Cobb Hill Lantern Weekend · December 4 to 6, 2026

Festival budget: where the money stands

Update 3, Friday, November 20. Two weeks to go. From Edie Winslow, treasurer, for the committee and our funders.

Left in the budget

$3,210

of $24,000 planned

Spent or committed $20,790 · 87%Left $3,210 · 13%

3 of 9 lines over plan
$1,110 over, between them
$1,000 contingency, untouched

The short version. Three lines have gone over, and each says why below. The bills still to come add up to $3,320, which is $110 more than what's left. Income is running $450 ahead of plan, so we still expect to finish about $340 ahead. There is one decision for Tuesday, at the bottom.

Spending, line by line

PlannedSpent or committedOver plan

Stage, sound and lightingContract signed

Planned$5,200

Spent$5,640

Left$440 over

Why it's over. The hire firm now requires a backup generator for any outdoor stage. That added $440 to the quote we budgeted from.
Performers and workshop leaders7 of 9 acts confirmed

Planned$4,000

Spent$3,100

Left$900
Lantern materialsOrdered, arriving November 30

Planned$2,400

Spent$2,910

Left$510 over

Why it's over. Workshop places went faster than planned: 640 booked against 500. Willow, tissue and lights for the extra 140 lanterns cost $510. Those same 140 tickets bring in $700.
Tents, tables and fencingBooked in full

Planned$3,600

Spent$3,600

Left$0
Permits, insurance and road closureAll paid

Planned$2,100

Spent$2,260

Left$160 over

Why it's over. The city raised its road-closure fee from $450 to $610 on November 1. There is nothing here we can trim.
First aid and stewardsHalf paid as a deposit

Planned$2,300

Spent$1,150

Left$1,150
Toilets, waste and cleanupHalf paid as a deposit

Planned$1,900

Spent$950

Left$950
Printing, signs and publicityPosters and banners done

Planned$1,500

Spent$1,180

Left$320
ContingencyUntouched so far

Planned$1,000

Spent$0

Left$1,000
All nine lines

Planned$24,000

Spent$20,790

Left$3,210

Bills still to come

First aid and stewardsBalance due December 1	$1,150
Toilets, waste and cleanupBalance due December 7	$950
Two acts still to confirm	$900
Programs and road signs to print	$320
Still to come	$3,320
Left in the budget	$3,210
Short by	$110

Paying these uses up the whole contingency, with nothing spare for a surprise on the weekend.

Money in

Source	Planned	Now expected
City arts grantReceived in full	$8,000	$8,000
Local sponsorsOne $500 sponsor withdrew	$6,500	$6,000
Stall fees34 stalls at $125; we planned 32	$4,000	$4,250
Workshop tickets640 places at $5; we planned 500	$2,500	$3,200
Hot drinks and donation bucketsComes in on the weekend; kept at plan	$3,000	$3,000
Total	$24,000	$24,450

$21,450 of the expected total is already banked or confirmed in writing.

Where we expect to finish

$24,450 in − $24,110 out = $340 ahead

The $24,110 is what's spent or committed today, $20,790, plus the $3,320 still to come.

For Tuesday. One decision: what the extra $450 of income is for. I'd like the committee to agree that it meets the $110 gap first, and that the $340 after that stays as a reserve for the weekend instead of paying for a tenth act.

How to read this. "Spent" means paid, or owed under a signed contract. Where we've paid a deposit, only the deposit is counted so far, and the balance is under "Bills still to come". The sums are done in the committee's spreadsheet, which Edie keeps. This page is the copy for reading, replaced every Friday at this same link. Next update: November 27. The committee meets on Tuesday, November 24, at 7 pm.