Pizza festival organizer to social media critics: Event didn’t anticipate initial swarm of attendees

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28 thoughts on “Pizza festival organizer to social media critics: Event didn’t anticipate initial swarm of attendees

  1. He did not expect people to show up to the event when it started?

    He has obviously never been to a single event like this… but somehow planned one?

  2. How could you not expect a huge rush at the beginning? On a day where it is nearly 90 degrees out, folks would naturally want to come AT LUNCH TIME!

    1. Were you there..haha… you would have been whining too. There was definitely no instant gratification.hahaa.

  3. It’s a 6 hour festival. If you came and had pizza, you got what you paid for. I’m really missing how people thought this was supposed to go. If you just wanted pizza for lunch, go to a pizza place.

    1. I got my pizza… but I had to wait in crazy lines… pay 50 dollars for two people and go somewhere afterward for food because the micro slices didn’t fill me up..haha

  4. This is not surprising to anyone who’s ever put on a big event. “Didn’t perceive an abundance of problems during the event” shows how unqualified this dude is. There will not be a 2026; this was a one-and-done.

    1. No his permit allows for 13000 based on the volume/area of space available based on safety and fire regulations. He didn’t say he’d have 13000

  5. HIs willingness to have timed entry in the future sounded good. The rest sounded a bit too defensive and not sure if he’d be able to get the pizza co participants to return for a round 2 of this. But hey, nothing ventured nothing gained. Sounds like he did have an idea that could attract an audience, but his execution may have been lacking?

  6. I had several friends fly in from around the country just for this festival. Their cities have large themed festivals, as well, and they attend many. They loved the pizza festival, praised Indy for offering it and happily spent the whole day enjoying it all. They shared many happy pictures across social media. Not sure what the complainers were expecting, but pizza is not an instant food although it’s taste is instantly gratifying. Thank you Indianapolis!

  7. I was there… he must have spoken to the only 10 people who thought it was well run. It was a sweaty unorganized mess. There were pizza shortages. Long lines, mad visitors. I would never go to that again. and I definitely didn’t eat 25 dollars worth of pizza….it was a disaster.

  8. FYI – most people come early to an event like this presuming that by 4pm most of the vendors are tired and out of food. Running two shifts – 12-2 and 4-6 would allow the vendors a chance to rest/recalibrate, and give attendees confidence that there wouldn’t be exhausted vendors and bones left to pick through. And after spending $25/pp – a free bottle of cold water on a 95 degree day would have been helpful, instead of $3 bottle of hot water (and another line). We all love pizza – I hope they can get this right going forward – but they’d have to sell us on how it would be better. This was a VERY light version of Woodstock… (and not nearly as epic). Fingers crossed…

  9. Bravo Tommy – I don’t know you – but I’m impressed you did something – created something for our city. I hope you ignore the haters, take notes from the constructive feedback, and don’t quit. Come back better next year.

  10. It is called a learning curve for a reason. I do not know if too many festivals or events that pull it off on the first try but learn and adapt as the festival progresses. Even old events make changes, look at the Indiana State Fair – been going on for decades yet is still adapting to the changes. So learn from your mistakes, make changes and move on.

  11. it’s a food festival that starts at lunchtime, what’d they expect, a slow start? That being said, it’s an event in it’s infancy. It’ll take a few years to find their rhythm unless they hire a better large event coordinator with many years of experience. The 10 pizza vendors(33% of the providers) who didn’t show up, really caused the majority of the problems.

  12. it’s a food festival that starts at lunchtime, what’d they expect, a slow start? That being said, it’s an event in it’s infancy. It’ll take a few years to find their rhythm unless they hire a better large event coordinator with many years of experience. The 10 pizza vendors(33% of the providers) who didn’t show up, really caused the majority of the problems.

  13. it’s a food festival that starts at lunchtime, what’d they expect, a slow start? That being said, it’s an event in it’s infancy. It’ll take a few years to find their rhythm unless they hire a better large event coordinator with many years of experience. The 10 pizza vendors(33% of the providers) who didn’t show up, really caused the majority of the problems.

  14. it’s a food festival that starts at lunchtime, what’d they expect, a slow start? That being said, it’s an event in it’s infancy. It’ll take a few years to find their rhythm unless they hire a better large event coordinator with many years of experience. The 10 pizza vendors(33% of the providers) who didn’t show up, really caused the majority of the problems.

  15. it’s a food festival that starts at lunchtime, what’d they expect, a slow start? That being said, it’s an event in it’s infancy. It’ll take a few years to find their rhythm unless they hire a better large event coordinator with many years of experience. The 10 pizza vendors(33% of the providers) who didn’t show up, really caused the majority of the problems.

  16. it’s a food festival that starts at lunchtime, what’d they expect, a slow start? That being said, it’s an event in it’s infancy. It’ll take a few years to find their rhythm unless they hire a better large event coordinator with many years of experience. The 10 pizza vendors(33% of the providers) who didn’t show up, really caused the majority of the problems.

  17. it’s a food festival that starts at lunchtime, what’d they expect, a slow start? That being said, it’s an event in it’s infancy. It’ll take a few years to find their rhythm unless they hire a better large event coordinator with many years of experience. The 10 pizza vendors(33% of the providers) who didn’t show up, really caused the majority of the problems.

  18. it’s a food festival that starts at lunchtime, what’d they expect, a slow start? That being said, it’s an event in it’s infancy. It’ll take a few years to find their rhythm unless they hire a better large event coordinator with many years of experience. The 10 pizza vendors(33% of the providers) who didn’t show up, really caused the majority of the problems.

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