THE 8th ANNUAL DIRTY DANCING FESTIVAL AUG 18-19, 2017 Celebrating 30 Years of the festival s namesake film, Dirty Dancing
A Dirty Dancing Festival? Really? Yep, and it just keeps growing The Dirty Dancing Festival was founded in 2010 in the beautiful town of Lake Lure, NC, where much of the classic movie Dirty Dancing was filmed. With the support of Lionsgate Films, the blessing of Eleanor Bergstein (the original writer of the film), and several of the film's cast and crew, the event was founded by former dancer-turned-event producer Jo Beyersdorfer of JNB Events, and PR-guru Michelle McConnell Yelton of McConnell Group Public Relations. The festival kicked off with 2,000 attendees from 24 states and two foreign countries in 2010. In 2011, JNB took over the direction of the festival and produced the event until 2015. In 2016, JNB handed the festival over to the Chamber of Hickory Nut Gorge located in Lake Lure, NC making it a true, homegrown event! The Dirty Dancing Festival has grown in numbers and fame ever since and aims to not only be a large-scale fundraising event in the future, but also a weekend celebration of dancing, music and our all-time favorite movie!
The Dirty Dancing Festival is a nonprofit event hosted by the Chamber of Hickory Nut Gorge and run entirely by volunteers. The homegrown festival is produced to commemorate and celebrate the iconic movie Dirty Dancing and the original film locations that took place in Lake Lure, N.C. 2016 Dirty Dancing Festival Statistics Fans from over 20 states and 4 foreign countries attended the festival More than 8,800 fans on Facebook and growing everyday Media coverage resulted in over 54 MILLION impressions Over 33,000 website hits Newsletter subscriber list of over 4,000 dedicated fans Over 2,500 attendees at events throughout the weekend Festival attendees: 32% are 35-44 years old, 21% are 25-34 years old, and 18% are 45-55 years old
A REBIRTH The internet and the world are abuzz about the timeless classic movie Dirty Dancing. The remake AND the Dirty Dancing Festival are being mentioned in the press daily, as Hollywood has cast star after star in the made for TV musical remake including Colt Prattes, Abigail Breslin, Deborah Messing, Shane Harper, Nicole Scherzinger and Sarah Hyland. In honor of the 30 th anniversary of the film, the remake will debut May 24, 2017 at 8:00 P.M on ABC.
2017 Festival Two-Day Schedule of Events FRIDAY: Screening Lakeside Film Screening 5:00pm 10:30pm Thousands of guests gather to watch baby and Johnny dance across the silver screen while surrounded by the film s original backdrop of Lake Lure. Plus live entertainment, food and beverage gardens, arts and crafts, and a Happy 65 th Birthday to Patrick Swayze! SATURDAY: Festival The Dirty Dancing Festival 9:00am 5:00pm Celebrate the 30 th anniversary of the movie at the Dirty Dancing Festival- a day full of acclaimed bands, dance performances, dance lessons, a beer and wine garden, an arts and crafts vendor row, southern food vendors, and the famous lake-lift competition in the original lake from the movie! SATURDAY NIGHT: After Parties 6:00pm 11:00pm Enjoy special after parties at various resort and restaurant venues around towns of Lake Lure and Chimney Rock. Some locations will have special entertainment and packages available.
2017 Sponsorship Opportunities Let us build you a CUSTOM SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE to meet your marketing and branding goals at our annual event. The festival committee is ready to help create a tailored and meaningful sponsorship package that is beneficial for your budget and goals. Our approach is fresh, flexible and includes analytic metrics to showcase the effectiveness of the overall reach. By stripping away the traditional sponsorship levels, we can effectively utilize the most creative channels available for you to spread your message to the 8th Annual Dirty Dancing Festival attendees! Sponsorships are incorporated before and during the event. Sample Custom Sponsorship Package Items: Presenting Sponsor Main Stage Naming Dance Lessons Tent Naming Lakeside Film Screening Lake Lift Competition Popcorn Sponsor Social Media Selfie Booth Branded Backpacks Beer, Cider, & Spirits Garden Naming Shag Competition Media Sponsorship
Thanks!! Let s Chat Kevin Cooley, Festival Chairman info@dirtydancingfestival.com 828-625-2725 Tommy Hartzog, Festival Co-Director info@hickorynutchamber.org 828-625-2725 Heather Meech, Festival Co-Director heather@mcconnellgrouppr.com 828-286-9977