Council discusses Pony Express celebration: vendor limits, race format and drink logistics

Clarkston — Council members and event organizers spent significant time discussing logistics for the town’s Pony Express celebration, covering vendor approvals, fundraising ideas, race format changes and how to handle food and drink availability.

Vendor and fundraising plans: Council member Godfrey and other participants reported several food-vendor requests and confirmed a vendor application exists. One organizer proposed selling custom-labeled water bottles produced offsite as a youth-council fundraiser; council members agreed to run the idea by the youth council and the town staff. "I gave them your number, left a message," one participant said about vendor outreach.

Race format proposal: An organizer proposed changing the single pistol-start race into four heats so more riders compete head-to-head and spectators see more action. The organizer said grouping experienced riders in early heats and placing first-timers or youth in later heats could spread out prizes and encourage participation. "Four is what it would do," the organizer said, describing timing and scoring adjustments.

Food, drinks and volunteer staffing: The council debated whether to provide a town-organized dinner or allow food trucks and how many vendors to permit without oversaturating the market. They discussed options for drink service — hiring a Coke/Pepsi truck, renting a soda trailer, or having the youth council sell drinks — and noted prior donations from businesses like Texas Roadhouse. Multiple participants raised that staffing volunteer shifts (youth council) has been difficult in the past.

Follow-up: Council members agreed to repost survey results (109 respondents were mentioned) to gather public feedback, have staff and youth council review fundraising and concession options, and for a council member to contact a potential vendor.

Quotes: "I think it would be kinda cool if somebody wanted like, I don't know if we wanted to include the youth council or maybe put a picture on it and run a horse or something," an organizer said about custom water bottles.

Next steps: The council asked staff to research vendor permitting and to coordinate with youth council leaders on fundraising and staffing; no formal decisions or votes were taken at the meeting.