Special Events Contract(s) for Services ​taste of Jalisco Festival, State of The City and ​Cathedral City LGBT+ Days

City of Cathedral City is Requesting Proposals for

SPECIAL EVENTS CONTRACT(S) FOR SERVICES
TASTE OF JALISCO FESTIVAL, STATE OF THE CITY AND
CATHEDRAL CITY LGBT+ DAYS

The City of Cathedral City is seeking proposals from qualified professional special event production companies to plan and implement one or all city events known as the State of the City (May 2025), Taste of Jalisco Festival (February 2026) and Cathedral City LGBT+ Days (March 2026). The Proposals are due by Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.

WORK DESCRIPTION

Contractor shall furnish all necessary labor, material, software, equipment, transportation, and services to produce, organize, manage, and run each special event outlined in the scope of project. The Contractor shall be responsible for the planning and implementing the special event(s) based on the scope of the project and report to the City’s Communications & Events Manager. Contractor will be responsible for managing and operating one or multiple special events in the Downtown Arts and Entertainment District, namely at the Cathedral City Community Amphitheater, 68526 Avenida Lalo Guerrero, Cathedral City, CA 92234, Festival Lawn and Town Square Park. State of the City takes place annually at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Golf Resort, 67967 Vista Chino, Cathedral City, CA 92234. The successful Contractor will be issued a Contract for Services Agreement to produce, organize, manage, and run one or multiple special events.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) SCHEDULE/DEADLINES

• Deadline to receive unique questions from submitters – Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025
  • Please email Patrick Bumstead at Pbumstead@cathedralcity.gov
• Date the City will post answers to unique questions – Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025
• The proposals are due on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.

  SCHEDULE OF FESTIVALS/EVENTS

• State of the City: Held in May each year – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5xJ-4B5_JA (2024 program link)
• Taste of Jalisco: Held on the 1 ^st weekend in February each year – www.TasteofJalisco.com
• Cathedral City LGBT Days: Held on 2 ^nd weekend in March each year – www.CathedralCityLGBTDays.com

  LOCATION OF FESTIVALS/EVENTS

• Cathedral City’s Downtown Arts and Entertainment District, Cathedral City Community Amphitheater, 68526 Avenida Lalo Guerrero, Cathedral City, CA 92234, Festival Lawn and Town Square Park. State of the City takes place annually at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Golf Resort, located at 67967 Vista Chino, Cathedral City, CA 92234.

SCOPE OF PROJECT/EVENT DESCRIPTIONS

Taste of Jalisco Festival

Now in its ninth year, Taste of Jalisco Festival celebrates Cathedral City’s Sister City relationship with the City of Tequila in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. The three-day festival honors this relationship through music, fashion, culture, spirits, and cuisine. The Sister City relationship was first established in 1996 when the two cities entered into a formal Sister Cities agreement. Since then, exchanges between the Cities included art, culture, governmental best-practices, youth focused educational opportunities, donation of firefighting equipment, and firefighter training, among others.

The festival features an expansive carnival, authentic Mexican food, tequila tastings, live entertainment including mariachi bands and folkloric dancers, artisan vendors, and family-friendly activities. This vibrant cultural event highlights the rich traditions, cuisine, and arts of Jalisco while strengthening the bonds between the two sister cities. The festival typically includes carnival rides, a marketplace, and special performances that showcase the heritage and culture of the Jalisco region.

Cathedral City LGBT+ Days

Cathedral City LGBT+ Days is an annual pride festival and celebration held in Cathedral City, typically taking place in March. The event features a variety of activities including a parade, live entertainment, vendors, food trucks, and community gatherings. One of its most unique and popular attractions is the Sunday Bed Races, where teams compete by racing decorated beds on wheels through the downtown streets. The festival celebrates the LGBTQ+ community while promoting diversity, inclusion, and equality in the Coachella Valley region.

Cathedral City is the fastest growing among the desert cities and is valued and respected as a community that welcomes and embraces diversity. Many people across the nation know about Palm Springs, but more and more people are discovering that Cathedral City has become a great destination for the LGBTQ+ community to live, dine, stay and play.

State of the City

The State of the City is an annual event held each May at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Golf Resort in Cathedral City, where the Mayor and City Council present updates on the city's accomplishments, special events, current projects, and future plans to the community. This presentation typically includes information about the city's financial status, economic development initiatives, business growth, development projects, public safety updates, and other important civic matters. The event highlights opportunities for business expansion and investment while showcasing Cathedral City's commitment to fostering a strong local economy. The event includes a networking reception for attendees.

The hour-long program features a carefully scripted presentation complete with detailed slideshows, engaging sizzle reels, and professionally produced video content that showcases the city's achievements and vision for the future. The program also includes panel Q&A sessions with special guests, which are usually moderated by the Mayor of Cathedral City. Contractor shall apply to produce, organize, manage, and implement one or both festivals that enriches the cultural activities through music, LIVE entertainment, food, spirits, and other festivities.

1. Develop a detailed timeline of activities and produce, book, secure, and coordinate a schedule of primary events in accordance to the festival’s theme. Activities shall include appropriate music, food, LIVE entertainment, spirits, and other activities. Build upon the successful activities of past festivals (Bed Race for LGBT+ Days and LIVE entertainment for Taste of Jalisco Festival). Provide support for and encourage ancillary events in support of the main event’s programming.
2. Work with the City’s Communication and Events Manager to allow the involvement of the City Council, and any other City related official, in the festival.
3. Attend and coordinate up to eight in-person or virtual meetings with City’s event planning representative(s) and/or community planning committee.
4. Provide review at meetings of overall event plans and follow direction on all safety related issues including Cathedral City Fire Department and Police Department regulations.
5. Provide timely and accurate reports regarding the progress of event production at each meeting.
6. Draft an Event budget identifying all of the anticipated costs to plan, produce, organize, manage, and run the Event, including without limitation, payment to any performers, artists, vendors or service provides utilized for the Event, and identifying all of the anticipated revenues for the events (whether from sponsorships, ticket sales, merchandise sales or otherwise). Where a final budget to actual report is required the Contractor will prepare a document comparing each identified budgeted cost with the actual expense for those items and provide same to City within ninety (90) days after the end of the event.
7. Maintain line of communication with the City staff and cooperate with the City and its representatives.
8. Recruit, hire, train, coordinate and supervise all volunteers and all their activities as required.
9. Provide a site map, event layout, and staging plan to City’s event planning representative(s) for approval at least sixty (60) days prior to the event.
10. Event will be planned under a Rain or Shine implementation plan.
11. Procure and maintain, at its sole cost and expense, policies of insurance to include Comprehensive general liability and personal injury with limits of at least one million dollars ($1,000,000). Certificates of insurance evidencing the foregoing and designating the City, its elected official, officers, employees, agents, and volunteers as additional named insured shall be provided prior to commencement of services.
12. Solicit, procure, or otherwise obtain sponsors for the Event who provide goods, services, or the payment of money to the Contractor in exchange for recognition. Contractor shall primarily use any goods, services or money received from such sponsors to pay or offset the costs of planning, producing, organizing, managing, and running the Event, and may secondarily keep excess monies as additional non-City compensation. Contractor may offer sponsors predetermined sponsorship recognition packages (e.g. tickets, passes, tables, preferred seating, VIP status, and similar benefits and privileged) in accordance with their level of sponsorship. Sponsorship levels and packages must be preapproved by City. Sponsors may choose to direct their sponsorship to support either the overall Event or a specific Event Activity. If the sponsor chooses a directed donation, Contractor shall ensure it has received written instructions from the sponsor indicating the allowed use of the sponsorship.

1. Use reasonable efforts to promote and market the Event which may include use of social media, print ads, broadcast spots, and recruitment of business and organizations to participate in the event as sponsors or vendors. Contractor shall coordinate all its promotional and marketing efforts with the City in advance. City agrees to assist in the promotion and marketing of the Event and will utilize its social media sites for that purpose as the City determines is appropriate.
2. Provide complete staffing for all events and administrative operations. The City shall provide road-closure and public safety (police, fire, emergency medical) services and personnel.
3. Responsible for all printing, production, processing, mailing, postage, event signage, and any/all other costs associated with operation and production of activities including items such as T-shirts, program book, and step and repeat.
4. Recruit, hire, train and supervise event staff as needed.
5. Oversee all recruitment of participants, vendors, and entertainers.
6. Work with City officials and honor sound curfews of 9pm Sunday – Thursday, 11-pm Friday and Saturday.
7. Obtain, at its own cost, all licenses, inspections, certificates and permits required for the Event from any governmental agency other than the City having jurisdiction over the Event, the Site, an Event Activity, or some aspect of the Event (e.g. health permit, alcohol license, flyover, etc.,) including the licenses, inspections, certificates or permits. Contractor is responsible for timely completing and filing all necessary applications and related documents and materials reasonably necessary to obtain the required licenses, inspections, certificates or permits. Contractor shall provide City with a certified copy of any issued license, inspection report, certificate or permit and shall maintain the original or a certified copy of each onsite during the Event and available for inspection by City or any issuing governmental agency.
8. Provide proper private security services to oversee event activities, ensure crowd control, and enforce all permits.

CITY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. City shall provide compensation to the Contractor in the amount approved by the City Council per festival to produce, organize, manage, and run event(s).
2. City shall be responsible for providing water, food, green room, and restrooms for City Council Members and other special guests of the City during festival.
3. City shall secure all City services and City permits for activities on the Site, provide support and waive fees for activities planned at City owned and controlled properties.