Friday, January 25, 2008

Three Rivers Festival Ideas Continue

TRF urged to use Freimann; parade back in West Central
Link (JG)

"Freimann Square, the rivers and Lawton Skatepark have been underused by the Fort Wayne Newspapers Three Rivers Festival.

Those were among the comments organizers of the festival heard during one of two public forums Thursday at the Allen County Public Library. Festival officials also announced the route for this year’s parade."

[...]

"The city’s skate park has a national reputation as a premier park and would be the ideal site for a festival event, according to local artist Tym DeSanto.

“I agree, and I think that’s a huge event we’re not producing,” Shannon White said.

The crucial element behind such events is public participation, White added, inviting Tym DeSanto to help.

The use of the city’s rivers was also discussed, with White saying the raft race won’t be on this year’s festival schedule, because officials need to examine insurance costs and water-quality concerns.

“No event is out of the question,” White said."

[...]

"Organizers said this year’s parade could have as many as 15 marching bands and the festival could include performances by 80 to 100 local bands."
Festival head welcomes input at forum
Link (NS)
"Sharon Feasel, redevelopment specialist for the city, said she’d “like to see downtown activated a little more, especially Freimann Square.”

White said he’d like to see the core of the festival concentrated in the area between and including Headwaters Park to the north and Freimann Square to the south."

[...]

"Other suggestions included having more events tied to the city’s three rivers, since they’re the festival’s namesake. White said he’s looking into insurance and water-quality issues that would be related to resurrecting the raft race, but, “I do not have any plans for bringing it back this year.”

White said in the past, radio stations often sponsored events such as the raft race. But Doc West of radio station WXKE 103.9-FM, said, “On the radio side, I know liability is a big factor.”

White is receptive to most ideas, although carrying them to fruition often depends on sponsorship. He said a third of the festival’s money comes from sponsors.

Nevertheless, “If you have an event or an idea for an event, call us and we’ll see if we can make it happen,” he said."

2 comments:

fairplaybeach said...

We would be glad to ferry (transport) people from the Tecumseh Street bridge (near Downtown) for golf and volleyball to and from Downtown if the situation calls for it. This is speaking for me, Mike Harvey, Fair Play Beach Volleyball & Dave Anglin, owner of the River City Complex in respect for doing all we can to support these types of events for the City of Fort Wayne.

fairplaybeach said...

I should also note I've had a beach volleyball event in the TRF for the last 7 years straight. Good luck to those who want to make the TRF as big and well done as possible. Also, good luck to those who want to make Fort Wayne a better place either through the TRF, or by their own means, and even against the current. I have great admiration for the latter...