Sumner Downtown Association Seeks Sponsors for Beloved Summer Events

The success of popular summer events in Sumner including Rhubarb Days, the Sumner Arts Festival and the Classy Chassis Car Show rests heavily on community support in the form of sponsorships, and the recent shuffling around of some past sponsors who have since pulled out has prompted Sumner Downtown Association (SDA) Program Manager Laurie Miller to seek additional assistance.

"We understand the economy is tough still, and as businesses refine the kinds of opportunities that they would like to get involved in, we hope they'd keep their community as one of them," she said.

Sponsors are currently sought for all three major events put on by the SDA, a separate entity from the city of Sumner:

Rhubarb Days (July 13 and July 14)

• Major sponsorship: $2,500*
• Mini sponsorships:
  • $50 to support about six children's games
  • $500 for the stage

Sumner Arts Festival (August 2 through August 4)

• Major sponsorship: $3,000*
• More sponsorships: $1,000 for the state

Classy Chassis Car Show (August 18)

• Major sponsorship: $2,000*
• Mini sponsorships: 25 trophies at $25 each

*Major sponsorships includes print and online exposure via SDA advertising in three major national publications: Sunset Magazine, Northwest Travel and AAA Journey with a collective audience of more than 1 million readers.

The SDA has invested $8,000 for this advertising opportunity for its sponsors, and Miller said she hopes businesses will take advantage of the opportunity both for national exposure and to enhance their own community.

"Without these kinds of summer events and activities, the Sumner downtown is just that -- a downtown," she said. "But when residents gather for an event, then it becomes a community that is self-supporting."

For more information, read Miller's blog on Patch, and check out the Sumner Downtown Association website at www.sumnerdowntown.com.