Colonnade has lots of events, new billboard
Last month, there were 36 events held at The Colonnade Event Center and Performing Arts Theater in Ringgold., including concerts by James Rogers and the Ball Brothers and performances of The Nutcracker.
What concerns Joy Burchfield, interim director of the Colonnade, is that not enough of the public knows about the events held month after month.
“We have a lot of private events like weddings and business meetings,” says Burchfield, “but we also have all sorts of things for the public.”
Plays, concerts, craft fairs, art exhibits, the annual Catoosa Chamber business expo are all examples. Burchfield wants more people to know the Colonnade is there and what can be found inside. “Sometimes people stop by and come inside just to ask what the building is,” she says. “We’re always happy to give them a tour.”’
It doesn’t help that the Colonnade’s electronic sign on Battlefield Parkway and Old Mill Road hasn’t worked for a while. Burchfield says that in addition to malfunctions the sign’s software has become outdated. She says the only practical option would be to replace the sign, but she’s not sure the expense would be worth it.
So, the Colonnade is trying an alternative option, with the blessing of the
Catoosa County Board of Commissioners.
Burchfield came before the commissioners at their Jan. 3 meeting to request permission to use some of the Colonnade’s advertising budget to rent billboard space.
Trailhead Media had just installed a digital billboard on Battlefield Parkway not far from the Colonnade’s old digital sign. Burchfield talked to the company and says it offered a good deal on billboard space.
To rent the billboard for six and a half months, Burchfield told commissioners, would run $3,250. Ads, she says, can be changed weekly and the Colonnade can sell ad space to its clients who wish to publicize their events.
Burchfield says the Colonnade will advertise all events open to the public.
The commissioners approved the request unanimously. Commissioner Vanita Hullander, District 3, praised the use of the billboard to advertise and said she felt it would also help people find the Colonnade, which sits off Battlefield Parkway enough to be a little hidden.
A basic message is already displayed on the billboard — an invitation to visit the Colonnade’s website. Burchfield says people have been commenting that they’ve seen the ad. If the results of the billboard
advertising prove worthwhile, says Burchfield, then she would like to continue it beyond the initial contract period.
Interesting facts about the Colonnade There are four styles of seating available for sit-down events: classroom, conference, banquet and theater A full banquet room is 10,440 square feet and can seat 720 people when set up for a banquet Other rooms range from 529 to 7,344 square feet and can hold from 32 to 850 people Space can be divided to make larger or smaller rooms The theater stage is 39 feet by 42 feet, for a total of 1,638 square feet The theater can seat 518 people Catoosa residents and nonprofits based outside Catoosa County get a 20% discount when renting space Schools and nonprofits based in Catoosa County get a 25% discount when renting space There is a long list of extras that can be rented, including dance floors, screens, projectors, microphones, easels, portable stages, a grand piano, coffee service, candleholders and more To learn more, visit https:// catoosacolonnade.com/ or call 706-935-9000.