Midnight Sun Festival
CALL FOR ENTRIES: MIDNIGHT SUN LOGO CONTEST
Alaska’s largest single-day event is looking for some fresh ideas and graphic savviness to craft an inspired logo for the 2012 Midnight Sun Festival!
This year, we’re asking professional and amateur designers in the Fairbanks community to submit a logo that represents the beauty and brilliance of summer solstice in Alaska. The festival logo is worn on t-shirts, printed on marketing materials, and displayed by media outlets.
All submissions must be received by February 22nd, 2012. We’ll post our favorites on the Facebook page of the Downtown Association of Fairbanks and the general public will have an opportunity to vote on the top designs. Logos will be printed on t-shirts for a First Friday show at Chartreuse in March and the winner will be chosen by popular vote from Facebook and at First Friday.
Click here for full list of rules and to submit a logo!
Multiple entries are welcome, but contestants must submit each design separately. Companies may also participate and will receive a sponsorship package equivalent to or greater than the individual cash prize if their design is chosen. Self-employed graphic artists may choose the cash prize or sponsorship package.
Midnight Sun Festival Logo Contest Grand Prize
- $250 cash prize OR (for a company submission) a $500 equivalent sponsorship. The sponsorship package includes company name in the Midnight Sun Festival event guide, on a light post banner, on event sandwich boards, and at downtownfairbanks.com, plus banner space on a stage.
- Winner will have their design on all Midnight Sun Festival promotional materials including over 1,200 T-shirts, 25 light pole banners, posters, and
marketing collateral. The Downtown Association of Fairbanks will use the winner’s name in press releases, website and newsletter articles, Facebook, and other media. - Winner will recieve 5 Midnight Sun Festival T-Shirts ($100 value).
Basic Rules
- Logo MUST be original and incorporate the Midnight Sun, elements of downtown Fairbanks and the text “Midnight Sun Festival 2012”and “Downtown Fairbanks, Alaska”
- Designs may have a maximum of four (4) colors.
- Logos must be submitted as an ai, eps or high quality jpg.
- Deadline for entries is 5pm on February 22nd.
The 2012 Midnight Sun Festival will be held on Sunday, June 24th, 2012. If you have questions- please give us a call at the number listed below.
Phone:
(907)452-8671
Midnight Sun Festival
HUGE THANKS FOR ANOTHER GREAT FESTIVAL
The 2011 BP Midnight Sun Festival was a great success, lining the streets of downtown Fairbanks with vendors, performers, and activities from noon to midnight in celebration of 24 hours of daylight.
As always, the Downtown Association of Fairbanks relied on hundreds of fabulous festival supporters, sponsors, volunteers, bands, dancers, merchants, and vendors to create this community-wide event. A huge thank-you goes out to each of these key partners, and all those who came out to enjoy the festival.
Alaska’s largest single-day event wouldn’t be possible without your generous contributions!
In a special twist this year, the Downtown Association raffled off a 2011 Ford Fiesta to raise money for downtown events. Wendy Petrice of Fairbanks won the car, and the raffle raised more than $10,000 for downtown events. Many thanks to the 2500 of you who purchased tickets in support of the BP Midnight Sun Festival, and also to the area businesses that helped sell tickets and donated to the raffle.
Festival Volunteers
Calypso Farm, Andrew Quainton, Damien Snook, Paul Martz, Sean O’Shea, Adam Nash, Luke Gunderman, Raelynn Radway, Chris Miller, Angie Schmidt, Ed & Lois Niewohner, Amy Kemp, Mike Webb, Bart LeBon, David Hayden, Tonya Wood, Jessica LaDouceur, Ken Henry, Gary Conatser, Tara Callear, Siobahn Williams, Dick Lord, Amanda Huff, Joanna Wallace, Joleen Boyd, Bethany Tackett, Terin Porter, Midnight Sun Swim Team, Monroe Catholic High School Football Team, Ryan Holland, Bob Eley, Dianne Fleaks, Dianne Christiansen, Chet Reed, Midnight Sun Roller Girls, Joshua Poe, Isaiah Mangum, Sheri Oleson, Sally Rafson, Dance Floor Volunteers, Chrissy Martz
2011 BP Midnight Sun Festival Sponsors
BP, Seekins Ford Lincoln, MAC Federal Credit Union, Subway, Sadler’s Home Furnishings, Alaska USA Federal Credit Union, Alaska Waste, Sani-Can, Spirit of Alaska, Bridgewater Hotel, The Alaska Club, GVEA, Kohler, Schmitt & Hutchison, First National Bank, JL Properties, Big Ray’s, GEICO Insurance, Denali State Bank, If Only.. a Fine Store, Festival Fairbanks, River City Investments, Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, Yukon Quest, Actus Community Fund, Lady Lee’s Bath House Emporium, Stephenson CPA, Equinox Physical Therapy, Yukon Title, Mecca Bar, Dance Theatre Fairbanks, Mt. McKinley Bank, Fairbanks Parking Authority, Spring Hill Suites by Marriott.
2011 Ford Fiesta Raffle Sponsors and Partners
Seekins Ford Lincoln, MAC Federal Credit Union, The Big I Pub & Lounge, S Salon, Chartreuse, Big Daddy’s Bar B-Q, River City Café & Espresso, l’assiette de Pomegranate, Fairbanks Community Museum, Alana’s Espresso Escape, David Edmond
Talent Sponsors
9th Army Band, The Legendary WillyMac, Legends of Rock, Caleb Aronson, Dance Theatre Fairbanks, Tundra Caravan Middle Eastern Dance, Ben Boyd, Dj Double X,
Midnight Sun Festival
FESTIVAL PERFORMERS DONATE TIME, TALENT
Over thirty performers will soon grace makeshift stages positioned throughout the 2011 BP Midnight Sun Festival to entertain crowds for twelve straight hours on Sunday, June 19th.
All will play at least one 45-minute set, offering festival-goers a wide variety of musical genres and performance styles, from Marc Brown & the Blues Crew to the South Sea Island Polynesian Dancers. Most will receive payment from the Downtown Association of Fairbanks for contributing their time, talents, and enthusiasm to the festival.
But eight of them will donate their musical expertise and perform free of charge.
Dan Socha, also known as Dj Double X, has been mixing music for so long that it stumps him to think of the exact number of years. He estimates around ten, and this year will mark his second BP Midnight Sun Festival performance.
He considers the festival a chance to expose his audience to new types of music and increase his profile in the Fairbanks community as a go-to mixer for parties and big events.
“I see it as an opportunity for a little bit more exposure. If by being a Talent Sponsor, I get my name out there a little more, I think it’s worth it,” Socha explains.
He “snuck” a second festival performance by volunteering to mix for the Legendary WillyMac, who performs earlier in the day on the Bear Stage. The festival is a family affair for Socha, who always brings his wife and two boys and plans to watch his cousin, Chris Swain, play with a band under the name Quasipseudo.
Caleb Aronson, a singer-songwriter and lifelong Fairbanksan, says audience members who listen closely may hear “Alaska history threads” in his acoustic blend of folk, blues, and Americana tunes. His first album included lyrical highlights of state history and he plans to play a few songs from that record during his 1:30pm performance on the SUBWAY Caribou Stage.
Aronson will return to the festival for his third year as a performer, though he attended “quite a few” festivals while growing up in Fairbanks. For him, the timing of the festival is as much of a draw as the crowds.
“I love Fairbanks around solstice,” he says. “It’s such a vibrant community when the sun is out all night.”
He uses the festival as a chance to catch up with friends who work in booths or fellow performers who he isn’t able to visit throughout the rest of the year. Aronson is currently working on a third album, to be released in the fall and his music is available at coffeeshops and music stores throughout town.
Tundra Caravan Middle Eastern Dance is performing for the eleventh straight year in the 2011 BP Midnight Sun Festival. Festival-goers who visit the Bear Stage at 4:15pm will see “cabaret style” belly-dancing, complete with sequins, sparkles, beads, and chiffon skirts. Co-director Susan Chapa will be joined by five fellow performers and students from her dance school, Roks Souzana.
“It’s closer to what people think of when they think of belly dancers when they aren’t familiar with all the different styles of belly dancing,” Chapa explains of her troupe’s style, though she is quick to emphasize that dancers of all shapes and sizes are welcome.
“Our mission is to promote the education of Middle Eastern dance here in Fairbanks,” Chapa describes. “It’s not just that perfect Hollywood image that we have of people who can bellydance.”
Why does the group keep returning to the festival?
“It’s always such a great audience and they’re always so supportive,” Chapa says, “We feel appreciated.”
You can also see Tundra Caravan Middle Eastern Dance perform from 7-8pm every Thursday in June for Gazebo Nights in Pioneer Park, sponsored by the Fairbanks Arts Association.
Many thanks to all of the 2011 BP Midnight Sun Festival Talent Sponsors- and be sure to come out and support these amazing performers.
2011 BP Midnight Sun Festival Talent Sponsors
9th Army Band Noon, 1pm, and 6pm MAC Moose Stage (1st Ave & Lacey)
The Legendary WillyMac 12:15pm Bear Stage (2nd Ave & Noble)
Legends of Rock 12:30pm SUBWAY Caribou Stage (2nd Ave & Cushman)
Caleb Aronson 1:30pm SUBWAY Caribou Stage (2nd Ave & Cushman)
Dance Theatre Fairbanks 3:15pm and 7:15pm Bear Stage (2nd Ave & Noble)
Tundra Caravan Middle Eastern Dance 4:15pm Bear Stage (2nd Ave & Noble)
Ben Boyd 9:15pm Bear Stage (2nd Ave & Noble)
Dj Double X 10:30pm SUBWAY Caribou Stage (2nd Ave & Cushman)
Midnight Sun Festival
SEEKINS ROLLS IN WITH ORIGINAL SUPPORT
by Amy Nordrum · 2 Comments
Seekins Ford Lincoln and the BP Midnight Sun Festival each have a long history in the Fairbanks community. One is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year, and the other has 33+ years of experience connecting Interior Alaskans with the products, services, and level of quality they most desire.
Can you guess which is which?
Though the BP Midnight Sun Festival hasn’t been around quite as long as Fairbanks’ favorite auto dealership, that didn’t stop Seekins General Manager Margaret Russell from recognizing the festival as a “good fit” for sponsorship.
Russell has worked at Seekins for nearly as long as the dealership has been in business, and considers sponsorships to be part of the dealership’s core mission.
“It’s just a company philosophy that’s been embedded in our culture,” Russell explains, with emphasis that these efforts help give back “to the community that supports us as a business.”
Russell considers community welfare to be an even greater sponsorship benefit than company exposure.
“It’s not what exposure we get, but how much we add to the quality of life for citizens,” Russell says.
It is perhaps this attitude that led Seekins to win recognition as 2005 TIME Quality Dealer of the Year, a national award given by the National Automotive Dealership Association in cooperation with TIME magazine.
“Much of the criteria for this award is not only the success of our business but also how we support the community,” Russell recalls, like the support contributed to the 2011 BP Midnight Sun Festival.
The festival is a particularly exciting event to support, and has offered a way for Seekins to showcase a new Ford model that wouldn’t otherwise receive as much attention on the lot.
“We were very excited to have the opportunity to support what we see as a world-class event,” Russell says. “I like that sense of energy that comes with the festival.”
Seekins’ mission statement reads in part, “..we are dedicated to the continuous improvement and growth in every aspect of our business and our community.”
Many thanks to Seekins Ford Lincoln for their generous contribution and recognition of the 2011 BP Midnight Sun Festival as a valuable Fairbanks tradition.
Midnight Sun Festival
BP RETURNS AS FESTIVAL TITLE SPONSOR
by Amy Nordrum · 2 Comments
The annual Midnight Sun Festival relies on significant corporate and community support to transform the streets of downtown Fairbanks into a community-wide celebration of summer solstice each year.
BP leads the pack of generous donors once again as title sponsor for the festival, earning recognition in all festival promotions for the 2011 BP Midnight Sun Festival.
Karen Cowart, Director of Government and Public Affairs, explains that BP has a history of festival sponsorship because of the festival’s far-reaching impact in the Fairbanks community.
“We’ve been a longtime supporter of the festival,” Cowart says, “It’s really fun for the community and it shows our commitment to the community.”
Karen also sees it as a way to enhance the number of activities and events available in the hometowns of BP employees.
“We have employees who live in Fairbanks,” Cowart explains, “so we’re not only supporting the community but we’re there for our employees.”
On a webpage related to charitable giving in Alaska, BP acknowledges its role as “one of the largest private sector investors in Alaska” and reports more than $10 million in charitable giving to Alaskan nonprofits and educational efforts in 2008, the most recent data available.
Kara Nash, Events and Marketing Director for the Downtown Association of Fairbanks, relies on generous sponsorship by companies like BP each year to coordinate the festival and understands the importance of making the relationship beneficial for both partners.
“(BP has) been our title sponsor for four years,” Nash comments, “and they really appreciate that this event represents the entire state.”
Nash sees the festival from the inside out, and continues to believe that sponsorship includes unique opportunities to advertise a company’s brand. The promotional mix for this year’s festival included radio, newspaper, and Facebook advertisements as well as posters, banners, online articles, and a complimentary booth space.
“They’re putting their name on something that is unique to Fairbanks,” Nash reasons. “By recognizing how important the festival is to Fairbanks and putting your name on it- that’s how you get exposure.”
The 2011 BP Midnight Sun Festival is poised to be a great success thanks in part to the generous sponsorship of BP, and future festivals will continue to rely on similar partnerships.
Midnight Sun Festival
2011 BP MIDNIGHT SUN FESTIVAL
It’s that time of year again- the mosquitos are out, wildfires are a-blazing, and the 2011 BP Midnight Sun Festival is just around the corner (Sunday, June 19th from noon to midnight, to be exact).
Here are the latest festival developments:
ON SALE NOW: OFFICIAL 2011 FESTIVAL T-SHIRTS
The BP Midnight Sun Festival celebrates its thirtieth year in 2011!
Be part of Alaska’s largest single-day event by picking up your official t-shirt- on sale soon in select downtown locations.
Lime green and charcoal Anvil pre-shrunk t-shirts printed using eco-friendly techniques sport the 2011 BP Midnight Sun Festival logo. Buy one before the festival and wear it with pride. Vendors and members get a $5 discount on pre-festival sales.
Call 452-8671 or visit the Fairbanks Community Museum to pick up a shirt today if you simply can’t wait.
HIRING: MIDNIGHT SUN STREET TEAM
Consider joining the 2011 Midnight Sun Street Team if you’re interested in developing business and marketing skills while contributing to downtown revitalization:
The Downtown Association is seeking bright, capable, driven downtown enthusiasts
to help market the 30th annual Midnight Sun Festival.
This is your chance to temporarily join our friendly and ambitious staff
while contributing to downtown revitalization.
Specific duties include leading sales at events (baseball games, 5Ks, organizational meetings,
festivals, concerts), drumming up excitement in diverse crowds , developing an individual sales scheme,
making phone calls, visiting neighbors, coordinating spotlights at area businesses, and staffing the
Midnight Sun Festival on June 19th, 2011 (required).
Applicants must be available 10-20 hours per week leading up to the festival,
and able to work toward an individual sales goal.
No experience necessary.
Should be able/excited to pitch to the local bar scene as easily as visitors, families, or students.
Energy, charisma, and persuasion skills a plus.
Valid driver’s license required.
Earn $10 per hour.
Guidance provided by DTA staff in weekly meetings with fellow street team members.
Prize incentives for most individual sales per week.
Call 452-8671 for more details and to schedule an interview.
ADVERTISE WITH THE FAIRBANKS DAILY NEWS-MINER
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner has reserved a special section in the annual Midnight Sun Celebration insert for the 2011 BP Midnight Sun Festival, consisting of a four-page spread with a festival map, list of featured performances, and sponsor spotlights.
If you run a downtown business or are a festival vendor and would like to advertise in this section, contact Nava Christian of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner at 459-7595 or nava@newsminer.com. This is a great way to group your promotions with the 2011 BP Midnight Sun Festival, and direct festival-goers straight to your booth or business. Copies are distributed the weekend of the festival and several thousand overruns will be handed out on June 19th at the heart of the party.
Stay tuned for more festival updates coming soon!
Midnight Sun Festival
KIN: DESTINATION DOWNTOWN
Join us for KIN- a monthly night of networking, with a presentation by Amy Nordrum, Communications Coordinator for the Downtown Association about new and upcoming initiatives for summer 2011.
Free food from Julia’s, Bobby’s, Gambardella’s, Bahn Thai, and l’assiette de Pomegranate will make for a delicious smorgasbord. Bring business cards and meet new professionals, young and seasoned, from the Fairbanks community. This is the last KIN event of the season and we plan to make it a hit!
Be sure to come early or stay late so you can visit the Fairbanks Community Museum on the first floor of 410 Cushman Street.
Here’s the program description:
Destination : Downtown
Summer updates from the Downtown Association of Fairbanks. Details on a weekly Downtown Market, highlights of the 30th annual Midnight Sun Festival, and photo tour of new downtown businesses. All in the context of urban planning and a big-picture vision for downtown Fairbanks.
Midnight Sun Festival
MAC Moose Stage (1st Avenue & Lacey Street)
by Kara Nash · Leave a Comment
Moose Stage (1st & Lacey)
Noon 9th Army Band
1:00pm 9th Army Band
2:00pm Julie Engfer
3:00pm Stephen Michaek Moore
4:00pm O Tallulah
5:00pm Special Blend
6:00pm 9th Army Band
7:00pm Paul Cataldo
8:00pm Cold Steel
9:00pm Kale
10:00pm Above Ground
Midnight Sun Festival
Subway Caribou Stage (2nd Avenue & Cushman)
by Kara Nash · Leave a Comment
Subway Caribou Stage (2nd & Cushman)
12:30pm: Legends of Rock
1:30pm: Caleb Aronson
2:30pm: Clarence Pate Organ Trio
3:30pm: Ptarmigan
4:30pm: Diamond Fuller
5:30pm: Quasipseudo
6:30pm: Skinny Jazz
7:30pm: The Twilight Sloan
8:30pm: New Cut Road
9:30pm: Marc Brown & The Blues Crew
10:30pm: Dj Double X
Midnight Sun Festival
2011 Midnight Sun Festival Entertainment Line-Up
by Kara Nash · Leave a Comment
33 Alaskan Musicians & Performers shine all day and night long at the 2011 Midnight Sun Festival!
