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Concert in the Park: Family Fun Fest Event Recap (Laura Armanino, Recreation Program Manager)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Parks and Recreation Commission be updated on the outcome of the 2024 Concert in the Park: Family Fun Fest event at Orange Memorial Park.
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
Concert in the Park, the City’s largest annual event produced by the Parks and Recreation Department, took place on Saturday, September 21 and was enjoyed by more than 3,000 individuals. From 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., guests were treated to a variety of activities, exhibitors, food and beverage offerings, dance performances by Ballet Folklorico, and musical entertainment by El Camino High School Jazz Band, Blessid Union of Souls, and Dazz Band. While the event is the public-facing highlight of staff’s efforts, there is much that happens behind the scenes before and after the event that makes this day possible.
Prior to the event, Building Maintenance staff performed a deep cleaning of park facilities, and assisted with pre and post event deliveries and setup. Pressure washing and deodorizing of park restrooms was performed by Building Maintenance staff. The Building Maintenance Division also provided staffing support during the event, keeping areas clean and assisting with event setup and breakdown to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for the event participants.
Parks Division staff worked for three weeks prior to the event spreading approximately 20 cubic yards of soil over the field to address any low spots, as well as spreading 80 cubic yards of reclaimed mulch throughout planters in the park. Staff focused on detailing the restrooms with help from the Building Maintenance Division, as noted above, each day during the week prior to the concert. All picnic sites and pathways were pressure-washed including seating areas and trash cans. The Memorial Drive parking lot and the shoulder were cleared of eucalyptus debris and adjacent landscaped areas were mulched. Parks staff also focused on refreshing the new ballfield as well to accommodate the activities taking place there. The tree crew worked to raise trees and provide some aesthetic pruning throughout the park. The Parks Division had four staff work the day of the event to help setup and breakdown as well as assist with any event duties and provide general cleaning throughout the event.
Recreation Division staff started the planning process early this year for this event. Due to the construction of the new Aquatic Center, staff had to relocate the concert from its usual venue. Several meetings were held with City staff and the event producer to ensure the proper lay down for the event for its new location in the picnic meadow.
Prior to the event, staff attended weekly planning meetings, provided trainings, and held orientations with vendors. To be code compliant for an event of this scale, some staff were certified as a Responsible Beverage Servers as well as Crowd Managers. Staff worked with County Environmental Health, the Free Shuttle, Friends of Parks and Recreation, SSFUSD, GFI Entertainment LLC, Fire, Police, Public Works, Risk Management, the City Attorney’s Office, and over 48 vendors to ensure a fun and safe event for our community. Staff also worked to secure donations to help support and enhance the event. This year donations were received by both Genentech and Kaiser Permanente. Approximately 80 staff worked the day of the event.
The Cultural Arts Commission played an important role in supporting local artists and creative entrepreneurs by identifying and reaching out to them to participate in the event’s exhibitor section. This initiative led to the creation of an “Artist Row” that featured twelve local artisans showcasing and selling their unique goods. This effort supports one of the key recommendations of the Public Art Master Plan to promote and sustain local artists and creative entrepreneurs withing the community.
To capture community feedback about the event, staff promoted an online survey. Results received thus far are available in Attachment 1. Staff will share more information about the event’s highlights, successes, and challenges at the meeting.
CONCLUSION
Staff welcomes discussion and feedback from the Commission to inform future event planning.