TRV 295 - Cultural Heritage Tourism

1. TRV 295 - Cultural Heritage Tourism Chapter 7 – Concessions Dr. T. Michael Gilley "TRV - Chapter 7 Concessions" by Mike Gilley, CC BY 4.0.

2. Cultural Heritage Tourism and Heritage Foodways • Folklife studies not only include research studies on music, folktales and storytelling, beliefs, material culture, and architecture, but also foodways. Foodways are the study of the foods, preservation and cooking processes, and eating habits of a specific group of people, region, or historical period. Food and cooking as well as preservation processes are very much major cultural events as families and communities have specific foods, ways of cooking and processing foods, and recipes. We recognize this more readily outside our own culture. In the Appalachian region for example, we now see restaurants that feature Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Italian, Mexican, Thai, and Vietnamese food ways. We also find more restaurants that feature local heritage recipes, foods, and cooking. These heritage food ways can vary from one region in Appalachia to another depending upon the nationality and ethnicity of the people who settled and lived in the region.

3. Cultural Heritage Tourism and Heritage Foodways (cont’d) • Concessions for cultural heritage tourism events vary greatly among events. Some concessions feature foods that do not represent the food ways of the region as well as traditional carnival foods. It is important to distinguish between traditional local foods which represent the heritage of the cultural heritage event and those that do not for the support of authenticity of the tourism event and cultural preservation. • For some information regarding the heritage foodways of the southern Appalachian region, consult The Foxfire Book, Volumes 1-12.

4. Event, Vision, Mission, Plan, and Site Impact Concessions • The cultural heritage event can determine the type of concessions for the event. • The vision, mission, plan and site of the cultural heritage event can impact concessions for the event. For example, an evening concert may or may not feature concessions. The longer the event, the more likely concessions will be featured to accommodate refreshments or meals for the visitors, unless local restaurants are near the site where the event is held and feature foodways desired for the event. The concessions contract can control what foods are served to protect the integrity and authenticity of the cultural heritage event. • Concessions can be provided or catered by the event sponsor or concession vendors can be invited to participate and provide refreshments and food.

5. Event, Vision, Mission, Plan, and Site Impact Concessions (cont’d) • The site can determine what refreshments are provided, especially depending upon the availability of power resources. In addition the terrain of the site if outdoors and the amount of space available can also determine what food vendors can be accommodated. • Health department regulations and certification can also impact concessions, as well as other state, city, or county regulations.

6. Checklist for Concessions Planning • When planning for concessions for the cultural heritage event, the event coordinators should consider the following items which can be included in a food and beverage contract for concession vendors. This contracts identify the responsibilities for both the event coordinators and the vendors. The food and beverage contract should address and include: • identification of all parties involved; • event committee responsibilities - description of the event, specific food selection and no sales of other items criteria, length of event (days and hours), operation hours of event, inclement weather procedures and dates, set-up and break-down dates and times, financial considerations including booth fees and percentage of sales, limitation of banking / cash on site, materials supplied by event

7. Checklist for Concessions Planning (cont’d) coordinators, festival authority, exclusivity rights for products, on- site inspections and supervision of vendors, and right to view vendors’ audit of business books for profit sharing arrangement; • vendor responsibilities - business license, temporary permits, health certificate, insurance information including liability and indemnification statements, fire regulations, weapons possession, on-site staff and contact information, naming of booth if required, description including photos of booth or trailer, proposed menu and prices, method of food preparation, vendor service agreement, materials supplied by vendor, heritage dress if required, maintenance of premises during and after the event, disposal procedures, cleanup deposit, surrender of premises, lodging guidelines, and references for the past twelve months; and • both – default and termination of agreement, and signatures.

8. Case Study 1- Blue Ridge Folklife Festival • Blue Ridge Folklife Festival provides four eating courts focusing on ethnic cooking unique to the Blue Ridge Mountain region of Virginia. In addition, to these four meal areas, there are concession vendors who feature heritage foods such as native apples, home churned ice cream, fried pies and other desserts. Tables for visitors to eat are set up at the four food vendor areas. • The majority of the food vendors are local church and civic organizations or farmers. They cook heritage foods using local recipes and cooking processes. • These concessions are set up as meal conveniences for the visitors and to give a flavor of heritage foods. • The food vendors do not demonstrate the food cooking and preservation processes.

9. Case Study 2 – Home Craft Days • Home Craft Days Festival provides one large eating court with over 20 food vendors surrounding two large tents with tables and chair provided to seat approximately 200 visitors. In the beginning of this festival (1972), the food concessions focused on ethnic cooking unique to the southwest coalfield area of Virginia. This has changed over the years to an international food selection and carnival foods. The only foods that are not allowed are hot dogs, hamburgers, and pizza. • In the early days of the festival, the food vendors were local church, civic, and student organizations that provided heritage foods using local recipes and cooking processes. • Currently, these concessions are set up as meal conveniences for the visitors, but not to demonstrate the flavor, cooking, and preservation processes of heritage foods.

10. Case Study 3 - MerleFest • MerleFest provides one large eating court with approximately 10 food vendors under one large tent with tables and chair provided to seat approximately 100 visitors. The food concessions offer a variety of International foods as well as local heritage foods. In addition to this large food court, other food concessions are located scattered around campus to provide food conveniently located to the thirteen plus performance areas. • The food vendors are mostly local church, civic, and student organizations. Wilkes Community College offers a culinary program so the culinary students prepare food for two food booths, one for meals and one for gourmet desserts. • Currently, these concessions are set up as meal conveniences for the visitors, but not to demonstrate the flavor, cooking, and preservation processes of heritage foods. The concessions of the culinary program provide funding of a student trip to France to study cooking under professional chefs for two weeks.

11. Assignment for Chapter 7 • Continuing your case study of a cultural heritage event, answer the following questions: • Does the event include concessions? If so, who provides the actual concessions: the event committee, local restaurants, civic or church organizations, independent concession vendors, other, or a mix? • Do the foodways follow and address the cultural heritage tourism event’s vision and mission statement? • Are there criteria defining the food selection and items that will not be considered?

12. Assignment for Chapter 7 (cont’d) • What are the financial arrangements and considerations between the event committee and the vendors? • Is there a formal contract between the event committee and the vendors that include these responsibilities and other considerations? • Has the event committee or vendor(s) identified any issues which they feel need to be addressed for improvement of concessions? If so, what recommendations would you propose to the event committee to improve any contractual agreements between the committee and vendors?

13. Resources • Collins, K. C. & Cheek, A. (2004). The foxfire book, Volume 12. New York: Anchor. • Collins, K. C. & Hunter, L. (1999). The foxfire book, Volume 11. New York: Anchor. • deLisle, L. J. (2014). Creating special events. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing. • Dorson, R. M. (1972). Folklore and folklife: An introduction. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. • Gillespie, P. F. (1982). The foxfire book, Volume 7. New York: Anchor. • Gilley, T. M. (2016). Institutions of higher education and cultural heritage tourism: A case study of the Crooked Road, Virginia’s heritage music trail. Ann Arbor: ProQuest.

14. Resources (cont’d) • Reynolds, George. (1993). The foxfire book: Volume 10. New York: Anchor. • Wiggington, E. (1972-1980). The foxfire book, Volumes 1-6. New York: Anchor. • Wiggington, E. & Bennett, M. (1984). The foxfire book, Volumes 8 & 9. New York: Anchor.