Aiming to shed ‘swap meet’ misconception, proponents unveil VillageFest marketing overhaul

VillageFest, the Thursday night street fair that has drawn locals and tourists to Downtown Palm Springs for more than three decades, is getting a makeover.

The VillageFest board presented plans for a comprehensive marketing overhaul and a proposed year-round storefront during the City Council meeting last Wednesday.

VillageFest Board Chair Greg Roberts outlined a marketing plan developed with Tripepi Smith, a marketing and public affairs firm, aimed at celebrating the event’s 33-year legacy while positioning it for long-term success.

“VillageFest is a microcosm of what is great about Palm Springs,” Roberts said.

The new marketing strategy includes a revamped website with ADA compliance, interactive vendor maps, expanded social media presence featuring vendor spotlights, and seasonal campaigns throughout the year. Parks and Recreation Director Nick Gonzalez said the campaigns will include “Falling into Autumn” in fall, “Holiday Market Magic” in winter, “Desert in Bloom” in spring, and “Hot Nights, Cool Finds” in summer.

“All these campaigns will keep VillageFest relevant, visible and exciting throughout the year,” Gonzalez said.

The marketing plan addresses what organizers identified as a common misconception that VillageFest is a “swap meet.” As a juried event, arts and crafts vendors must handcraft 75 percent of their merchandise to be accepted into VillageFest, and each vendor and entertainer must be approved by the VillageFest Board.

The event hosts an average of 100 to 200 vendors depending on the season, and weekly attendance averages between 8,000 and 10,000 during high season from October through May and 4,000 to 6,000 during low season from June through September. Returning vendors generate $500,000 a year in fees.

The board will measure success through attendance growth, vendor retention, social media engagement, website traffic and media coverage. An attendee survey will launch Nov. 6 to gather feedback, followed by surveys of downtown merchants and other stakeholders.

Roberts presented a strategic vision to position VillageFest as a small business incubator, proposing a “Best of VillageFest” storefront that would give vendors a platform to sell products on nights other than Thursday. The rotating storefront would showcase top vendors while capitalizing on the VillageFest brand.

“Our ultimate success factor is those vendors that have achieved business growth and success and have expanded to brick and mortar operations,” Roberts said.

The board is also exploring collaboration with College of the Desert, which has expressed interest in partnering to create learning opportunities for students with an entrepreneurial focus at the college’s Palm Springs campus. Roberts said the collaboration could fuel organic business growth, academic advancement and job creation.

“Our vision is to create a best of VillageFest storefront that will give our vendors a platform to sell their products on nights other than Thursday,” Roberts said.

The marketing plan targets five primary audiences through seasonal programming tied to major regional events like Modernism Week, Coachella and Stagecoach, with rotating themes designed to re-engage local residents who may feel they have already experienced the event. The strategy includes expanded social media presence with vendor spotlights, quarterly press releases, and digital ads on Facebook, Instagram and Google to boost attendance and engagement.

The board requested council endorsement to develop a more concrete plan for the storefront concept. Councilmember Jeffrey Bernstein, for one, praised the initiative, noting his own business benefitted from being part of VillageFest.

“My business was incubated at VillageFest for two years,” said Bernstein, who owns Destination PSP on Palm Canyon Drive. “I love the idea of you doing the incubator, and it definitely helped.”

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