*FOR RESTAURANTS ONLY*
HappyCulinaryWeek.com
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One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well. - Virginia Woolf
ON THE MENU:
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What is Happy Valley Culinary Week? ......................... 3 What is expected? ..............................................................4 FAQ’s ....................................................................................... 5 Marketing Overview ..................................................... 6-7 Sample Menu ...................................................................... 8 Participating Restaurant Checklist .............................. 9 HVCW Timeline ................................................................. 10 Registration Form .............................................................11 A Look Back..... ...................................................................12
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Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau | 800 East Park Avenue, State College, PA | 814-231-1401 | HappyCulinaryWeek.com
What is Happy Valley Culinary Week? Happy Valley Culinary Week is a seven day celebration of the art of cooking, local foods, and the chefs who prepare them. Events and demonstrations will be scheduled throughout the week; Culinary Week menus will be featured at participating restaurants. Participating restaurants will offer a three-course fixed price menu during their hours of operation. Diners will have an opportunity to sample cuisine from a broad selection of restaurants at an affordable price. Meals will include an appetizer, entrĂŠe and dessert.
{ June 13-19, 2016 } Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau | 800 East Park Avenue, State College, PA | 814-231-1401 | HappyCulinaryWeek.com
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WHAT IS EXPECTED...
Responsibilities of Restaurant Participants:
REGISTER Complete and return the registration form and participation fee, with the three $25 gift cards, to the Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau. Send your logo and restaurant photos to CulinaryWeek@visitpennstate.org. Registration must be completed by Tuesday, February 23, 2016.
Restaurants MUST offer the Happy Valley Culinary Week menu in addition to the standard menu every day and/or evening they are open during Happy Valley Culinary Week. Menu items should be representative of the restaurant in both portion size and quality.
MARKETING & EVENTS Utilize the promotional materials provided, including CREATE YOUR MENU but not limited to: Happy Valley Culinary Week logo, Create a multi-course meal for the fixed price menu during HappyCulinaryWeek.com website, signage/posters, table Happy Valley Culinary Week in the price range available. tents, social media promos/contests, etc‌The three $25 Lunch - $6 - $13 (tax included) gift cards must be submitted by February 23, and will be Dinner $15 - $30 (tax included) used in promotions and marketing. Make sure to create a true VALUE for the consumer. Menus will leave an impression with diners, including many who Promote Happy Valley Culinary Week though your newsletter might be trying your restaurant for the first time. Choose to list, regular customers, and social media crowds. feature dishes that are most popular among your guests, some signature menu items, or your own favorites. Whatever your Hosting events throughout the week related to Culinary Week in your restaurant location are strongly encouraged, and will approach, be creative and have fun! be promoted through our website and PR campaigns if given Submit your menu items to CulinaryWeek@ enough notice. Suggestions include: wine tastings, meet the visitpennstate.org no later than March 18, 2016. All chef, cooking demos, ladies night out, live music, etc‌ again, menus will be reviewed by the Happy Valley Culinary Week be creative and have fun! committee for approval before being published. Inform and educate your staff about the Happy Valley Culinary Once approved, menus will be formatted into a customized Week promotion so they can properly explain it to customers Happy Valley Culinary Week Menu template. These menus will leading up to and during the week-long promotion. The include your restaurant logo and location info. Menus will be requisite participation meeting on February 9, 2016 is available for consumers to view and download from the Happy open to all your employees. Valley Culinary Week website. Formatted & finished menus will be sent to participating restaurants. All restaurants are AFTER HAPPY VALLEY CULINARY WEEK Complete a survey which will be e-mailed by the CPCVB to required to print their own HVCW menu. participating restaurants. Full page, color menus will be featured in the HVCW Guide, with over 10,000 distributed locally in the Keep count of total diners during Happy Valley Culinary Centre County Gazette. Week, broken down by lunch and dinner so numbers can be tracked for planning purposes year-to-year. 4
Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau | 800 East Park Avenue, State College, PA | 814-231-1401 | HappyCulinaryWeek.com
FAQ’s
visitpennstate.org no later than March 18 and the CPCVB will design the special Culinary Week menus so they represent the branding/theme for Culinary Week. Each restaurant will be required to print your customized Happy Valley Culinary Week menu and provide them to customers in addition to your regular menu.
Can I offer “upgrades” to the menu for more money? Yes, upgrades are fine. For instance, you could offer the basic Note: All restaurant-specific information is kept confidential and option and include, “With shrimp, add $4.00; with lobster, add $8.00.” But you must offer at least one multi-course option at is only reported in the aggregate. fixed price. Do I have to be a member of Central PA Convention & How will Happy Valley Culinary Week be promoted? Visitors Bureau in order to participate? No, you do not have to be a member, but there is a reduced rate All registration fees will be used for marketing and promoting Happy Valley Culinary Week. CPCVB will develop a for members. The participation fee is: comprehensive marketing campaign for Happy Valley Culinary • CPCVB Members = $250 + three $25 gift cards Week, including a press campaign and press releases to gain • Non-Members = $300 + three $25 gift cards exposure for the event. There will also be significant followNote: Gift cards will be used for contests and promotions for up to maximize the exposure. Traditional media campaigns as Happy Valley Culinary Week. Earlybird pricing is available until well as social media, which we encourage you to participate in, will be used to promote the event. January 29, 2016. Does my restaurant have to participate for the full week of July 13-19, 2016? All participating restaurants are required to participate for the full one-week period based on your regular operating hours.
The CPCVB will provide marketing materials to each participating restaurant to help with promotion. Ex: posters, cards, table tents, etc...as well as social media guidance. (Use #happyculinaryweek in all your social media posts.)
Do I have to offer a multi-course meal? Yes. Each restaurant will need to offer a multi-course meal for a fixed price within the range provided: Lunches = $6 - $13 and Dinners = $15 - $30 (including tax, excluding beverage). Menus must offer an appetizer, entree and dessert.
Cooperative advertising opportunities will be made available in addition to the event promotion and advertising.
What if I have more than one restaurant/property, does each restaurant have to register separately if they want to participate? Yes. All restaurants receive identical benefits so each Will I need to create my own culinary week menus? You will need to submit your menu items to CulinaryWeek@ participating restaurant has to register individually. Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau | 800 East Park Avenue, State College, PA | 814-231-1401 | HappyCulinaryWeek.com
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MARKETING & PROMOTIONS Website HappyCulinaryWeek.com
Logos & menus from each participating restaurant will be included on the web page, hosted by visitpennstate.org. Also includes a downloadable Recipe Book from participating chefs. In 2015: • 18 participating restaurants • HVCW Web page received almost 9,000 page views in July. • HVCW website received approximately unique 6,300 page views in July.
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Official Guide
Over 10,000 guides were printed and distributed through the Centre County Gazette. Guides were also distributed to participating restaurants and the Visitors Center. Each restaurant’s full-color menu was published in the guide so guests could get a “taste” of what to expect. Advertising space is also available. An event schedule is published as well, so be sure to submit your schedule of events in time to be included in the official Guide.
Social Media
Happy Valley Culinary Week is promoted through Visit Penn State’s Facebook page, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Google+ accounts. Restaurant cooperation is encouraged by using the #happyculinaryweek hashtag. Gift Certificates are used in promotions through Forever Broadcasting and Seven Mountains Media. Social media contests are conducted through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Join the conversation! #HappyCulinaryWeek is the official hashtag for HVCW.
Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau | 800 East Park Avenue, State College, PA | 814-231-1401 | HappyCulinaryWeek.com
MARKETING & PROMOTIONS Advertising & PR
Ads were placed in local publications and on the web leading up to, and during, the week. Articles covering the event were included in the CDT, Collegian, Town & Gown and HappyValley.com. 2015 Advertising: • Town & Gown • Centre County Gazette • State College Magazine • Centre Daily Times • HappyValley.com • Facebook Boosted Posts • Twitter posts & more!
Promos
Events
Signage, table tents, and takeaway cards for Happy Valley Culinary Week are placed throughout the area at local hotels, participating restaurants, the Visitors Center and local businesses.
We are encouraging participants to schedule special events during the week to help promote Happy Valley Culinary Week in the area.Suggested events include chef demos, wine tastings and live music.
Banners are placed at the local farmer’s markets and posters are placed strategically throughout town and in restaurant/store windows to pull people into the events.
The South Hills Food Festival will be held on Thursday, June 16, 2016. This event includes lots of chef demos, food vendors and more.
The HVCW Recipe Book is available though the Visit Penn State home page all year long.
If you’d like guidance and/or assistance planning events, please contact CulinaryWeek@ visitpennstate.org.
Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau | 800 East Park Avenue, State College, PA | 814-231-1401 | HappyCulinaryWeek.com
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SAMPLE MENU From: San Diego Restaurant Week
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TO NOTE: Menus will be reviewed by the Happy Valley Culinary Week committee. Menu items need to be submitted by Friday, March 18, 2016 to CulinaryWeek@visitpennstate.org.
Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau | 800 East Park Avenue, State College, PA | 814-231-1401 | HappyCulinaryWeek.com
Happy Valley Culinary Week
PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS
TO-DO CHECKLIST...
REGISTER: Complete and submit your registration form to the Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau by Tuesday, February 23, 2016. Earlybird registration is due January 29, 2016. DETERMINE PRICE POINT & MENU: Determine your price points from the range noted in the registration form. Send us the menu text & pricing. We will format, design and return it to you print ready! Menus are due March 18. This is a hard deadline that must be adhered to for menus to be included in the Gazette’s HVCW Guide. Item descriptions are strongly encouraged. Menus will then be printed in the Guide and used for promotions. Send to: CulinaryWeek@visitpennstate.org. Please don’t hesitate to email or call for help with menus. ATTEND THE PARTICIPANT MEETING: Attending the meeting on Tuesday, February 9, 2016 will help provide you and your staff with all the info you need. At least one person from your restaurant must attend, all your employees are welcome. SUBMIT PAYMENT & GIFT CARDS: Submit your payment and three $25 value gift cards to the Central PA Convention & Visitor’s Bureau. These monies are used for marketing and promotion. SCHEDULE & SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS: We ask that you schedule and submit your events as early in the year as possible so we can include them in the Event Calendar in the Centre County Gazette’s HVCW Official Guide. Please include any regularly scheduled events as well. Email CulinaryWeek@visitpennstate.org or call 814-2311401. SEND US IMAGES: Logos, food & chef photos, culinary specialties, images of people dining in your establishment… we’ll use these for online and print promotions. SPREAD THE WORD: Promote Happy Valley Culinary Week by sharing it with your newsletter lists, social media channels like Facebook & Twitter, and customers! We will be distributing marketing materials to place in your business for event promotion. Use #happyculinaryweek with all social media posts. We’re happy to help you with social media promotion - just ask!
Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau | 800 East Park Avenue, State College, PA | 814-231-1401 | HappyCulinaryWeek.com
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THE TIMELINE... JANUARY
January 29 - Earlybird Registration deadline
FEBRUARY
February 9 - Informational meeting (open to all interested parties) February 23 - Regular Registration deadline
MARCH
March 18 - Menus Due*
APRIL
Preparation & Committee Meetings (TBD)
GET SOCIAL!
#HappyCulinaryWeek
MAY
May - HVCW Official Guide published
QUESTIONS?
Contact: CulinaryWeek@visitpennstate.org
JUNE Early June - HVCW Kick-Off Party! June - HVCW Official Guide Distributed June 13-19 - Happy Valley Culinary Week June 20-June 24 – Restaurants complete survey
HappyCulinaryWeek.com 10 Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau | 800 East Park Avenue, State College, PA | 814-231-1401 | HappyCulinaryWeek.com
Happy Valley Culinary Week | June 13 - 19, 2016 PARTICIPATING RESTAURANT REGISTRATION & AGREEMENT FORM What You Get: • Full page menu with your logo, address, phone & website printed in the official HVCW Guide Book - 10,000+ distributed locally by the Centre County Gazette. Adjacent ad space also offered for an extra cost. • Increased promotion and advertising, including traditional print and radio advertisements as well as social media campaigns conducted by the CPCVB’s marketing department • Increase in revenue and awareness. Menu, logo and website link included on the HVCW website, offering apx. 5,000 unique page visits • Connect with fellow restaurants, local organizations and the community • An opportunity to showcase your favorite dishes and try new items What We Need: • Register your business as soon as possible. Registration & Marketing fee: Regular pricing: $250 (members) $300 (non-members) • Deadline February 23, 2016 • Discounted Early Bird pricing available: $200 (members) $250 (non-members) Deadline January 29, 2016 • Menus due March 18, 2016 (hard deadline)* • Menus should offer multiple courses and a variety of items within the prix fixe menu range (lunch= $6 - $13; Dinner = $15 - $30) Menus must offer diners value as well as creativity • Present all diners with regular menu and Happy Valley Culinary Week menu • Attend Participation Meeting on February 9, 2016 *refer to sample menu and former menus for guidance. We are happy to help; please call or email us with questions. Key Points: • Create menus based on offering diners a creative menu with VALUE, encouraging customers to try something new • Diners appreciate vegetarian and gluten-free options • Please be prepared to accommodate allergies with substitutions • Consider increasing your presence by hosting an event, demo, live music, etc. Email us for guidance and ideas.
Attend Participant Meeting February 9, 2016: • We will distribute promotional materials, collect gift certificates and provide key points for media opportunities at this meeting. • Someone from your restaurant MUST attend the Participant Meeting to be considered for earned media spots.
Restaurant Contact Info: Restaurant: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Contact Name: ______________________________________
Email: __________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Website: ___________________________________________
Phone: _________________________________________
Facebook: __________________________________________
Twitter: @_______________________________________
I AGREE TO THE TERMS OUTLINES IN THIS AGREEMENT & PLEDGE TO PARTICIPATE IN 2015 HAPPY VALLEY CULINARY WEEK: NAME:_______________________________________SIGNATURE: ________________________________DATE: ___________
Payment Information
PAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY THIS FORM IN ORDER TO BE PROCESSED Early Bird Registration Fees: (deadline Jan. 29)
Regular Registration Fees: (deadline Feb. 23)
_______ $200 for CPCVB Member _______ $250 for Non-Member + three (3) $25 Gift Certificates
_______ $250 for CPCVB Member _______ $300 for Non-Member + three (3) $25 Gift Certificates
Check enclosed: check number ____ to pay by credit card (Visa & MasterCard accepted) please call Kevin Breon at 814-231-1401 Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau | 800 East Park Avenue, College, PA | 814-231-1401 | HappyCulinaryWeek.com 11 Registration fees areState non-refundable
A LOOK BACK: 2015
Food, fun and new friends! “Culinary Week diners told us the meal deals encouraged them to come in and try the unique cuisine…we made many new friends!” - Duke Gastiger, Spat’s Cafe
“We really enjoyed participating and would love to do it again!” -PJ Harrigan’s
12 Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau | 800 East Park Avenue, State College, PA | 814-231-1401 | HappyCulinaryWeek.com