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Historic Downtown Association touts Colfax Bazaar turnout and seeks city help to win Levitt AMP concert grant
Summary
The Colfax Downtown Association said roughly 1,000 people attended the recent Colfax Bazaar and announced the city is in the running for a Levitt AMP grant that could provide up to $40,000 annually for a three-year professional concert series; the association requested a workshop and city help promoting a public voting period in early September.
Erin Newington, executive with the Historic Colfax Downtown Association, told the City Council on Aug. 13 that the Colfax Bazaar drew about 1,000 visitors and generated strong sales for vendors and downtown businesses.
Newington said the association advanced to the public voting round for the Levitt AMP grant (often called Levitt AMP by the Levitt Foundation), a national program that can provide matched funds to operate a professional concert series. She said the program could fund up to $40,000 a year over three years — $120,000 total — for a seven- to ten-concert professional series and emphasized the need for local match funds, production partners and coordinated community support.
She asked the council to schedule a workshop next week so city staff and council members could review a plan and help with promotion during the public voting window, which she said is scheduled from Sept. 5–15. Newington said the association already secured letters of support and a $1,500 mini-grant from the Levitt Foundation to help with promotion, and proposed hosting the concerts at Depot Park to avoid extensive Main Street closures.
Council members and association representatives discussed scheduling and collaboration. The council asked staff to work with the association to schedule a workshop evening next week where the group would present its plan and sponsorship packet; staff said they would follow up to set a date and time.
Why it matters: If selected and funded, the Levitt AMP grant would bring recurring professional concerts and related visitors to Colfax, potentially increasing tourism and downtown economic activity. The association framed the grant as a public–private effort requiring city promotion, community voting and sponsorship commitments.
Newington and council members noted the opportunity is time-sensitive because the public voting window is in early September and requested city promotion and a community workshop to coordinate outreach.
