Heritagefest to return in 2004

Backer postpones

her retirement

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Heritagefest will return in 2004, but it will still face an uncertain future, according to its president and its executive director.

With a successful fund-raising effort winding up, the festival's board of directors renewed New Ulm's cultural celebration at least one more time Monday night.

The vote ends months of uncertainty over Heritagefest's future. Three years of financial losses had depleted the festival's reserves, which held about $200,000 after the 2002 festival. Organizers largely blamed humidity, high temperatures and a lagging economy for the festival's losses, saying it would be doubtful for the festival to continue without contributions from the community for $100,000 a year for two years.

Heritagefest President Hugh Nierengarten said Monday's vote won't ensure a successful Heritagefest in 2004, but it does mean that the festival is "moving forward in a financially responsible manner."

Another factor in the unanimous vote was a recent letter that Executive Director Kathleen Backer wrote to the board. She announced postponement of her retirement from Heritagefest to fall, which will allow her to organize this summer's installment.

Backer and Nierengarten credited New Ulm's business community for making "major contributions" to their fund-raising efforts. Those partnerships form a symbiotic relationship between the festival and businesses because the two entities virtually support each other.

Nierengarten said the board is going to re-examine the festival after its 2004 version has concluded. He said Heritagefest "is not out of the woods. We don't want people to get the impression that this crisis has passed."

Backer said she is going to continue to look at ways to try to retain Heritagefest's original audience while adding new ideas to attract younger festgoers in 2004.

Nierengarten said all of the key ingredients in Heritagefest -- the food, the music and the venues -- are not going to change. But he also said there will be "fewer flowers, fewer radios and fewer golf carts" after the gates open at the Brown County Fairgrounds this summer.

It would take a more solid roster of sponsors, greater financial reserves, a "stable, professional staff" and "a return to normalcy in the entertainment market" to get Heritagefest back on its original track, Nierengarten said.

In October, the board of directors released an announcement asking for $100,000 in donations from the public and business communities. The New Ulm Retail Association gave $10,000. The New Ulm Chamber of Commerce came up with $15,000 from the sales of its Hermann and Thusnelda bobblehead dolls.

At its Nov. 22 meeting, the board decided to extend the time limit on fund-raising to Monday in order to allow fund raisers every available option. Nierengarten said Heritagefest also received contributions from Schell's Brewery and many New Ulm hotels. Vendors are also discounting their services this year. The board has trimmed $38,000 in spending from its budget.

Backer, who originally planned to retire as executive director in March, said fund-raising is still going on, because there are still a few contracts with vendors left on the table.

"We're relieved, but we're not out of the woods," Nierengarten said.