Title
Report and Recommendation on Reimagined Community Events
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Recreation and Park Commission
From: Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Re: Report and Recommendation on Reimagined Community Events
BACKGROUND
The Alameda Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD) has a long history of providing community events, many of which have been in place for decades with the longest running event being the 108th Alameda City Tennis Tournament this year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all community events were cancelled in 2020 and only a few smaller events are returning in 2021. As we look toward bringing back large community events in 2022, it is also a unique opportunity to reimagine ARPD sponsored community events and consider what is working well and what can change. Additionally, the Alameda community is now reflecting deeply on its values of inclusion, diversity and equity and our community events must be envisioned and implemented in ways that embrace, celebrate and raise up all cultures and people in our community.
DISCUSSION
The Reimagined ARPD Community Events (Exhibit 1) lists “Primary Events” and “Secondary Events.” The Primary Events are large in scale and scope and require a significant amount of staff time and larger budgets. These events generally draw thousands of attendees. The Secondary Events are smaller in scope with either a smaller amount of staff resources to coordinate and/or in collaboration with an external organization that is managing most of the event coordination.
The Sandcastle and Sandscultpure Contest is recommended to remain in its existing configuration. This is a well-loved, uniquely Alamedan event with large attendance each year. This event is co-sponsored by the East Bay Regional Park District and Bayview Women’s Club.
The Starlight Movies in the Park, co-sponsored by the Alameda Friends of the Parks Foundation, is recommended to remain with an expansion of the event scope by adding a movie in August (currently there is a movie night in June, July and September) and rotating locations so that each movie is in a different park across the City for geographical equity. In addition, staff is considering adding live music and food trucks as well as the option for a fifth movie that is a Dive-in Movie at which people can relax on the pool deck or on pool floats in the water while watching the movie.
The Fourth of July Parade is a well-established event in Alameda and ARPD will coordinate this event for the first time in 2022. There are no significant changes anticipated for this event.
The new Spring Earth Festival event is essentially a combination of the Earth Day Festival and Spring Egg Scramble events. The Egg Scramble, while well-attended, is logistically problematic and is focused on a Christian holiday and therefore not inclusive of our residents of many faiths and religions. The Spring Earth Festival is envisioned to include community organizations, educational activities about Earth Day and climate change, music and possibly a skate or bike fest plus family friendly competitions such as 3-legged races.
The Water Festival Regatta is a completely new event that celebrates Alameda as an island city and provides an opportunity for people to get out on the water and try new sports and activities at the newly improved Encinal Boat Launch Facility. ARPD will collaborate with local paddling, boating and fishing organizations to create opportunities for residents to get in a sailboat, outrigger canoe, dragon boat, or paddle board and to try fishing for the first time or possibly participate in a fishing derby. This event could also include demonstrations by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Storytelling and Drumming Festival is an incredible opportunity to host storytellers, drummers and puppeteers from many diverse cultures and communities. Examples could include Indigenous, Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian American Pacific Islander, LGBT and Jewish storytellers as well as African and Japanese drumming. It is envisioned to be an indoor event at Mastick Senior Center with headliner storytellers in the main hall and workshops in smaller rooms where people can learn how to tell their own stories, create puppets, hear local storytellers, learn how to drum and more.
The Mayor’s Tree Lighting Ceremony is the most expensive community event, costing over $10,000 and utilizing a significant amount of staff resources while only attracting 300 - 500 attendees. This event also focuses primarily on one religion and does not represent or include everyone in our community. ARPD has attempted to be more inclusive in this event by adding a lighted menorah, banners representing all winter holidays (Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice and Christmas), and including a local Jewish choir in the music line up. However, none of this is enough to be truly equitable and feel inclusive of all cultures and faiths. The recommendation is to instead decorate City Hall with white lights to celebrate the season and ARPD will help coordinate for the Mayor to light a tree at business districts such as South Shore and to light a menorah at a Hanukkah celebration.
Staff is also currently in discussion with the Downtown Alameda Business Association and local residents to help coordinate a new Pride in the Park event. There are not enough details to yet confirm this event and it will require a large amount of community support to organize it because ARPD staff are extremely busy during the Pride month of June to start summer programs, coordinate the Sandcastle and Sandsculpture Contest, Starlight Movies in the Park and the Fourth of July Parade.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no additional financial impact from this new slate of events because some existing events are being consolidated or eliminated and will free up funding for new events. The total community event and operating budget in the FY 2021 - 2023 City General Fund budget will fund all community events.
RECOMMENDATION
To receive a report and make a recommendation to City Council on Reimagined Community Events.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Exhibits:
1. List of reimagined community events