March 29, 2024
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Belfast Bay Festival eyes move to waterfront

BELFAST – The Belfast Bay Festival is looking to relocate the setting of the event to the city’s waterfront.

Festival organizers said if everything falls into place, the annual summer festival event will move from its home of 58 years at City Park to the waterfront green areas stretching from the Boathouse at Steamboat Landing to the footbridge on Pierce Street.

The revamped festival hopes to receive an added boost by linking its activities with the city’s Recreation Department and the Belfast Downtown Business Group.

Parks director Jim Bell, business group head Paula Rehlander and festival board members Joe Brooks and Robert Gordon unveiled their plans for the coming year during a press briefing Friday.

“We want to change the location to make it closer to what it should be, the bay festival,” said Brooks.

Although the group has yet to design a template for the festival layout, they said activities will be spread along the waterfront and at Heritage Park and Belfast Common.

They said the festival board hopes to retain some type of carnival activity and the festival parade.

Brooks said this year’s festival did not draw as well as expected, leaving the festival corporation $1,300 in debt. He said the festival needs to expand its scope and also needs more volunteers and community involvement. He predicted that linking the festival with other city activities could increase its popularity.

“We want to try to merge some of the things that happen in Belfast to draw more people to the festival,” said Brooks. “If we can merge them to us, certainly we’re broadening our base.”

The festival has come under fire in recent years because of the honky-tonk nature of its carnival and the wear and tear it causes at City Park.

In a letter to festival directors sent after this year’s event, recreation director Bell blasted the festival for a “totally blatant disregard for our beautiful facilities.”

Bell criticized the festival’s “lack of supervision” over vendors and recommended that the committee “begin looking for another site for next year’s event or perhaps a more community-minded and friendly event. Too many people have been disenchanted with this year’s carnival.”

When the future of the festival was addressed by the City Council last month, members declined to order the festival out of the park but urged the organizers to work more closely at expanding community involvement.

Brooks said the festival board met with Bell and Rehlander this week and all agreed that a joint effort was needed to promote and preserve the festival.

“We’re excited about adding some recreation attractions to draw the kids in. You draw the kids in and you bring the parents in,” said Bell. “The waterfront is a natural for recreation programs.”

Brooks said the festival board was aware of the growing complaints about the decision a few years ago to charge admission after more than a half-century of free admission.

He said the board was prepared to eliminate the gate fee provided it could attract corporate sponsors to assist with funding.

Brooks said the cost of running the festival was difficult to maintain without growth and that more people need to get involved. He said this year’s five-day festival was managed by a core group of 14 volunteers.

“The volunteers work a lot of hours,” he said. “There’s a feeling of desperation on the committee to get behind the festival. The festival itself has a life of its own and it’s dragging us down. We want to bring it up.”

Brooks said community involvement is the key to a revival and urged residents to volunteer their services. He said the group also seeks suggestions on what type of activities might be added to the festival.

He said organizers would consider cutting the festival back to three or four days. But without more community involvement, keeping it going for another 50 years could be daunting.

“We’re pleading with you,” said Brooks. “Come with us and let’s make this thing something the midcoast can be proud of.”

Those interested in volunteering or having suggestions for festival activities can write the Belfast Bay Festival at PO Box 37, Belfast 04496 or by e-mail at parksandrec@cityofbelfast.org.


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