by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
Mayor John Peyton and other City officials met Tuesday with a group of Downtown merchants to make sure the retailers are aware of the variety and amount of entertainment that will take place in or near the urban core in the next several weeks.
It wasn’t so much a laundry list of events and dates, but more of a discussion of business philosophy and taking advantage of opportunities.
Peyton pointed out the City’s effort to bring events, and therefore people, Downtown began in earnest a year ago with the formation of the Downtown Action Committee. Their work led to the “Make A Scene Downtown” campaign that has brought thousands of people to the 32202 zip code since the first after-work happy hour social on top of the Water Street parking garage. “Destination Downtown,” the Friday night lounge tour, also came out of the process and has proven to be a success not only for beverage providers, but for Downtown hoteliers who offer promotional room rates as well.
“Putting on events is not easy and it’s not cheap. It takes a lot to make them happen,” said Peyton. “But events are the most effective catalyst to enhance the atmosphere Downtown.”
Theresa O’Donnell-Price, director of the City’s Office of Special Events, distributed a schedule of events 33 pages long and pointed out, “That’s just for the month of May.”
She then explained the highlights of the itinerary including the 17th edition of World of Nations April 30-May 3 and Starry Nights May 16 when LeAnn Rimes will perform with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra.
The headline event for May is the Memorial Day Weekend Jacksonville Jazz Festival, which is moving from its longtime venue at Metropolitan Park to the Laura Street corridor between the Landing and Hemming Plaza.
“We’ve done a major overhaul of the festival,” said O’Donnell-Price. “We’ll have stages at Hemming Plaza and at the Landing and we’re building a huge stage at the corner of Laura and Forsyth streets. We’re also adding several new components including an interactive children’s area where they can play musical instruments.”
Snyder Memorial, the historic former Methodist church at the corner of Laura and Monroe streets, will also be a Jazz Festival venue, as will the Main Library and the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville.
O’Donnell-Price also reported that the Omni Hotel, the Jazz Festival’s “host hotel” is already sold out for the weekend of the festival, a feat on a holiday weekend for a hotel that caters to business travelers.
“Bringing the Jazz Festival to the heart of Downtown where the merchants are is a big step,” said Landing General Manager Janice Lowe, who expects the festival atmosphere will be comparable to Bourbon Street in New Orleans or Beale Street in Memphis.
“It will be a way to connect Hemming Plaza with the Landing,” she said. “We need to connect those two elements and the Jazz Festival will do that. We’re not reinventing the wheel, we’re just bringing the street festival concept to Jacksonville. It’s going to be Downtown’s time to shine.”
Utilizing the St. Johns River is a major component of the spring and summer events, including a “Jazz Cruise” during the festival and a week later when “Sail Jacksonville” returns the tall ships to the riverfront Downtown.
“We’ll have free tours aboard the HMS Bounty and The Pride of Baltimore. They don’t often travel along the East Coast,” said O’Donnell-Price.
“When it comes to special events, we have a win-win situation,” Peyton told the merchants. “The City pays for these events and you benefit from the traffic. Any retailer would appreciate the City doing that and we’re doing it Downtown. I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity.”
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