As the Rockturnal Emissions duo provide the background music, booths are busy at lunchtime and, each with a signature best seller.
Doug Rasler is leaning out of the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church trailer, barking out the staple items. “Turkey legs, chicken fried bacon, tornado taters, bean soup!” he shouts.
Next door is the Fraternal order of Police fundraising booth —where pork is king — especially their “pork parfait.” Phil Luecke says they sold out of this savory food the previous night.
“All of this money goes back into the mission of the FOP Foundation,” he said. “We have a summer camp for kids. We have a Halloween party for disadvantaged individuals. We have a Christmas party for underserved youth. So all the money goes back into our foundation.”
There are about 127 food booths at The West Side Nut Club Fall Festival this year, and there’s usually a waiting list to get a spot. To qualify, 50-percent of gross profits must go toward a non-profit organization, said unofficial Nut Club historian Dick Barchet.
It's common to see the non-profit partner with a business such as Papa Johns with Boy Scout Troop 339 or Building Blocks with Chaser’s Bar and Grill.
Barchet said smaller booths make up to about $10,000, and larger booths up to $50,000 or more.
The Evansville Racing Pigeon Club’s best sellers are the hot tamales and the butterbeer ice cream, said member Carl Farler. This event pays for their facility and their races. He said without this fundraiser, “the club would probably fold up.”
Small organizations and churches can make their budget, but sometimes more importantly, increase exposure this way.
“I think it's more about getting new members and letting people know about us, because we are such a small church,” said Mark Bradley of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Evansville. He said they have about 70 members, and that they sold out of their sticky rice yesterday.
He said once you have a spot at Fall Fest, you never want to lose it. Barchet said new booths are not common.
Educational non-profit Building Blocks is new to the festival this year. They’re selling food created with the help of local pubs Chasers and Barrelhouse.
CEO Alicia Sheridan said pepperoni rolls, empanadas and chilslic — which is deep-fried steak — are best sellers. She said they hope to raise about $10,000.
“We work on educating our classroom teachers so that they will bring the highest quality so our kids will become school ready,” she said. “So ultimately, everything that's donated to us, everything that we fundraise, is to bring the quality of childcare up and educate the children and the families in our community.”
Sheridan said profits will help fund these activities. And then there’s the publicity.
“So being able to see people on the streets, talk to people about what we do is a great opportunity because the food is absolutely fantastic.”
She said as of Tuesday afternoon, her booth is already in the black for the whole festival.
Barchet said they have no for profit booths — “except for the Nutty Bar. They've been there since around ‘78. So they're kind of grandfathered in, but if he leaves, there won't be any profit-type groups here.”
He said the West Side Nut Club gives away about $250,000 every year to nonprofit charitable organizations such as local schools, and also raise a lot of money through the half-pot which as of Friday is up to $1 million.
