Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce: Events

Project Summary:

Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce enlisted Big Buzz Idea Group to launch its Square Roots street festival, a unique event it hosts in partnership with the Old Town School of Folk Music. Throughout the year-long process, the Big Buzz team planned and executed the large-scale event, managed relationships, and kept two different organizations on track and moving in the same direction.

When the Chamber of Commerce started to see the impact Big Buzz had on its bottom line, the executive director looked to expand their relationship. The organization’s Apple Fest event had grown to the point they could no longer manage it in-house—and they wanted to continue growing it. Big Buzz took on the contracts, logistics, and all the behind-the-scenes while the organization worked on recruiting vendors.

Project Results:

Square Roots is the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce’s largest event and now accounts for a significant portion of its income. Apple Fest has expanded from a one-day event to a two-day event, doubled in attendance from 15,000 people to about 30,000 people, and in the first year alone produced a revenue increase from $8,000 to $40,000. While the revenue from Square Roots is larger, Apple Fest surpassed the attendance of Square Roots and has become a well-loved event with a robust donation rate. The profitability of these events has had a significant impact on the organization as a whole, making it possible to grow the staff from 2.5 people to five

Testimonial:

“In the years we’ve worked together, Big Buzz has listened to our needs and helped us continue to evolve and grow while making sure we stay true to our mission. While other companies may have a blueprint for how they do things, Big Buzz creates a plan based on your organization’s unique needs. That’s one of their strengths.”

Rudy Flores

Executive Director