For the first time in its 35 year history, the Sweet Pea Board of Directors chose to offer a single day admission option for Sweet Pea 2012. The new pricing structure also included a reduced price for children ages 7-12.
The day pass option was a resounding success from a PR perspective, with our Board of Directors receiving numerous positive comments and accolades. But while the community was pleased with being given a choice, the fact of the matter is, the new structure resulted in lower revenue for the Festival.
Some folks feel that since Sweet Pea is a non-profit organization this decrease in income won’t adversely affect the Festival. However, in reality it limits our ability to further our mission of promoting and cultivating the arts. 
Anytime the Festival experiences a net gain the money is given back to the community in the form of grants for art and art education. Over the past 35 years numerous schools, cultural organizations, and various other non-profits with an arts promoting endeavor have benefited from the three quarters of a million dollars Sweet Pea has been able to give out in grant money.
In addition to not being able to fund grants in the near future, the Board of Directors will have to take a serious look at how Festival expenses can be cut to make up for the decrease in revenue. Do we eliminate stages and offer less entertainment? Do we look for lesser quality national acts? Do we ask local groups to perform for free or a lower fee than what we are currently able to pay them? Do we do away with the bus and shuttle service? Do we offer fewer port-a-johns? Should some events be eliminated entirely (i.e. the Ball or the Art Show)?
Like any business, the Festival has administrative expenses – rent, utilities, payroll, insurance, supplies, etc. These expenses are watched closely to ensure we are maximizing our money to allow for as many dollars as possible to be spent on providing a quality festival for the community, but they will be scrutinized even more to see how we might cut costs while still protecting the future of the Festival.
The Sweet Pea Festival has been a Bozeman tradition for 35 years and is certainly not in jeopardy of going anywhere. We just need to look at how we do business and, what one veteran Board member calls, “right-sizing” the Festival.
Being a non-profit doesn’t mean “no profit” it simply means our profits are reinvested into furthering our mission. If you love the Festival and the arts in our community we encourage you to consider making a tax-deductible, in-kind donation to Sweet Pea to help us in continuing to promote and cultivate the arts. Donations can be made online: https://sweetpeafestival.org/donate/ or mailed directly to our office at 448 E. Main St, Ste2B, Bozeman, MT 59715.