The inaugural One Spark crowdfunding festival opened Wednesday with a ceremony at Hemming Plaza.
Being the event’s debut, predicting attendance has been a challenge, but Downtown merchants, based on consultation with festival organizers, believe One Spark could have a tremendous impact.
One Downtown retail executive said One Spark could be the most active five days Downtown since Jacksonville hosted Super Bowl XXXIX in February 2005.
“It’s the biggest event Downtown since Super Bowl,” said Landing Marketing Director Michael Chambliss.
He said One Spark representatives advised retailers, restaurateurs and nightclub operators to expect 10,000-15,000 visitors each day of the festival. He said the Landing’s merchants have been planning for One Spark for two months, scheduling extra service staff and making sure they have plenty of supplies on hand.
The Landing is Downtown’s entertainment center for each series of annual events, including the Gator Bowl and New Year’s Eve celebration, Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Fourth of July, the Florida-Georgia football weekend, the Lighted Boat Parade and the lighting of the Christmas tree.
This weekend would have been busy at the Landing even without One Spark. The 99.9 Gator Country free concert series is Friday evening, the Earth Day Celebration is Saturday and the Landing’s “Yappy Hour” for dogs and their people is Sunday afternoon, said Chambliss.
The riverfront mall is hosting more than 50 One Spark exhibitors and more will be set up along the Northbank Riverwalk. Chambliss said 58 music performances are scheduled on the stage in the courtyard, at Mavericks Rock N’ Honky Tonk and on a temporary stage along Independent Drive.
“We’d like to have something like this every weekend,” Chambliss said.
While attendance numbers and gross sales will be how some participants ultimately judge the impact of One Spark, Landing General Manager Janice Lowe said the value of the festival might not be in how many people attend, but who they are.
“There are people who haven’t been Downtown in years but they have heard about the festival and they will come here and discover Downtown again,” she said.
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