals at its recently completed Performance Pavilion (Pavilion) located at Nottingham Park and/or Possibility Plaza and the Main Street Mall (P/MSM) located in the Town’s central core.  It is the Town’s desire that one or more special events or festivals evolve into signature events which Avon will become known for outside of the Vail Valley.
 
The objectives of special events and festivals in the Town of Avon are: 

• Enhance the cultural fabric of the community
• Provide  economic vitality to the Town
• Produce high quality events
• Forecast a horizon for growth and notoriety
• Support the goal of producer profitability within 3-years
• Becomes over time, synonymous with “Avon” and is of signature quality 

Performance Pavilion:   The Pavilion was completed in January, 2015, and is the crown jewel of Avon’s cultural and arts facilities. An exquisite outdoor community amenity, the $3.8 million Pavilion is designed to host music festivals, orchestral performances, concert series, dance, theater, art exhibits/festivals, social engagements (both public and private), and an array of potential cultural events, including but not limited events such as  a writer’s conference.   Located on Nottingham Lake, the Pavilion joins the Main Street Mall, Library, Recreation Center, Avon Elementary School and Destination Jump, Splash Learn (a new playground planned for integration into the lake-side environment), in Avon’s developing creative arts zone in the core of west Avon. 

• The dominant feature of the Pavilion is a 25’x45’ stage, which is sized large enough to accommodate dance companies, theater, a 60-piece orchestra as well as a spectrum of acoustic and electric bands.
• A large cantilevered event terrace over Nottingham Lake provides a spectacular outdoor gathering space, which comfortably seats 200 guests. 
• The Green Room, which is approximately 385 sq. ft. and positioned stage left, will support space for theater production demands and provide set-up space for events, which can include weddings, receptions, lectures and private gatherings.
• Open lawn seating can accommodate up to 5,000 attendees. 

Possibility Plaza & the Main Street Mall:  The P/MSM, completed in the late fall of 2014, is a meandering walkway centrally located and serving as a main pedestrian thoroughfare between Avon Road and the Performance Pavilion.  The P/MSM was designed to host an array of small scale events such as arts festivals, acoustic music and farmer’s markets.  The P/MSM is home to Avon’s collection of world-renowned bronze sculptures peppered throughout the length of the walkway. 

• Possibility Plaza is the dominant performance setting on the P/MSM.  It is a circular multi-purpose plaza surrounded by radial stone walls around the perimeter and home to “Possibilities” - a large bronze sculpture which identifies the P/MSM entrance and can be seen from Avon Road.  Possibility Plaza can accommodate gatherings up to 1,500 attendees.
• Lettuce Shed Lane is a second half-circular multi-purpose plaza and gathering space and the location of the Strong Adherence, a 65’ x 35’ mural created by local artist Carrie Fell. 
• Special plantings, interpretative educational areas and park benches round out the final touches.
• Flanking the P/MSM is the newly constructed Wyndham property, Avon Transit and a mixture of restaurant and retail.

 
New Events:  The Town welcomes a variety of event and festival concepts, including but not limited to the following opportunities:
 
Pavilion Venue                                              

• Theatre                                                                                                        
• Symphony and/or Orchestral                                                                 
• Major music concert or Festival (Rock-n-Roll, Latino inspired, Jazz and/or Country are of particular interest)
• Wine and/or Beer Festivals
• Sport Events
• Culinary Events
• Production of local programs, for example open mike, battle of the bands type, poetry slams or other

 
P/MSM Venue

• Fine Arts Festival
• Summer Farmer’s Market  and/or Farm-to-Table Setting
• Seasonal  Markets, including a Winter Market which would occur during the Birds of Prey World Cup and any number of succeeding weekends
• Live Music and Markets
• October Fest Activities
• Production of local programs, for example open mike, battle of the bands type, poetry slams or other 

Events may be multi-day weekend events or organized into a weekly series.  Ticketed or non-ticketed events are welcome. 
 
Seed Funding:  The Town of Avon has reserved funds to assist in seeding signature events and will be soliciting detailed proposals from proven outdoor venue producers upon thorough review of a submitted Statement of Qualifications and Concept Proposals.  Awards over the past two years have ranged from $6,000 to $125,000 for one-day to three-day events.  The awards have included single day, ticketed tasting events; two-day, free culinary events; three-day, ticketed music festivals; two-day, participatory events; and, single-day, free community events.
 
The Town of Avon has often supported festivals and events through the negotiation of in-kind services including but not limited to the following:
 

• Event fencing (barricade style)
• Power and distribution assets
• Police support for security personnel if applicable
• Transit from parking lots if applicable

 

• Tables, chairs and banner locations for advertising
• 10 x 10 tents
• Access to volunteer staffing
• Alcohol perimeter signage