Takin’ It To The Street

It sounded like a good idea.

The Downtown Merchants Association figured a street fest could kick off summer.  So yesterday they blocked off Main Street, hired a  Jersey band, brought in street performers, threw in the Oscar’s  hot dog cart, added some non-profit booths, and waited for the crowds to come.

They never did.

The folks who were there — primarily young kids — had fun.  But numbers were low, and the buzz organizers were hoping for never got beyond a drone.

There were a few problems.  On a late May Thursday, nearly every Westporter’s evening is booked solid.

Promotion was spotty — and the target audience unclear.  Was it a family event?  For young kids only?  Did they want high school students, to make it cool?  No one knew.

And whoever handled weather messed up big-time.

The DMA is undaunted.  President Bob LaRose hopes for more Street Fests this summer.  Once school is out — and the word gets around — and this stupid cold rain leaves — the idea may take off. Main Street could pulse with life on warm, lazy nights.

Here’s another suggestion for putting a pulse into our moribund downtown:  Instead of hiring vendors to sell wine and beer on the sidewalk, figure out a way to bring back some of our old funky bars, dance clubs, coffee shops — and maybe a movie theater or two.

Every night could be a Street Fest.