Los Feliz Village Street Fair Cancelled
C.Tudor
Los Angeles, cancelled because there were too many outsiders?! It was
actualy getting better as it got larger. Too bad this journalist
didn't do a little investigating to find out what the particular
issues were and who particular the people were. I suspect the issue
wasn't business but political views, Los Feliz Village bent on
becoming West Hollywood, Jr.
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Los Feliz Village Street Fair Cancelled
By Matt Summers, Ledger Guest Writer
LOS FELIZ—For the first time in 17 years, the Los Feliz Village Street
Fair, sponsored and produced by the Los
Feliz Village Business Improvement District (BID), will not occur this
June.
The BID cancelled the event in February citing concerns it had
attracted too many outside vendors and that the
funds used on producing the one-day event could possibly be better
spent year-round promoting Los Feliz.
“There was some concern that the fair was moving in the direction
of a larger production rather than what it
had started out as; which [was] a celebration of our beloved area and
the people who live, work, shop and play in
it,” said Jonathan Sample, owner of Fresh Pressed on Hollywood
Boulevard, a newly elected member of the BID board
and chair of its PR/Marketing Committee.
As a result, according to several BID board members, the group is
weighing the option of creating more year-
round Village activities, like a monthly Farmer’s Market, for
example.
The fair had become a popular event—one that many locals and
others from around Los Angeles—looked forward to.
“It’s very unfortunate. I like the fair, especially the Palermo’s
stand and all of the great people,” said Los
Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge. “We have to make up for it by
visiting the village and bringing the spirit
back.”
The fair had attracted hundreds of thousands to the area over the
years. Last year alone, the event received an
estimated $500,000 in free media publicity and advertising support,
according to John Forrester of Los Feliz Media
who helped promote the event.
“The Street Fair has almost become a victim of its own success,”
said Forrester. “We had aggressively grown it
over the last 5 years and it had blossomed into something truly
remarkable. Yet certain local merchants didn’t like
the fact that it had grown so big, and included outside vendors. I
actually don’t understand the notion that a
small, by Los Feliz for Los Feliz event is better. If you’re just
attracting the same local people that live here
and patronize your businesses anyway—how does that grow the merchant
community?”
According to several BID board members and others close to the
issue, the consensus is to reassess the issue
and bring back the street fair in 2010.
“I’m very sad the street fair won’t be held this year,” said BID
President and Il Cappricio owner Ermanno
Neiviller. “I always look forward to it… We will be back next year and
betterz."
http://www.losfelizledger.com/June09/CommunityNews_June09.htm