Council approves two‑year trial agreement with Orange International Street Fair for events and tree lighting

The City Council on Aug. 12 authorized a two‑year trial arrangement enabling Orange International Street Fair (OISF) to produce both Treats in the Streets and the annual tree‑lighting ceremony, subject to conditions preserving the traditional program elements and requiring post‑event evaluation.

Staff explained the amended and restated production agreement would fold the tree‑lighting into the existing Treats in the Streets contract and set an event timeline: plaza closure for vendor setup, a Christmas market component around mid‑day, a traditional program portion beginning about 5:15 p.m., and an expected close time. Adam Felice of OISF said the organization is working with the Community Foundation of Orange to collect donations and is pursuing 501(c)(3) status, though not yet finalized.

Council members pressed for explicit contract language to ensure the traditional tree‑lighting scripting and master chorale remained under the city's program authority and to require that auxiliary vending and sales not interfere with the program portion. Councilmember Dimitrio said he supported a short trial period and an after‑action review with the community chorus, nonprofit beneficiaries and city staff.

Council approved the two‑year trial with conditions by a 6‑yes, 0‑no vote and 1 abstention; council asked staff to include language preserving program control, specifying auxiliary activities' timing relative to the 5:15 p.m. program, and to outline nonprofit participation and revenue‑sharing models.

Next steps: staff will finalize contract language reflecting council conditions and return the executed agreement to the city clerk; OISF will proceed with fundraising and programming for the upcoming events under the trial agreement.