The City of Saluda reported a successful Coon Dog Day, especially the 5K run that involved 215 runners.
The Saluda Board of Commissioners met Monday, Aug. 8 with administrative assistant Monica Pace reviewing costs and revenue for the 48th annual festival held in July.
Donations for this year’s festival totaled $3,403 for the festival and an additional $2,150 coming in as sponsorships from 13 local businesses for the 5K run. Bottled water and fruit was also donated for participants of the 5K run.
Pace said the city saw a great turnout for this year’s 5K with 215 runners. This year’s race was sponsored for the first time by the city.
The city spent a total of $17,706 on the festival and 5K run, not including employee expenses. Festival revenues included $13,714 from vendors and donations and race revenues included $8,208 from sponsorships and race registration fees.
Race expenses for the city totaled $4,707, with some of the expenses being one time only and won’t be incurred in future years, staff members said. Race revenues included $2,150 as sponsorships from the local businesses and $6,058 in registration fees for a race profit of $3,501 this year.
Pace reported that the city has received a lot of feedback from participants, with most of it being positive and she will work on improvements for next year’s race.
“For the most part, everyone was very pleased with the run organization, the course, and especially the T-shirts,” Pace said.
The festival itself saw 23 food vendors, 35 craft vendors, five amusement spaces and nine civic spaces to local nonprofits and community groups. The city generated a total of $10,311 in vendor revenues and received $3,403 in donations, for a profit of $714 on the festival, excluding extra pay to city employees.
Coon Dog Day is held every year in downtown Saluda on the first Saturday following July 4th. It features a parade, children, food and craft vendors, a street dance, a coon hunt and coon dog award show, among other activities.