You may recognize the name “Grapevine” as one of your favorite dance moves, but did you know that Grapevine, Texas is a nationally-acclaimed destination spot in the Southwest? Boasting 80 locally-owned shops, wineries and restaurants amid the gorgeous scenery of north Texas, it’s no wonder thousands travel here every summer for a relaxing, tannin-infused getaway.
Beyond the local attractions, Grapevine is also the home of multiple events, such as GrapeFest®, the largest wine festival in the Southwest; the Christmas Capital of Texas®, which features 1,400 Christmas events over more than 40 days; Main Street Fest, a three-day family-friendly festival of fun; and numerous others. Grapevine has even been officially recognized as a World Festival & Events City by the International Festival & Events Association (IFEA).
These events are made possible by the Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). “The Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau is the destination marketing organization for the City of Grapevine, Texas,” says Luke Wolfard, Festival and Event Manager at the Grapevine CVB. “It’s our mission to attract new and repeat meetings and conventions, leisure travelers and local residents to experience the superior level of attractions, shopping, dining, annual events and more.”
These festivals are also a way to support the local community. “Grapefest (and others) are very important to the community because the proceeds help finance the Grapevine Heritage Foundation,” explains Wolfard. The Grapevine Heritage Foundation is a not-for-profit community organization committed to promoting the preservation, protection, and economic development of Grapevine’s physical and cultural heritage.
Before switching to VolunteerLocal, Grapevine recruited volunteers using paper forms that volunteers filled out by hand, and then mailed, faxed, or dropped off at the CVB. Data was then manually inputted and stored in (you guessed it!) Excel spreadsheets. For an organization that recruits up to 1,000 individual volunteers for some of it’s largest events, VolunteerLocal has made it much easier to organize and communicate.
“[VolunteerLocal’s] ease and online use for the volunteers to sign up for shifts has enabled us to recruit a larger amount of volunteers with greater efficiency,” Luke Wolfard, Festival and Event Manager at the Grapevine CVB says. “I will continue to use VolunteerLocal at our future events and would definitely recommend it to others.”
When you’re planning your next family vacation, or simply craving a glass of the best wine the southwest has to offer, consider Grapevine, Texas: it’s as fun (and accessible) as your favorite dance move (step-behind-step-touch)!
