Nope, it's not too early to think about 2008, in fact many organizations have already set many of their significant event dates for next year.

To have the most comprehensive cultural events listing in one location, Plumas Arts actively and continuously solicits events information for posting on our 2008 printed calendars and website: www.plumasarts.org. Printed calendars are issued quarterly. The web calendar is updated at least two times a month.

Plumas has become a busy, event-filled county. With so much going on in all the nooks and crannies of our mutli-faceted communities, events producers need to work with, and around, each other to insure the best chances of success for all events.

"We have noticed that, particularly in the last few years, that there are so many great events and groups coordinating fundraisers for good causes," relays Plumas Arts Director, Roxanne Valladao. "We really need to work together to spread the opportunities out for our audiences and to ease the burden on the businesses that contribute their support to so many of our fundraisers. If we plan together - and far enough ahead - we can work together to make sure that there will be enough to go around for all of us."

Plumas Arts makes every effort to have the web version of the calendar reflect all known events, which are open to the public, in the county, but they need your help.

If you have an event that you would like listed on Plumas County's Arts & Events Calendar, please call Plumas Arts at 283-3402 to check existing dates. When you have an event date secured, email information to info@plumasarts.org or fax it to 283-1168. Event listings need to be submitted in writing.

Since the late 1980's Plumas Arts (Plumas County Arts Commission) has been contracted by the Plumas County Board of Supervisors to collect a comprehensive county events calendar. Plumas Arts accomplishes that task in two formats: a printed quarterly calendar that is distributed with the Plumas Arts Newsletter and on the Plumas Arts website at www.plumasarts.org/calendar.html.

The printed, quarterly Plumas Arts & Events Calendar goes out in the newsletter that is mailed to Plumas Arts Members and is available at various locations around the county.

You may become a member and support the good work of Plumas Arts with an annual donation of as little as $35 per year for a family or a business. The staff at Plumas Arts will be happy to inform you of all the benefits of membership when you make an inquiry about the events calendar or any of their many programs or events.  

Planning an Event? Get off to a good start ...
PLUMAS COUNTY EVENTS PLANNING 101

• Begin your event planning as far in advance as you can.
  Look at least 3 to 6 months ahead, if it's a big event, look farther.
• Start by asking your group these questions:
  Do you have a built in audience for your event? Are you only appealing to a small specific group? Or are you trying to draw from beyond your local community?
• Be as flexible as you can with your date when you begin. Going up against an established event could sabotage its success. 
• Find out what annual, established or other events are scheduled in that time frame. Local chambers of commerce usually have a good handle on what's going on in their individual communities. Check in with them first.
• After you have a few dates that seems to work in your local community, call Plumas Arts at 283-3402 to see what is going on in the rest of the county.
• If you find another conflicting date on the calendar consider these things:
  Is this event in the same area of the county? Are we dealing with a similar audience, or are these events likely to draw different crowds? 
• Could your event conflict with or compliment another event happening at the same time?  For instance, three gallery openings on one night are likely getting more people out for all of them that to split them up over consecutive days. A community dinner might work well with an evening dance. But, two auctions, dinners, dances or major fundraisers on the same weekend or even concurrent weekends could force people to choose which one they can afford to attend. Or, can events on consecutive weekends, or a few days apart, encourage tourists to turn a two-day visit into a weeklong stay?
• Once you have answered these questions, ask someone outside your organizing group to see if you get the same answers. Check with Plumas Arts or the Plumas County Visitor's Bureau. They would be pleased to offer advice.
• When you set your date - Report it to Plumas Arts: info@plumasarts.org or fax it to 283-1168. Events listings need to be submitted in writing.
• If you report a date or an event and something changes, make sure you get that information to Plumas Arts. They can only provide the correct information about your event if it is provided to them.