Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassie McLemore.
Hi Cassie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
In the early 2000s, I managed a winery in Stillwater and regularly held weddings, live music, and other events onsite. I then would sign up for trade shows to sample our wines but felt frustrated that MN wines always seemed to be put off to the side, so I thought, why can’t we do our show? From there, I began brainstorming and planning a new show called Savor MN, an MN-only wine, beer & food tasting. This sparked my passion for event planning and producing. I began volunteering with Stillwater Events, which focused on promoting our beautiful downtown area. I met several small business owners, and together, three of us took over Stillwater Summer Tuesdays and Stillwater Harvest Fest back in 2011.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Looking back, it has undoubtedly had challenges but has always felt gratifying. Each event presents different challenges, but the biggest is always fundraising as the years go by. As each year passes, more events pop up, and more people ask for event funding, but somehow, we always make it happen. We have certainly had some challenging moments working with our city government on fees for different support, whether police presence, parking lot fees, electrical fees, etc. Luckily, we have good relationships with our city staff, who also see the benefits of hosting events like ours in the community. I am very fortunate that we have made realistic compromises and continue to have an excellent working relationship.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Oh wow, I’ve done so many different things! I’ve managed a winery, worked in wine education, was an office manager for a camp for kids with heart disease, managed a busy salon, and now I help run a remodeling company with my husband. Through these career changes, the one constant has been planning Stillwater Summer Tuesdays and Stillwater Harvest Fest. If you ask anyone where I live what I do, they’ll tell you that I plan events, which is undoubtedly what I am most known for. I find a lot of similarities between event planning and running a remodel business. You have to do so much organizing, planning, and executing, but then you have this finished product, and you get to see the joy on the faces of those who benefit from that hard work. Like with a kitchen remodel, you do the design, selections, and actual work, see it all come to fruition in front of you, and experience your customers’ excitement. With the events, I fundraise, plan the schedule, hire musicians, assemble a vendor market, and everything else that goes into it. But then it’s time for the event, and you see hundreds and thousands of people take the time out of their schedules to attend this event that they planned. See them come with their families, you see them anime, and it’s like hosting the most fun party. Every year, I stress and wonder if it will all come together, and every year, it does. I’m so glad I get to be a part of it every year.
Who else deserves credit for your story?
My husband, Clay, and our children are my biggest cheerleaders. When I’m executing the events, he handles everything at home, so I don’t have to worry about anything there. My kids love that their mom plans the events, and they all now help me in some way during them, whether it be setting up, collecting donations, cleaning up, or just generally being there to help with anything I need. My parents, sister, friends, and family friends all come together to help out. It’s incredible to feel so supported. As for teammates, I have the best. I get to plan the events with four awesome guys. Chuck, Cory, Brandon, Chris, and I comprise the committee planning these events. These guys are so fun to work with, and they get stuff done. If you look at any event or fundraiser hosted in our town, you’d be hard-pressed not to find them in support of, on a committee of, or a donor of any of them. We work well together, we all bring different talents to the table, and I’ve learned so much from each of them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.stillwaterharvestfest.com, www.summertuesdays.com, www.acadianbuilding.com
- Instagram: @stillwaterharvestfest @stillwatersummertuesdays
- Facebook: @stillwaterharvestfest @stillwatersummertuesdays
- Youtube: @stillwaterharvestfest493
Image Credits
Chad Mohler, Chris Brown
