The fences were up, the bands were playing, the beer was flowing, and money was changing hands. Everybody’s happy. Right?
I wandered by Vermillion‘s Capitol Hill Bloxploitation Party to ask its owner, Diana Adams, how business has been with the Block Party going on this weekend. “It’s got its ups and downs. It’s got its good and bad. It’s always been good for business, but it’s been slower this year. I think it’s just overall – they sold less tickets and less people want to go out.” The place was pretty quiet, despite $2 Rainier tallcans and a crowd of thirsty partygoers right over the fence.
Cupcakes Royale seconded the observation. “It’s been kinda slow”, said Leesa of our favorite new baked goods establishment. “We were doing pretty well [right after the Cap Hill store opened] and then it got quiet the last two days.”
Some of those working and living near the Block Party have stronger opinions about the event. “The Block Party, really, it’s a bottleneck, ” says a community member who wished to remain anonymous, ” A few people make lots of money off the Block Party and the rest of the community suffers. They try to call it a community event, but it really hurts the community [around it] and we’re all small businesses barely making it.”
“It’s just…I understand they’re in it to make money and to make a community event, but this isn’t a block party to me,” said Michelle of Anne Michelson Properties, a local property company that counts the Winston and the Wildrose as tenants. “A block party is free. They do try to do nice things for us like give us and our tenants free passes, but it’s [Block Party Weekend] always a bit of a hassle.”
Considering the impact the event has on the neighborhood, I was surprised to hear that surrounding businesses weren’t more incorporated into the planning of the Block Party. “Everybody’s rumbling about it,” said Diana, “The [Block Party] organizers should have a meeting with all the business owners, but they’re afraid that everyone would only complain.” Given the inconveniences of the event to nearby businesses – fewer customers, increased vandalism, and the war for dumpster space come Monday – that’s not a very surprising reaction.
That said, some nearby businesses are doing just fine. Molly Moon Ice Cream and Rancho Bravo Tacos were packed to the brim with customers this evening, and Caffe Vita ought to be doing well inside of the fence, serving coffee and music to the crowds. The same goes for Moe Bar and the Wildrose, though doubly so since they can serve alcohol. Then again, Molly Moon and Rancho Bravo are about a block away from the event border and unhindered by fencing, and Caffe Vita, Moe Bar and the Wildrose have a captive audience inside the event’s perimeter.
Even those most inconvenienced by the Block Party don’t want it stopped. The sentiment veered more toward inclusion and remediation – bring all the stakeholders to the table (local businesses, tenants) and do what can be done to address their complaints. While not everything can be fixed, some good signage for blocked-off businesses and extra dumpsters would address much of the problem.
The Capitol Hill Block Party is good on the inside. It should be better on the outside.
After being happy resident of Seattle for six years, Comrade Bunny started blogging about it. That is so Capitol Hill. For more geek/green/Seattle, see Life on the Hill and Other Stories
I’m glad someone thought of this… sounds like it would be easy enough to remedy, too. Hope the planning committee is more inclusive next year.
I was sitting around in Pettirosso on Friday when I heard some of the regulars complaining about the Block Party, so I figured I should check it out. After a super-informal poll it looked like the sentiment (annoyed) was widespread enough I should write something up. I hope that if some of the CHSers know the Block Party organizers, they’ll say something about this.
I went there, Wildrose, twice for a beer, all but dead. I felt like I would like to give my money to the lesbian bar … and did. But I think they had LESS people for Fri. and Sat. than a reg. weekend.
Purr was packed as usual – better energy than the crowd on the other side of the fence.
Tons of Blockers were looking for a dancing venue, thought it might be Purr. Kind of funny, cause it ain’t, even when the crowd is antimated it is more bump and grind in small groups.
Good weekend, some decent music, big numbers for a recession and higher prices.
The cupcake show is open for 3 days and complaining about anything? Whoa. Maybe they should consider some real food, it is a big space.
Also, block party is a flexible definition. I prefer this type of event to the slow, boring, meet the strangers down the street, three blocks away who are not into even simple conversation. Sorry.
I’ll try to cover some more on this later this week. I started gathering information to write about some of the pre-Party coordination but didn’t get to talk to enough people yet. I know of at least one business on Pike that voiced concerns to organizers and found a solution that both sides felt was fair so there were outreach and discussions going on.
sure, crowds are a bit of a hassle, but it’s eight blocks and two days out of the year. sounds like there are a couple unhappy people, which isn’t too bad for an event of this size. On balance, I’d have to guess that it’s a plus for the neighborhood.
I’d love the block party a lot more, and would support it a lot more if it were in fact a real block party. By asking me to pay 25 dollars to be a part of it, ANY part of it, effectively excludes me as I can’t afford the $$. I’d love to be able to wander around with my fellow Capitol hillers/Seattleites, take in the vendors, overhear some great music (why don’t they just charge for that portion of the event like they used to, I understand great music can’t be free, but come on, I can’t see the food and craft vendors for free?) and feel great because I live in such a vibrant and great neighborhood… Too bad the Block party makes that such a difficult and ultimately impossible thing for me to do. Unless I fork over 25 bucks. And I refuse!
As it stood, the 5-10 craft and food vendors are such a minor part of the ‘block party’ that it wouldn’t really make all that much sense to have them outside. Maybe someone should put on a block party periphery festival with all of that stuff outside the pay fence? Or maybe they should rename it the “Capitol Hill Block Party (Music Festival)” so that people will stop complaining about how it should be free.
I’m quoted in the article above and yes, it was really slow for us. The fencing is a problem, visually blocked our entire storefront and for at least one day made it very difficult to pass on the sidewalk in front of the door. I talked to one of the organizers and he was very helpful. He had the fence moved to widen the sidewalk by the next day but it was still not easy to see us behind there. We’ll work on it for next year.
When anyone blocks the street its a hassle. Wildrose was slow this time but I guarantee they were busier, as was Purr, during the gay pride weekend and will be again for the ECSA Softball party, whereas other business were dead. Its a tradeoff. Ultimately, the beer gardens, etc… have a major impact on us but I don’t want to argue against the events because given the summer weather and economy I think they must be bringing WAY more people than would normally be here on those days. Last year was just all around busier. I remind everyone to try to spread the wealth as best you can!
Maybe a discount or voucher for actual Capitol Hill citizens. I worked Downtown and planned ahead when I needed to get around the block party. It would have been nice to have some of those vendors on the public access side of the streets (taco truck aka Marination ;) or maybe utilize Cal Anderson and let the walk up business not take such a hard hit. People will walk around the hill for food, Dick’s was jam packed every night of the block party so I know people will go to surrounding business if there is room to walk.