Friday Night Sound Waves

SECTOR
Special Event

SERVICES
Brand 犀利士
Concept
Event Management
Graphic Design
Marketing Plan
Social Media
Sponsor Procurement
Talent Acquisition
Website Devel犀利士opment

VISIT WEBSITE

1

The Challenge

The likelihood a project can achieve success lies in understanding the balance between three resources – People, Time and Money.

Looking to fill a void between annual holidays, major area events, and attract local visitors to the beach during the summer months, members of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce Beach Council Marketing Committee, of which I co-chaired, looked to create an event, which would bring locals to the beach.

While the business community supported the idea, there was no money in the Chamber Beach Council coffers to support it. Initial asks for funding were rejected.
However, not giving up, the idea of a summer beach concert series piqued the interest of the City of Fort Lauderdale’s Parks & Recreation Department, who had the ability to apply for the funding needed to help kick this off. However, while they could secure the funding, they lacked the staff and promotional resources.
Up went the hand. The People, Time, Money challenge was solved.

2

Solutions

With funding pledged and people and time volunteered – all that left to do was create an event which would make locals flock to the beach to patronize restaurants, shop in stores and book hotel rooms for a staycation getaways. Easy Peasy. And then of course, there was making the event feel organic, be appealing to a broad base of people, and in 10 weeks show enough promise for it not to become a one hit wonder.

While I would like to describe every ingredient in the secret sauce solution, it is impossible. So many people contributed their time, talents and energy in making this event a reality. Yes, there was curating the best of the best on the South Florida music scene, creating sponsor decks and negotiations to secure additional funding streams, establishing media partnerships, incorporating the local businesses into the event site through promotional opportunities, and producing all the print, online and social media platforms to support it. But those are just the ‘things’ you need to do when planning an event. In the end all those ‘things’ don’t really matter. Sometimes the phrase, “If you build it they will come”? doesn’t mean they will.

The biggest thing, or solution put in place, was above all – keep the audience in mind. We did. And they Came. And they Came Back with family, friends, and coworkers and made Fort Lauderdale Beach and Friday Night Sound Waves a part of their Friday Night plan. And the funders and business community saw the potential. And as they say, the rest is history.

3

Results

Marking its fourth full season in 2019, Friday Night Sound Waves continues to deliver free, live and local music every Friday night from March through November. Nearly three dozen sponsors, thousands in funds and supplies donated to local nonprofits, countless friendships forged and 1,000’s of photographs, videos, tweets and articles later, it has became as much a part of the overall Fort Lauderdale experience, as it is a part of its self-proclaimed home, The Hub on Fort Lauderdale Beach.

Loved by locals, a sought out scene for visitors, and an unexpected delight for those passing by, Friday Night Sound Waves has ingrained itself in the community. Exemplifying the friendly, warm and inviting personality of the area, monthly live broadcasts on Visit Lauderdale’s TV station Hello Sunny TV and Facebook Page, bring the music and oceanfront setting to the world.

Most of all, the vision of creating an event which would celebrate the diversity of our community, provide opportunities for residents and visitors to connect with one another in a location where people of all ages, demographics and culture could come together over the global language of music, has come true. It is without a doubt one of my proudest accomplishments, and the best part has to be the Friday Night family I gained, and have the pleasure of being a part of too.