Comments on: Bricktown Art Festival – Unwelcome Business?

By: Jeannette Smith

Jeannette Smith — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 20:17:08 +0000

The Bricktown Association has no objection to an arts festival. This has never been the issue. We enjoy the added amenity this adds to the neighborhood and what is offers to our visitors. The concern was and continues to be with access to Mickey Mantle Dr. – not one of competition. Mickey Mantle is one of the main arteries into the district, and with various street closures due to Project 180, we are concerned that another closure – on such a traveled street – will continue to frustrate the visitor. Can we survive one night? Of course we can. However it is a shame that the arts festival will be closed after 5 – and the street will remain closed as well – causing disruption to our carriage, limousine, and valet service. Our attempt was only to try to reach a compromise on another location within Bricktown or adjust the set up on Mickey Mantle to allow for street access – after the arts festival closed. I certainly hope all those commenting can make it out for the day, and stay in the evening for a RedHawks game. Should make for a great Saturday!

By: slackmeyer

slackmeyer — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 04:40:14 +0000

No “Ray,” I didn’t delete your comment. The spam filter is quite aggressive. I clear it out as time allows.
BTW: I’m not suggesting that Bricktown turn sprinklers on the art festival. Read my post again. To be honest, all of these responses are ones mentioned by folks I’ve talked to, either in jest or not. Needless to say, this festival likely won’t be embraced by the folks in Bricktown…
Glad to hear the art museum would welcome this festival.

By: Larry OKC

Larry OKC — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 04:22:28 +0000

Great idea Steve! I agree, it may bring in more people into the MOA (but be careful with getting BBQ sauce on any of the exhibits…LOL)

By: Ray

Ray — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 03:35:33 +0000

deleting my comment Lackmeyer? I thought this was an open forum for healthy debate?

I bet the MOA wouldn’t mind their street closed in front of them. The folks I’ve met that work there love being a part of this city and would love to join forces with anything that brought a crowd to their part of downtown.

By: slackmeyer

slackmeyer — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 23:22:31 +0000

I’ve got to wonder … under the direction we saw on this issue Tuesday, would it be ok to shut down the street in front of the art museum for a bbq and blues festival?

By: Ray

Ray — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:00:44 +0000

Leave it to Lackmeyer to suggest such nasty tactics as turning on the sprinklers during the festival. Okies are more tactful than that, especially if they want a long-term resolution to what could be a great event.

I understand both sides of the argument but in this situation Bricktown should take the high road and welcome this group and enjoy the free publicity. Hire some bands to play, or other entertainment, and be out during the day. Encourage the local vendors to be out a bit more that day to make a presence. If it weren’t for some type of festival why else would anyone of that potential group size be in Bricktown before 5pm? Sure, you might have some tourists wandering around but to get your locals down there provide something other than the usual over-priced restaurants and bars. I have no reason to take my family down there (I have a movie theater cheaper and closer to my house), but put something in during the daytime such as a street fair and I just might talk them into visiting Bricktown before 5pm, and who knows we might stop and have a bite to eat at one of the over-priced restaurants!

Blair has it right when suggesting there are other routes, plus the street dead-ends anyway. They are only taking up one city block. Get over it Bricktown and take the high road.

By: LordGerald

LordGerald — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:03:33 +0000

My complaint is that the artists and the festival, and the festival organizer are just lame. Go to the website and see that any artist can get “juried in” if they just pay the booth fee. Hardly a tradition being built here.

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:30:24 +0000

Kristen, you are right on.
There are events in Bricktown that block streets pretty much every weekend from the Spring to the Fall. Charities bring walks and runs into the district and work WITH the Association to ensure a successful event.
This group only wants it there way and couldn’t care less what the merchants think.

By: Kris Bryant

Kris Bryant — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 05:44:15 +0000

BTW, 10am-5pm are prime time hours for a family-friendly festival which is their target market. I am aware that it might be unsettling for some folks to associate Bricktown with family-friendliness, but perhaps hipsters aren’t the only ones who live here.

By: Kris Bryant

Kris Bryant — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 05:39:19 +0000

This is one issue where I actually side with Brian Walters. I don’t think it’s our place to micromanage a private company’s event…we’re talking one night. Montage Festivals also noted that artists and vendors can stay open past 5pm if they wish.

I cringe at the thought of businesses relying on vehicular traffic and valet parking to turn a profit. Bricktown should be a park-outside-and-walk-in sort of experience. How lazy are we?