Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Events topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Organizers press Walhalla officials to keep Hispanic Heritage Festival at Owens Park
Summary
Festival organizers told the Parks, Recreation & Tourism committee that planning was disrupted after staff turnover and urged the city to confirm Owens Park as the Sept. 19 venue so vendors—"the heart of the festival"—aren't disadvantaged by site constraints or late scheduling.
Festival organizers appealed to city committee members for clearer staff support and a firm site assignment as they work to stage the Hispanic Heritage Festival on Saturday, Sept. 19. Jennifer Miles, representing the Hispanic Heritage Festival committee, told the group the volunteer planners had struggled after a change in city staff: "We had no communication with any city employees regarding any longevity of the festival, whether it was gonna happen, whether it wasn't." She said vendors suffered last year when the event was held on Memorial Field and asked the city to prioritize vendor access and communications this year.
Committee members discussed three options—Owens Park, Memorial Field and Sertoma—and recommended Owens Park as the best fit this year because it can be scaled to current vendor sign-ups and avoids many of the vehicle- and sprinkler-access problems Miles described. The committee asked staff to consolidate vendor registration records into a live list and share it with the organizer by the next day, and members acknowledged late planning reduced options for street closures or other logistical changes. Chair Jessie Bunning said staff contact information (Cathy) would be provided to help process invoices and vendor communications.
The committee did not take a final vote on location but directed staff and the festival organizers to coordinate availability, permit needs and fields conflicts (notably youth soccer schedules) so the event can proceed on the advertised date and time.
