Rock Hill Come-See-Me festival’s new fee to cover security, entertainment costs

Attending the Come-See-Me Festival’s most popular event in Rock Hill – Saturday tailgating and fireworks show – will cost a family with two adults up to $10 more this year.

Festival organizers this year are charging a $5 entry fee for adults age 21 and older. Younger attendees will be admitted free. Parking at the event is $5 per car.

The parking charge isn’t new but the entry fee is. The Come-See-Me fireworks show and tailgate party are held annually at the Winthrop Lake, part of Winthrop University’s property off Eden Terrace.

The seven-hour tailgate party – featuring live music, a skydiving exhibition, and a 9 p.m. fireworks show – is a “bring-your-own-beer” event.

In years past, entry was free. But, adults who chose to drink alcohol were required to buy a $2 wristband and show proper ID.

Organizers say the new entry fee is needed to cover rising costs such as entertainment and clean-up expenses. Also, more security officers are being hired this year.

Last year, nearly 15,000 people attended the tailgate party. Organizers estimate that more than 125,000 people attended the more than 70 events during the 10-day festival last year. The annual events have earned Come-See-Me numerous awards, including being ranked as one of the best festivals in the South.

“We understand people may feel this is an event they do not want to pay for, (but) the cost of this event is significant,” said Alison Mallard, Come-See-Me publicity coordinator and volunteer.

Mallard said the increase this year is only $3 more than an adult would have paid last year to attend and drink their own alcohol. The difference is that last year’s $2 wristband was optional for adults and this year’s $5 entry will be charged for everyone over 21.

But, Mallard said, “We don’t feel the (fee) is significant.” Organizers hope it won’t deter guests, she said.

Taxes cover less than 15% of costs

The $5 entry charge has irked some in Rock Hill, though. When the festival announced the entry fee in February, some took to Facebook with complaints about the charge. Still, others said that paying $5 for live music, a place to tailgate and drink outside, with security and a fireworks show was a good deal.

The annual tailgating and fireworks party is Come-See-Me’s largest single cost at about $30,000. Other popular festival events, such as the Beach Bash, cost around $20,000 or less. The Moonlight Jazz event runs less than $13,000.

Festival officials listed those event costs on 2013 tax forms. Exact figures from last year’s festival weren’t available but officials said the tailgate party and jazz event created nearly 30 percent of overall costs.

Come-See-Me is run by a nonprofit organization and officials are required to disclose expenses and revenues.

In 2013, the festival spent around $210,000 total to run events and programs. The organization has one part-time employee who earns less than $15,000.

Revenue totaled about $73,000. Nearly $123,500 came from contributions, grants and gifts to support events.

Revenue from the local hospitality tax covers less than 15 percent of Come-See-Me’s costs.

In Rock Hill, a 2 percent hospitality tax charge is levied at restaurants and businesses serving prepared food and drinks in the city limits. The city contributed $12,500 to Come-See-Me this year from those tax dollars, officials told The Herald.

In York County, businesses in some parts of the county charge a 1 or 2 percent hospitality tax. The county contributed about $18,000 to the festival this year, said York County Councilman Bump Roddey.

He says the new fees for the tailgating and fireworks party are cost-prohibitive for many local families. The previous $2 charge for people to drink alcohol at the event was more reasonable, Roddey said.

The new entry fee was brought to Roddey’s attention, he said, by someone upset about the charges. That person sent an email last week to elected officials in Rock Hill and York County, complaining about the charges.

Come-See-Me’s most-popular event, Roddey said, shouldn’t be open to only those who can afford to pay $5 adult entry fees. Year-round, he said, county and city residents are paying hospitality taxes that collectively contribute nearly $30,000 to pay for festival events.

“Why ask the taxpayers for additional money?” Roddey said.

Corporate sponsorships support events

While the person who complained emailed elected officials in Rock Hill – the festival’s host city – those officials point out that Come-See-Me is not a publicly-run or publicly-owned event.

“I get it,” said Rock Hill Councilman John Black of the complaints about new fees. But, he said, the city can’t dictate to Come-See-Me organizers how to run their programs and whether events should be free.

The Come-See-Me operation is private and has the right to charge entrance fees if it wants to, Black said.

Because he doesn’t work on the festival’s organizing committee, Black said, he doesn’t know exactly why Come-See-Me leaders felt the need to introduce an entry fee for Saturday’s event. But, if costs are going up, the festival may need the extra money to continue operating community events, he said.

Paying more money for added security would make sense, Black said. “The last thing you want is a brawl to break out and taint the event forever.”

While new fees are in place for Saturday’s main event, organizers point out that many of the festival’s offerings, especially kid’s activities, are free.

Black said Come-See-Me organizers can ask the city or county for more money from hospitality tax funds next year but it’s not guaranteed that the money will be available. Both the city and county councils allocate thousands of dollars each year to various groups and events that promote local tourism.

Come-See-Me also has major business partners that sponsor specific events and general programming. Those include Carolinas Healthcare System, Comporium Communications, Rock Hill Coca-Cola Bottling Company, and Williams & Fudge, Inc. WRHI Radio is the “voice of the festival” during the tailgating party. The Herald Media Group sponsors one event and co-sponsors another.

Organizers say sponsorships and the more than 600 volunteers who help are crucial to put on Come-See-Me every year. The festival started in 1962.

“Our goal is to offer attendees fun, safe, and comfortable events,” said Matt Watson, festival board chair.

At an event the size of the Saturday tailgating and fireworks, services such as portable toilets, hand-washing stations, law enforcement and clean-up crews are needed – and those services cost money, Watson said.

To keep other costs low, he said, Come-See-Me allows guests to bring their own food and beverages. Attendees can also set up chairs and bring recreational items like Frisbees, footballs and cornhole boards.

“It’s a family event,” Watson said. Organizers limited the new entry fee for attendees age 21 and older, opting to not charge for children, he said. “We hope that’s not a burden.”

This story was originally published April 18, 2015 at 4:48 PM with the headline "Rock Hill Come-See-Me festival’s new fee to cover security, entertainment costs."