NEW ULM - After 37 months of work and 41 monthly and semi-monthly meetings, the Hermann's Victory 2000 Committee held its wrap-up meeting last week.
Chairman Tom Furth thanked the committee for its hard work, and the committee celebrated the success of the four-day Hermann's Victory Celebration, held in New Ulm Sept. 17 to 20.
The event was a financial success, Furth reported.
According to George Glotzbach, Furth said the income from the banquet, festival and souvenirs almost exactly matched the expenses for those events, plus advertising and housing for invited dignitaries.
The City of New Ulm covered parade expenses and a portion of the fireworks. Gislason & Hunter and NU Telecom sponsored the fireworks show with a donation of $5,000 each.
Advances for start-up expenses from the Sister Cities Commission and the Hermann Monument Society were repaid from business and individual donations. A reserve fund is being held to cover any invoices that haven't come in yet. The remainder of the funds will be turned over to the New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce to distribute to Chamber units in proportion to their input.
Glotzbach said attendance for the total festival was estimated at 16,800. There were 25 events ranging from the 18 participants in the Disc Golf Tournament to the estimated 5,000 who watched the Battle Re-enactment.
The Brown County Historical Museum reported record popcorn sales; 225 attended the historical symposium at Martin Luther College; 227 participated in the 5K Fun Run. Turner Hall sold out its 330 banquet spots on Friday, 480 viewed Sam Gill's Diorama presentations at the New Ulm Rec Center, and the Hermann Monument was visited by 724 people, the most in modern history. Thousands more lined the streets for the Grand Parade and witnessed the Fireworks display.
Dan Anderson of New Ulm Community Access Television is producing a series of DVDs highlighting individual events. They will be available to the public in November.
A number of Hermann the German DVDs, coins and clothing have been turned over to the Chamber for sale.