If you’re a fan of indie bands, food trucks and street parties, you’ll be happy to know that Uptown Live is set to return to New West in 2016.
Council has approved a recommendation from the city’s festival committee to allow Uptown Live to be held on Saturday, July 23, 2016. It’s also approved a festival grant of $37,000 ($30,000 cash and $7,000 in in-kind city services) in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
The date of next year’s festival didn’t sit well with Coun. Chuck Puchmayr, as it means Uptown Live will be held on the same weekend as the 12th Street Music Festival. Puchmayr, who volunteers and performs at the 12th Street Music Festival, said festival organizers previously expressed concern about the impacts of having two music festivals on the same weekend and thinks that festival’s organizers should be consulted before a decision is made.
“The logistics of having a whole bunch of people show up on a Saturday to come to New Westminster to come to a similar event with great music, lots of vendors – almost an identical event, and then have another event the following day, again in New Westminster, I think is a big mistake,” he said.
But Coun. Bill Harper said the two events aren’t in competition.
“If I thought for a second that one event would be diminishing another then I don’t think I could support it,” Harper said. “I see one as being more of a real neighbourhood event and one as being a mass regional event. They are attracting, I think, different kinds of audiences.”
Organizers sought city approval to hold the event on a date that didn’t clash with other music festivals, like the Khatsahlano and Squamish music festivals, so it didn’t need to compete for talent, stage facilities, event resources and radio sponsorship.
Uptown Live, held in New Westminster in 2012, 2013 and 2014, has featured performers like the Zolas, Bright Light Social Hour, Five Alarm Funk, The Matinee, Rich Hope, Good for Grapes, the Boom Booms and Bend Sinister.
“It will be bigger than before,” said Bart Slotman, a member of the Uptown Business Improvement Association. “Now we are going to go with four stages. We are going to add a local talent stage to it as well. We are pretty excited about that. There are some other improvements in the works.”
Slotman said the Uptown BIA is willing to work with the 12th Street organizers on cross-promoting that event.
“We think there are lots of opportunities there, lots of synergies there,” he said. “We are looking forward to working with those folks.”
In a four to one vote, council approved the staff recommendation for funding and dates of Uptown Live. Coun. Mary Trentadue recused herself form the discussion as she’s the secretary of the 12th Street Musical Festival and Mayor Jonathan Cote wasn’t at Monday’s meeting.
Puchmayr said the 12th Street Music Festival goes beyond being a community festival, as it came out of a desire by area businesses and residents who helped the city and police address issues like crime and prostitution. He said the decision is disappointing to people who have worked hard to create a vibrant area and wanted to show people the area had changed and is a viable place to do business.
“This 12th Street Music Festival it’s not just a community festival. It has actually given 12th Street some identity,” he said. “When you talk to the different merchants along that corridor, they related to that. It’s sort of a bond that says, we have overcome a lot of hurdles and we are moving forward. It’s something they are all very proud of.”
Staff recommended that council approve Uptown Live on the fourth Saturday in July for all future years, but in a three to two vote council guaranteed the date for this year and agreed to review it and determine impacts on the 12th Street Music Festival.
The Record was unable to reach Slotman by press time to confirm whether council’s decision to approve the July date for one year would impact its plans. Although council had approved a grant of $15,000 in cash and $6,000 in city services for Uptown Live in 2015, the event wasn’t held because organizers didn’t have enough time to produce an event of the quality they’re aiming for.
