The first Troy Fest has been deemed a great success from all aspects and will now become an annual event.

The Troy Fest committee held a follow-up meeting Wednesday at Troy City Hall and discussed the positives and negatives of the arts festival and set the stage for Troy Fest 2004.

Chairperson Dawn Railey said the response from visitors and vendors was very positive. Jack Rainey said, from a financial standpoint,Troy Fest put seed money in the committee's coffer for the Second Annual Troy Fest.

A survey of the vendors provided information for the committee to use in preparing for next year's fest.

The vendors indicated, overwhelmingly, that the Troy Fest should remain on the first Saturday in April and that they liked having the arts and crafts show on the downtown square. Vendors also said the attendance was good and they liked the one-day show.

One negative response on the survey was that a 6 p.m. end time was too late. The vendors recommended that the Troy Fest end at 5 p.m. instead.

All vendors who filled out the survey indicated that they will be back next year.

"The response from the vendors was very positive and that's encouraging," Railey said.

Several suggestions were made that could enhance the Troy Fest and those suggestions will be guidelines for the 2004 show.

Suggestions included more advertising, locating the children's game closer to the festival area and a hospitality tent for the artists.

The children's art exhibit was not as convenient to the square as the committee would have liked and several possibilities were discussed.

There was not an adequate number of food vendors and more food booths and a wide variety make for a better show and keep people around longer, according to committee members.

Jack Rainey reported on the financial aspect of the Troy Fest. Booth rentals brought in $3,615 and sponsorships brought in an additional $800.

The total income, including tee shirts and other sales, was $5,516 and expenditures were $4,767.

Rainey said when all income is accounted for and all expenses taken care of, the committee should have around $1,500 seed money for next year's Troy Fest.

All members of the committee indicated that they were pleased with Troy Fest and with the response to it. All expressed a willingness to work to make the Second Annual Troy Fest even bigger and better.

Members of the Troy Fest Committee who attended the Troy Fest follow-up meeting Wednesday were: Dawn Railey, chairperson, Troy Mayor Jimmy Lunsford, Shelia Jackson, Jenniffer Barner, Betty Wagoner, Don Crapps, Lise Patterson, Nancy Scott, Bill Thompson, Raymond Sexton, Charles Adams, Jack Rainey, Grady Wiggins and Mary Ann Casey.