Thurmont’s 60th Catoctin Colorfest this year brought in the most money since the 2018 festival — but also was the most expensive Colorfest in the last six years.
Colorfest brought in $70,645 from permits, food and fees, but it cost the town $80,576, primarily due to security, bus services, and portable toilet and trash services, according to the 2024 Colorfest Report.
The report, presented to Thurmont’s Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, illustrated the number of permits sold for each Colorfest since 2018, as well as a breakdown of expenses.
In 2023, Colorfest raised $61,989 in revenues and cost about $72,555. The event brought in more than $8,600 more in revenues and cost about $8,000 more in 2024.
The deficit between expenses and revenues for 2024 totaled to about $9,931, lower than the gap of about $10,565 for Colorfest the previous year.
The commissioners discussed ways to decrease the gap between revenues and expenses for next year’s Colorfest, such as raising fees or cutting down on some expense categories.
The annual event began as a craft fair in 1963 and has evolved into a massive arts and crafts show drawing thousands from around the country.
Carol Robertson, Colorfest’s president, said on Thursday that this year’s event drew well over 100,000 people and had more attendees than in 2023 because the weather was better.
Thurmont sold 656 permits for this year’s Colorfest, 462 of which were craft permits that brought in about $28,000. Additional funds from parking brought in more than $24,200, according to the report.
The town had sold 40 more craft permits in 2023. The number of craft permits sold for Colorfest in 2024 was the lowest compared to what was sold each year from 2018 to 2023.
In 2024, Thurmont sold 22 food for-profit permits for $13,500 and 14 nonprofit food permits for $430.
The costs for profit food permits for the upcoming Colorfest in 2025 are significantly higher than the costs for nonprofit permits, according to a document with the fee prices.
Nonprofit food permits will cost $33 until Oct. 3, 2025. Food for-profit permits for the smallest booth size is $550 until that same data.
The town also 24 parking permits for $745; 89 yard sale permits for $1,335; and 9 information only permits for $480.
For cottage food, sample food, non-sample food, or beer and wine distilleries vendors, Thurmont sold 36 permits for $1,850.
The biggest expenses for Colorfest this year were bus services and portable toilet and trash services. The bus services cost $26,000, and the portable toilet and trash services cost just over $26,400.