It is Time? Ending a Long-Term Event

Abstract

369cause and the community. I am only disappointed because it has been a truly special event. Again, this is something we plan on and look forward to every summer and I will miss the tournament and the friendships. I realize how much work the committee has to put in over the years and it is truly

Avoiding burnout: the succession planning, governance and resourcing of rural tourism festivals

“…They play a vital role in the life of the region and are more than just a fun day out. It is similar to the "emotional void" that Otteman and Janes (2014) found to be present when a charity golf day was cancelled.…”

“…The event raised money for nurse education but was wound up after fifteen years, due to the desire of the family involved to seek closure. It was acknowledged in this study that "events have a 'shelf life'" (p. 374) and Otteman and Janes (2014) noted that: Event managers need to realize and prepare for the fact that all events, regardless of success, will eventually 'burn out' participants and organizers, not because of quality, but simply as the result of length of time the event has been held and other demands on participants' time. (p. 374) While Otteman and Janes (2014, p. 375) observe that "annual, community-based event managers should attempt to end their events while the event is still successful", this begs the question as to why the event needs to end if it is indeed "well attended and vibrant"?…”

“…First, this article highlights that none of the organising committees that were studied seemed to feel that there was a natural ending for events, in contrast to the findings of Otteman and Janes (2014). Several participants alluded to the festival life cycle, where an event had been staged for a few years and had lost its novelty value or the volunteers had run out of steam, but they also made it clear that the festival was too important to the community not to keep it going.…”

“…In some cases, the event comes to a natural end. An example is the charity golf event examined by Otteman and Janes (2014), which was created in memory of a young nurse who suffered a stroke. The event raised money for nurse education but was wound up after fifteen years, due to the desire of the family involved to seek closure.…”

The event and festival life cycle – developing a new model for a new context

“…The Alarde (Greenwood, 1979) (Davies, 2011) Peats ridge festival (Holmes et al, 2015) Charity golf tournament (Otteman and Janes, 2014)…”