17/07/2024
Springfield & others asked for it and I delivered!
It’s been almost two weeks since the Bring it Back, Bring it Back Event at the Crown Plaza in Springfield. 2000S DECADE EVENT (Ages 21 & up! See updated ticket price & flyer.) At the end of last year people asked me to throw a party! “Ain't no party like a Rico party,” they said. I got the communities input and checked with several venues. You guys said I needed a big venue remember? The fairgrounds said they could not get enough state police for security to secure my public event so that option was off the table. The only venue that was willing to and would accommodate at least 1,000 people plus was the Crown Plaza. After having a graphic artist design the flyer and I posted it I had over 200 people say they were coming and more than 600 said they were interested with more than 300 shares originally. I spent 8 months planning and promoting this party for the 2000s decade in Springfield so that we could all get together and have fun like we used to Back in the Day. We are 17 years older now, which warranted a safe, big & nice venue for us all to come together and have a really nice time. Originally, I requested on 28 and up but when there were no ticket sales I included ages 21-27. Plenty of security would be there so that everyone would be safe. Especially since there were many people who insisted on it and I agreed! We live in crazy times so security is a must! I had a VIP section planned and each VIP guest would get a nice dinner and a bottle of champagne, red carpet style with a photographer and videographer filming their entrance. When there were no ticket sales for VIP guests and I had to give the hotel a head count, I canceled the VIP section and reduced the general admission to $68. At the $85 price, each person would have received appetizers at a cost for the appetizers from the hotel of $32,000. Only a handful of people bought advanced tickets so I canceled the appetizers reducing the ticket price to $68. Over 200 still said they were coming and more than 600 people were interested on the event page so surely there would be people there. I no longer live in Springfield, my family and I moved from there in 2013 but I still have many people that follow me on Facebook who asked me to throw this party. Let me share with you the costs in throwing this event. For starters, the venue charged over $20,000.00 for the event space. Yes, I did say $20,000! To accommodate close to 2000 and at least 1000 people as expected, the hotel required at least 15 security guards, that was $5400. We all wanted a safe party so that we could all go home to our families. The photographer charged $1000 and the videographer charged $1000. Both were hired so that we could enjoy the memories like we did years ago. You know the pictures people sent to me from back in the day? Those memories I had on a video loop that played nonstop during the event. I also had a memorial table of 5 people who we honored that are no longer with us. Each of their pictures were in a gold frame on a table with their name, tea lights and a palm tree with a poem that read, “In Loving Memory, Your Life was a Blessing, your Memory we will Treasure, Your loved beyond Words and Missed beyong Measure.” I didn't know all of these people, the Springfield community provided their loved ones picture and photograph. It was very heartwarming and thoughtful to think of those who have left us over these last 17 years. I also had on display and for the use of my guests a 360 photo booth that accommodates 5-7 people with a custom backdrop and a variety of props to choose from. Afterwards, each guests receives unlimited free boomerrang videos of the fun time on the 360 photo booth with friends, or by him or herself to always enjoy. A selfie photo booth also with a backdrop and props that guests could snap a selfie and a receive a free printed photo in a 4x6 framed photo card was available too! I asked if local people wanted to perform so that they could share with the community their talents and give them a chance to promote themselves and I had 4 acts scheduled to perform. Only 1 of them showed up. I also only had 1 host show up & two were supposed to be there. Also, to take us back to the 2000s and 2000s themed music there was an assortment of candy we ate back in the day, Laffy Taffy, “Shake that Laffy Taffy”; Bubble Gum, Tootsie Roll Pops, Jolly Ranchers and Caramel Apple lollipops. We had 13 contests scheduled with each winner to receive a prize. Glow sticks, glow necklaces, glow bracelets all available and complimentary to all with corn hole, Jenga, cards, limbo, ping pong, 4 in a row, chess and checkers available to play with friends so all could have a really nice time at a five star hotel in Springfield. There were 5 bartenders ready to serve you a free drink compliments of me. People said they would fly in and get a room. Yes those rooms were also reduced for my guests. A rooftop to watch fireworks and the whole shabang! 5 tickets, yes I said 5 were purchased through Event Brite. Surely people would come after all over 200 people said they were coming and another 600 were interested. My mom and I made a half a dozen trips to Springfield handing out flyers at local businesses many of which donated gift cards, passes, gift certificates, or items from their store to support this event. Each donated gift or item was given as a door prize or contest winner to those that did attend, security, and bartenders. I borrowed $20,000 from family and paid over $15,000 myself on the hotel and deposits to vendors. Let’s not forget all the time I spent on this event marketing in person and online, conversations with people, emails, etc. Putting this event together was tons of work! Surely, I would be able to pay my family back because Springfield people asked me to throw this party with over 300 shares & 200 comments/likes. To my surprise and I only believe it because my parents and brother were selling tickets at the door, 2 people bought tickets so a total of 7 people showed up out of the 1,000 that RSVP online. Before 10pm we reduced the price to $20 with a free drink. Those were the two ticket sales at the door. Can you even believe how devastated I and my family are? How could this happen? It pains me significantly to be writing this and is taking so much strength to keep going. My heart is broken! Over 200 said they were coming and another 600 were interested with 300 shares. I am asking for your help in recouping these charges. Springfield people asked, I delivered times 2! There is no reason why you guys couldn’t support me. It was fair price and included several free items. There was also a security concern so setting the price higher you would think people would act better! They are tons of day events and you guys could have supported my event! It was one day out of the year. I don't even live in Springfield and now I'm in debt and my family is also out their money as well. So I am asking for help. I am begging of you! Please cash app me at $djricop or venmo me at -Perkins-9 whatever you can, every little bit helps. Thank you. We appreciate it very much. God Bless!
Sincerely,
DJ Rico P.
