No Crowd at Downtown Concert Last Night

[Towntalk]

Jay: Which station are you referring to? Why be so vague about it. Did you go to their web site to see if they mentioned a downtown event? All the local stations have web sites and they do promote events they are involved in there. It's a little unfair to just say "a radio station..." when Youngstown has some 14 radio stations with Clear Channel owning about 5 of them. As to the banner in the picture, I couldn't see the banner clearly, so I have no way of knowing whose banner it was, but based on what I could make out it looked like a WKBN sign.

[blackhatron]

Ya know what?  Downtown is getting what it deserves!   Talk about change,  who's in charge of downtown events?  Exactly, and how long has she been in charge?    Get the Hint!  I've watched the downtown go from slum to a really cool place.  But one thing has not changed!  The attitude of business in the downtown.  You say you want more patrons yet you do nothing different that anyone else or any other administration has done!  Oh, maybe its all a farce?  The ones who have are happy with what they have?    The bottom line  the owners of establishments cry the blues - all the way to the bank!  We're smucks if we think for one moment it the business'  aren't making money!  If not they would have closed a long time ago.   How many bars have closed in the last two years.  None (due to financial reasons)  Youngstown settles!  Don't rock the Boat.  Hey I'm ok but cry the blues!   Who's kidding who. 

Blackhat Ron

[jay]

A radio station's banners were stapled along the front of the stage in the picture.

[Towntalk]

Went to the Metro Monthly events calendar and while it mentioned the event, it had nothing about who would be performing either. It just said to call Claire for further details. IF the event was still a go, Dan Rivers would have plugged it, but I didn't hear anything. Could it be the the event was canceled?

[Towntalk]

FROM THE WKBN WEB SITE

Buffalo Wild Wings Party on the Plaza

Join us all Summer Long for the Party On the Plaza at the downtown Youngstown Buffalo Wild Wings

June 29 VIA SAHARA with Coverts Crossing
July 13 THE HOUSE BAND with Coverts Crossing and Silvertone
July 29 EDISON'S MEDICINE with Easy Company
Aug 10 THE HOUSE BAND with Finding Mike Vegas
Aug 31 THE HERN BROTHER'S BAND with Hindsight

[Towntalk]

MIX 98.9/Buffalo Wild Wings/Party On The Plaza

Buffalo Wild Wings – MIX 98.9 Party On The Plaza  June 29 With Via Sahara with Coverts Crossing

Buffalo Wild Wings – MIX 98.9 Party On The Plaza July 13 With The House Band, Coverts Crossing and Silvertone

[SOURCE: Mix 98.9 Web Site]

[jay]

I checked the link given by Ted.  The web page stated that the performing group was "to be announced."  I would think that the plaza events website would be the easiest to update and should list the performers.  After all, the concert is only two days from today.

[Shar]

I didn't know anything about this concert either.  My husband and I enjoy attending the events downtown but the City really needs to do a better job of letting the public know about them.  We would most likely have attended if we had known.   

[Ted]

I never heard anything about the concert. Economic Development Office (aka Claire Maluso) needs to do a better job of getting the word out. With communication today (media, blogs, e-mail etc) there is no reason not to be able to inform a large group of prospective patrons quickly, efficiently and cheaply.

BTW - Checked the EDO website (pretty lame) and there is another event this Saturday from 8:00pm to 1:00am. Below is the link

http://www.cityofyoungstownoh.org/CalDetailview.asp?lid=184

It lists Clear Channel, I am assuming they are a sponsor, but I haven't heard a peep on the radio.

[jay]

Does anyone have ideas for improving attendance at these FREE downtown concerts?

Did members of this forum know about this concert beforehand?  How was the event publicized?

Was the band suitable for the targeted audience?  Which demographic group was the intended  audience?

[Towntalk]

I hope that this is not reflective of all of the events planned for downtown Youngstown, because if it is, then what's the use of even considering having them?

Also worth considering. Could it be that there is no coordination when planning events so that there are not a lot of them going on on the same day?

Better to have just one event a day that is well attended than several with not enough attending to make them worth the effort.

[jay]

I was traveling though downtown Youngstown at about 11:00 p.m. last night and decided to stop at the West Federal Street Party which was advertised in the Downtown Youngstown Calendar of Events published by the Office of Economic Development.   The show was supposed to run from 8:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.  Maybe more people attended earlier, but by 11:00 p.m. when this photo was taken West Federal Street was practically empty.