October 1, 2026

Oct 4

Written By ABPA

In Attendance: Tara, Janice, Gail, Noreen, Jessica, Marion, Gerry, Kim, Dawn (via phone)

Guests: Cara (First Friday Coordinator), Stephanie (Welsh Tea Shoppe), Jennifer Davies (Modern Vintage Home)

Fourth Friday Success & 2027 Planning: Gail opened the meeting with a recap on the success of Fourth Fridays. The board discussed repeating the series next year and inviting Cara to assist again. Cara discussed volunteer recruitment strategies for next year. Participating artists must ensure their updated social media details are provided to Fourth Friday contacts.
Volunteer Recognition: Tara presented a thank-you gift to Cara to show appreciation for her work coordinating First Fridays this season.
Sales & Seasonal Adjustments: Tara noted September's Fourth Friday had lighter foot traffic, though sales remained strong. The board discussed operational considerations for this month's Fourth Friday due to earlier darkness and conflicting local sports schedules.
Community Support: Gail spoke about participating in the walk for Chase Yarns. The ABPA donated $150.00 to support the cause.

October Mixer at Abbiocco: Scheduled for October 13, 2026. Abbiocco is a BYOB venue. The board voted to hold a 50/50 raffle and sell ABPA tea towels and totes during the event. Leftover wine from the previous mixer is available via Jessica. Jessica will confirm with Abbiocco whether additional wine glasses need to be supplied. Promotional materials for membership and the Ice Festival will also be brought to the mixer.
Rocktober Fest Cancellation: The proposed Rocktober Fest event has been canceled due to municipal ordinance issues and challenges regarding the request to close Depot Street.
Scarecrow Contest: Registration runs through October 10, with scarecrows on display from October 1 to October 31, 2026. Several guests reported not receiving the registration email; Noreen is sending their email addresses to Dawn so she can resend the registration forms and update the contact list.

Ice Vendor Tour & Site Concepts: Gail requested a debrief on the walk-through with Peter, the new ice vendor. The Clarks Summit tour went smoothly, with Peter suggesting ideas such as a "secret garden" concept near Kim's shop on State Street and using ice crates or folding tables to display sculptures.
Sponsorships & Prospecting: Tara has signed on as the first official sponsor for the festival. Gabbie noted that the updated prospecting spreadsheet currently includes 127 business prospects. Dawn will email the updated list to all members so everyone can select contacts for sponsorship or sculpture solicitation. Dawn is also compiling a single-block purchase report for Gail and Janice.
Spreadsheet Administrative Support: Members experiencing technical difficulties updating the online spreadsheet can email their business contact updates directly to Marion or Sarah to log.
Entertainment Partnerships: Connor O'Brian from the Fringe Festival (theater, acting, and live music) contacted Tara regarding performing at the Ice Festival. The board will gather additional details regarding performance fees.
E-Commerce & Website: Ice sculptures are now available for purchase directly through the ABPA website. Gail reported that the updated website structure looks great.

Bylaws Review Meeting: Gail addressed ongoing operational needs and scheduled a board meeting to review the bylaws on Monday, October 5, 2026, at 9:00 AM.
Operational Workload Sharing: Tara proposed having board members step in to take over specific tasks to assist Milena with her workload moving forward.
Membership Outreach: Dawn reported that the "Member Spotlight" social media features are successfully driving new member sign-ups. Gail suggested bringing physical membership forms and promotional flyers to the upcoming mixer to encourage new registrations.

September 3, 2026