Thursday Night Live's summer 2015 turnout surpassed last year's, but only because the downtown Jefferson City entertainment event added an extra week, said event coordinator Jill Snodgrass.
Constant rain throughout June presented challenges for Thursday Night Live each of its six weeks.
"We were definitely hindered by the rain," Snodgrass said, noting music and sound equipment on the stage required extra attention as rainy forecasts loomed. "Almost every week we had everything tarped. We didn't untarp it until right before it was ready to start, and then we had the tarps right there on standby."
In its fifth week, the MidAmerica Harley Davidson Ride-In on June 25, organizers opted to wrap up the event 20 minutes early because of lightning in the area. That event drew about 180 bikes, where it normally draws around 400, Snodgrass said.
Total attendance over the six-week season was around 36,000 people, with 6,109 wristbands sold for adult alcohol consumption.
"The numbers were down, actually. We had a really good final week, and we also overall had a better season. But we had six weeks instead of five," Snodgrass said.
In past years, event organizers have estimated attendance by assuming one in six attendees purchases a
wristband; this is the first year they have used counters at carding stations. Wristband sales were 6,540 for last year's five-week season.
Since it began in 2009, organizers have tried to open the Thursday Night Live season the week after Memorial Day and hold the last event the week of Independence Day. This year, that time frame encompassed an extra Thursday, so they added the sixth event.
One of Thursday Night Live's fan-favorite activities grew this year, however. Wingfest, which was in the event's fourth week on June 18, used to be held in conjunction with the Beach Party night, but stood on its own this year.
"We had 400 tickets available, and for the first time we sold out - early, too," Snodgrass said.
Musical entertainment has evolved, too, as Thursday Night Live headlined several touring bands in addition to local bands for the second year, thanks to a touring grant from the Missouri Arts Council and a sponsorship from The Patriots All Foundation. Those touring bands included Funky Butt Brass Band of St. Louis, American Hitmen of Salt Lake City and Members Only of Springfield.
The lower-than-expected attendance brought with it lower profits than event organizers hoped for.
"It was not as good as we would have liked," Snodgrass said. "Thursday Night Live is a self-funding event, so it will impact what we start with in the coffers for next season and what we're able to do as far as bands and other activities."
Snodgrass said that should not affect the quality of entertainment to be planned for next year's Thursday Night Live.
"Hopefully we'll be able to make up the deficit in other ways, through sponsorship or whatever it is," she said. "We won't backslide. We'll make sure that everything is bigger and better, and we'll keep growing."
While Thursday Night Live's summer series is over, its 2015 season will wrap up this fall with Arts Live the second weekend in September, which kicks off with a Thursday Night Live event and SoupStock, followed by the Arts Stroll on Friday and Labor Day parade on Saturday. After that event, Thursday Night Live will announce its musical act for the Oct. 29 Zombie Night Live event.
Anyone who wants to be involved with the planned "Thriller" flash mob, like the one at last October's Zombie Night Live event, can join workshops led by McRaven Ballroom beginning Aug. 2. For more information, visit mcravenballroom.com online or the Thursday Night Live Facebook page.