Crossing the Blues deemed 'remarkably successful'

Kids at Crossing the Blues dash through cool showers, courtesy of the La Grande Fire Department. The Observer/CHRIS BAXTER

La Grande, is growing nicely, organizers of the festival say.

A report presented to the city council Wednesday night said attendance this year was higher than the inaugural festival in 2008. Not only that, the number of people coming to the event from outside La Grande was up.

According to information gathered via surveys, average attendance increased from 155 to 342, or 120 percent.

Friday, 22 percent of the people surveyed were from outside La Grande’s 97850 zip code. The number on Saturday increased to 32 percent.

Altogether, 27 percent of the surveys filled out were from people outside La Grande. In 2008, only 11 percent of those filling out surveys were out-of-towners.

Vendor participation was up as well, according to the report.

In 2008, the festival drew eight art vendors, one food vendor and one beer vendor, yielding $90 for the festival in vendor fees.

This year, there were 28 art vendors, three food vendors and the beer vendor. The festival collected $750 in vendor fees.

In answer to a question from a councilor Wednesday, Hector said vendors reported mixed success with sales.

“Some said they did as well as they thought they would, while others were a little disappointed,” she said.

The festival is designed to be La Grande’s signature event. It is meant to demonstrate and celebrate art and cultural activities in the community, strengthen partnerships between public and private groups, and bring more activity and energy to downtown.

Johnson said this year’s results are encouraging. “(Crossing the Blues) really has been a lot of work but certainly well worth it,” she said.

In some other business Wednesday, the council:

• Awarded bids for the purchase of two dump trucks for the Public Works Department, and for a vehicle for the Building Inspections Division.

• Adopted the city’s vision statement and supporting goals.

• Established funding allocations for transient room tax receipts.

• Appointed Benjamin Iverson to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission, and Vern Crouch to the Parking, Street Safety and Street Maintenance Advisory Commission.

• Tabled public hearings on comprehensive plan amendments and zoning map amendments to the land development code.

Meeting as the City’s Urban Renewal Agency, the council approved the downtown bike rack project and designation of a Main Street logo.

Bike racks built by Barreto Manufacturing will be placed at locations downtown, at a total cost of $4,600.

The new logo, designed by Redbat Designs at a cost of $1,000, will be used in a variety of applications.

At the urging of City Manager Robert Strope, the URA delayed decisions on funding for pole banners and a proposed lighting project for Max Square.