Port Richey event committee advances seafood festival plans, approves inflatables and music budget

The Port Richey event committee on Tuesday advanced key logistics for an upcoming seafood festival, voting to include a golf‑cart poker run, to authorize three insured inflatables pending written confirmation, and to establish a $2,500 music budget.

Chairman John Mary Eric Hoover opened the discussion about the festival’s program and sponsorships, saying organizers had verbal commitments but not all funds were yet deposited. Committee members reported a current cash balance of $4,000 and pending sponsor commitments that could approach $10,000, but several members cautioned against counting uncollected pledges.

Rob, an organizer of a biannual golf‑cart poker run who spoke during the meeting, described how the poker run could start and end at Waterfront Park and “bring it back to seafood festival at the end,” allowing participants to join festival activities. After discussion about routing and police‑coordinated crossing windows, a member moved to include the golf‑cart poker run as part of the festival program; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

The committee debated children’s programming and vendor options. Jumping Jacks provided a package proposal for three inflatables plus generator and insurance that the committee summarized during discussion as a roughly $500 package pending written confirmation. A motion to move forward with three inflatables (slide/obstacle/game) at a $500 package, contingent on receiving written specs and insurance documentation, passed. Members asked for firm dimensions and insurer names to be presented at the next meeting before any final contract or vendor payment.

Music scheduling and costs were also settled. Committee members agreed to a programming window that includes a DJ from mid‑morning into the afternoon and live performers through the evening, and they set a $2,500 total music budget to cover a mix of DJs, solo acts and a headliner slot. The budget motion passed by committee vote.

Organizers reported verbal sponsorships from a local Honda dealer and Unreal Marine for $2,500 each and a smaller $500 pledge; committee members emphasized that those funds had not all cleared and that the budget should not rely on uncollected pledges.

Next steps: staff and the event committee will obtain written vendor quotes and insurance certificates for the inflatables, firm up music contracts within the $2,500 budget, and finalize promotional timing. The committee also agreed to bring questions about alcohol sales and vendor tasting (see separate item) to City Council for guidance on permitting and any required special‑event approvals.