Ever wonder how Venetian gets pulled off each year? Sure, the Board spends countless hours raising money, securing national entertainment, and filing paperwork to ensure community safety, but it is YOU who helps to make it all happen! From loading Artist Equipment on/off stage, to selling Artist Merchandise, selling Venetian Merchandise, and helping to stage the Street Parade, each Festival facet depends on our community volunteers. Sign up below, or if you don't see what you're interested in, send us an email and we'll find a fit!
EQUIPMENT LOAD-IN
Loading in Artist Equipment is a wonderful way to see the behind the scenes process of how the stage is set and gives you the opportunity to work with the band managers and possibly the band members themselves. In volunteering for this position, you will literally be “setting the stage” for the rest of the evening and relieving the stress of the band.
• Requirements: loading in equipment 50 pounds and higher
• 6-8 volunteers needed
• Load-Ins begin when the band arrives (usually between the hours of 11 am & 1 pm) and can take up to 2 hours.
EQUIPMENT LOAD-OUT
Tearing down the stage and loading out the artist equipment is an exciting and pumped-up time as the energy from the show is still resonating on stage. Load-outs are as quick and easy as load-ins, taking an hour or less to complete. Your help loading out gives the artists the opportunity to sign autographs and meet the crowd. Don’t worry! You can get in the meet & greet line as soon as load-outs are complete!
• Requirements: loading out equipment 50 pounds and higher
• 6-8 volunteers needed
• Load-Outs begin as soon as the final band is off the stage (around 10 pm).
ARTIST MERCHANDISE TABLES
Selling artist merchandise has been said to be one of the greatest volunteer positions of the Venetian Festival. Not only do you become the face of the band, but you get great seats without having to fight the crowd. You also get to interact with people all over the world, and sometimes even get to meet the band. Some artists will give free merchandise and take pictures for your willingness to help them out. Note that this volunteer position is not selling merchandise at the Venetian Merchandise booth. This is for the performing artists only. See below to volunteer for the Venetian Merchandise booth.
Merchandise booths are open from 5 pm – 11 pm, Wednesday, July 24th – Saturday, July 27th.
• Requirements: be able to take instruction, count money, work under pressure
• Age Requirements: 18 years of age+
• 3-4 volunteers needed from 5 pm – 11 pm (can be done in 3 hour shifts)
Selling venetian merchandise
This is a great way to be in the middle of it all! Enjoy interacting with Festival-goers, peruse the goods, answer questions. It can be a hectic atmosphere at busy times, but volunteers tend to come back each year to fill a favored slot at the merchandise booth – there is time to enjoy the good company of those with whom you serve.
Merchandise booth opens at 6 pm Wednesday night and is open during downtown festivities through 8 pm Saturday night. Click below to see specific time slots available.
• Requirements: be able to take instruction, count money, work under pressure
• Age Requirements: 18 years of age+, or with an adult
• 3-4 volunteers needed from 5 pm – 11 pm (can be done in 3 hour shifts)
STREET PARADE STAGING
Parades tend to have a lot of moving parts – that is the point after all! Many parts require many hands to operate smoothly. We depend on people to register entrants, distribute programs, and man intersections, among other things. Many duties can be done in tandem with watching the parade, so you won’t miss out!
• Requirements: be relatively mobile/physically fit, work under pressure, act in an authoritative role (when monitoring people in the street)
• Age Requirements: Vary
• 15 volunteers needed from 10 am – 1 pm