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Clayton reviews 2026 event calendar; council backs Dia de los Muertos, flags staffing and promotion needs
Summary
City economic development staff presented a full 2026 events calendar and sought feedback on funding, staffing limits and promotion. Council generally supported repeating the Day of the Dead event and expanding cultural and neighborhood programming while raising concerns about street closures, staff capacity and measuring attendance.
Gary Carter, Clayton’s director of economic development, presented the proposed fiscal‑year 2026 events calendar Tuesday and asked aldermen to weigh in on timing, promotion and which events the Special Business District should fund.
Carter said the calendar compiles all city‑sponsored programming — from neighborhood block parties and restaurant week to larger festivals. “This is all inclusive of all city events,” he told the board, adding that the presentation focused on events funded through the Special Business District and on a handful that his office directly produces.
The proposal keeps the Day of the Dead celebration that launched last year and the Black History Month speaker series among the highlighted cultural events. Carter and council members said the Day of the Dead event had a short lead time in its first year and that more advance promotion could improve attendance.
“Since it was new and from a prior…
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