Colorado Dragon Boat Festival
July 24 & 25, 2010
Sloan’s Lake Park - Denver, Colorado
The Phenomena of the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival
Few events in Colorado combine as many elements as the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. It is a sports competition with 54 corporate and community teams comprised of some 1,350 competitors plus 110,000+ spectators. It is an ethnic celebration of Colorado’s rich Pan Asian American heritage. It is cultural showcase of diverse Asian Pacific cuisine and performing artists. It is a marketplace of unique and hard-to-find arts, crafts and vendors that are more likely to be found in the markets of Hong Kong, Tokyo or Manila.
In their designation of the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival as the “Top Annual Festival” in Denver, the Rocky Mountain News lauded the festival as a “mixture of culture and competition.”
In just nine years, the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival has grown from 15,000 to 110,000 attendees comprised of a diverse and desirable audience. (See Audience Profile Attachment) And there is little wonder why. Time magazine recently reported on the growing phenomena of the growth, expansion and excitement of the 2,000-year-old Chinese sport. “Last year…more than 75 dragon-boat festivals were held in 70 cities across the country, with participation up 20% over 2004, to 54,000 people,” Time reported.
A Harmonious Yin/Yang
The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival creates a harmonious yin/yang for its spectators as well as its sponsors:
-
Denver’s premier Asian event projected to grow from 110,000 to 120,000 people in 2010 including a significant segment of the region’s Asian Pacific American population with huge crossover appeal to the general population
-
The dragon boat races themselves pit 54 corporate and community teams of 24 people in a fun yet competitive event that builds esprit de corps and encourages an active healthy lifestyle
-
With nearly 30 traditional and contemporary Asian Pacific performing artists on three stages, 100 Marketplace vendors and Taste of Asia food concessionaires, the Festival provides attendees with a unique cultural experience.
-
Special interactive features including “Dragonland” children’s area and “Explore Asia” provide hands-on experiences for audiences of all ages
-
In 2009, the festival will highlight the 50th anniversary of statehood for our 50th state, Hawaii with a special exhibit of crafts, foods, cultural presentations and more
-
High level participation by Asian Pacific community leaders, corporate sponsors, corporate boat teams and VIP hospitality area create “unbuyable” hospitality opportunities
-
Strong media partnerships with The Denver Post/Rocky Mountain News, Fox31 and the Denver Radio Company assure excellent promotion for the event and its sponsors
2009 Colorado Dragon Boat Sponsorship Levels
Title Sponsor
This single, exclusive, top-level sponsor of Colorado Dragon Boat Festival will receive universal event-wide exclusive rights including complete above-the-name recognition; (e.g. “Chrysler presents Colorado Dragon Boat Festival”) in all event promotional advertising and collateral materials; extensive event signage and hospitality benefits; plus first right to select a premium festival asset for proprietary naming rights. Naming Rights recognition options included at this level are: presentation of Dragon Boat Races, Performing Arts Stage and other assets as identified.
Presenting Sponsors
These top-level secondary sponsors will receive universal marquee billing below-the-name Presenting Sponsor recognition, (e.g. “Qwest presents Colorado Dragon Boat Festival sponsored by Coors and Kaiser Permanente”) in all event promotional advertising and collateral materials; extensive event signage sampling rights and hospitality benefits; plus name integration of one of the Festival’s top assets. Assets from which they may choose include: the Performing Arts Stage, Beer Garden, “Dragonland Children’s Area, year-round Boat Sponsorship and other assets as identified.
Associate Sponsors
These program or venue level sponsors will receive Associate recognition (e.g. “Qwest presents Colorado Dragon Boat Festival sponsored by Coors and Kaiser Permanente in association with Frontier Airlines”) in newspaper advertising and collateral materials; event signage; on site sampling and hospitality benefits; plus name integration of one of the Festival’s secondary assets. Assets from which they may choose include: the Performing Arts Stage, Beer Garden, “Dragonland” Children’s Area, “Gateway to Asia” Demonstration Stage, Automotive Showcase, Team Village, CDBF Volunteer Program and other assets as identified.
Supporting Sponsors
These lower-level program or venue level sponsors will receive Supporting recognition (“Qwest presents Colorado Dragon Boat Festival sponsored by Coors and Kaiser Permanente in association with Frontier Airlines supported by King Soopers”) in collateral materials; some event signage; on site sampling and hospitality benefits; plus name integration of one of the Festival’s tertiary assets. Assets from which they may choose include: Marshall Arts Stage, Taste of Asia Food Court, Sitting Pavilion, Team Village, Shuttle Bus/Free Parking program, Eye Dotting Ceremony, Welcome Ceremony, Parade of Teams, Awards Ceremony, CDBF Volunteer Program, Information Pagoda and other assets as identified.
Festival Audience Profile
The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival conducts third party spectator surveys each year since the inception of the Festival. In 2008 research was conducted by GTL and was administered to 1,387 respondents. The typical attendee is between 25 – 54 years of age: college educated; with a household income of $75,000+. Nearly half the attendees are people of color with nearly one in five of Asian ethnicity and 95% plan to attend in 2009.
Ethnicity: Colorado Dragon Boat Festival attendees represent diverse ethnic groups. Not surprisingly, the event attracts a larger segment of the Asian population than any other regional event. But it is also a crossover event as 58% are Caucasian; 17% are Asian; 15% are Hispanic; 2% are Native American; 2% are African American and 6% are from other ethnic groups.
Gender: Colorado Dragon Boat Festival’s event audience is divided between men and women, comprised of 58% female and 42% male attendees.
Marital Status: Attendees are split between those who are married (42%), those who have a partner of significant other (10%) and those who are single (48%).
Age: The age of the festival attendee principally falls into the ever important 25-54 demographic. The breakdown is as follows: 2% are under the age of 18; 11% are between the ages of 18 and 24; 24% are between 25 and 34; 25% are 35 to 44; 21% are 45 – 54; 12% are 55 – 64; and 5% are 65 years of age and older.
Home Ownership: 65% of attendees own their homes and 35% rent.
Education: CDBF attendees are well educated. 4% have not yet achieved their high school degree; 12% have achieved high school degrees or GED only; 27% have had some college; 24% have attained Bachelors Degrees only; 8% have some post graduate work; and an astounding 25% have earned a Post Graduate degree.
Income: Spectators of the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival represent the region’s higher income levels as compared to the general population. 25% earn under $34,000; 29% earn $34,000 to $59,999; 22% have household incomes of $60,000 to $89,999; 11% $90,000 to $109,999; 14% earn $110,000 or greater.
For More Information
For more information on sponsoring the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, please contact Jill Lentz.
