Upcoming summer event has Niwot LID board abuzz

A brand new event is coming to town this summer, and organizers from the Niwot Business Association are as busy as its namesake putting it all together. On April 6, they crossed off an important item on their to-do list after the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee voted to approve funding for the Honey Bee Harvest Festival, a full-day celebration of pollinators and their important role in our community.

"There's really lots of elements to it," NBA Vice President Deborah Read Fowler said during her presentation to the board at their monthly meeting. "But mainly education, family, fun, music, food...there's so many things you can do with bees and honey... I fully anticipate this being a really, really busy day."

The festival is slated for Saturday, Aug. 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and will feature a wide range of bee-themed activities for both kids and adults at stops along 2nd Avenue and in Cottonwood Square. Among the highlights: a friendly spelling bee at Inkberry Books, bee trivia at Niwot Wheel Works, and honey candle dipping at Seven Wealth. Niwot Market is also planning a "farmer's market" for the day, and there will be a horse and carriage providing "Bee Rides" around town.

The final vendor list is still being refined, but Fowler is hoping to attract at least 15 local sellers whose products "complement each other." She also plans to encourage businesses in town to stock bee-themed items for the day.

On the educational side, local experts will be holding 20-minute presentations at the Left Hand Grange for those wanting to learn more about pollinators, their place in the ecosystem, and how to create a bee-friendly garden. For those wanting a more hands-on experience, Dawn Server of Meadowlake Honey Farm will be speaking about beekeeping basics and providing a live "Beekeeping 101" demonstration.

"The idea is to really showcase Niwot, because we have so much local talent here as far as bees and honey," festival co-organizer Victoria Keen said. "And one is my neighbor, Mark Beran, who will talk about the history of mead making, which is fascinating. And it will tie in with the deep agricultural roots of Niwot."

Fowler and Keen requested $2,500 of LID funds to cover expenses for marketing and advertising, musicians, horse and carriage rental, and materials for the activities, including a Queen Bee walk, a Bee Kind Instagram backdrop, and the Bee-uty spa. The NBA will also contribute $675 to the festival, and some expenses will be offset by booth rental fees.

After a brief discussion, the request was approved by an 8-0 vote.

"I was so impressed that we have a real educational component to this event, which is a lovely addition," committee chair Laura Skaggs said. "And to use the Grange and to use the resources that we have in the community-that's just perfect. I love a good festival like anybody, but if we can make it all that much richer and deeper for all the participants, bravo."

Treasurer's Report

Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, tax collections for the Niwot LID fell to $15,461 in January 2021, nearly 18% lower than the previous month ($18,580), and the lowest total since March 2020 ($12,639), treasurer Bruce Rabeler reported in his monthly financial update. Accounting from most of the overall decline was the accommodation/food services sector, which saw collections fall 60% from January 2020 (to $2,096 from $5,154).

On the other side of the ledger, the LID board has approved $92,017 in funding requests through March 2021, or about 62% of its yearly allotment of $149,313. With the honey bee festival request, that total rises to $94,516.75, or 63%. About half of the approved expenses (51%) have been for marketing and advertising, with the rest split between maintenance (27%) and events (22%).

Old Business

The NLIDAC will hold executive officer elections at its next monthly meeting on May 4. Members will elect a new vice-chair to replace Jim Eastman, whose second five-year term expired in February, and a new chair to replace Skaggs, who is retiring in 2022. Rabeler has indicated he will be willing to remain as treasurer, unless another member steps forward to take over.

The LID advisory committee will hold its next monthly meeting in virtual format on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, at 7 p.m.