Street Special Events Listening Session

City of Madison Conversation about Street Events on the Isthmus

Thursday, May 3, 2018

6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Madison Area Technical College - Room D240

211 N. Carroll Street

WHY: The City is at maximum capacity for events downtown. We want to hear from you.

• How do special events impact you?
• Should the process for approving events be changed?  
• More or less events?

WHO should attend?

• People who live downtown, downtown businesses, bus riders, people who attend events, community organizers, people with fresh ideas. 

The City of Madison is fortunate to have an abundance of festivals, runs, concerts, marches, and other outdoor activities planned on the isthmus each year.  However, that also brings challenges for City staff, budgets, Metro bus riders, neighbors, area businesses, and visitors.  The City of Madison is engaged in an analysis of special events in the downtown area and your feedback is requested.

Who should attend?  Anyone who attends or is impacted by City Street Use Events, Festivals, and Marches – especially those downtown on the isthmus.  City staff will give an overview of concerns about events reaching a “maximum capacity” and facilitate a discussion to learn your concerns and ideas for the future of events downtown. This includes festivals, races, parades, marches, and demonstrations that close down a City street  in the downtown area.  (Note: This meeting is not focused on events that are held in City Parks.)  This is part of a Racial Equity and Social Justice Analyses of the permitting process for special events on City streets.

We look forward to a continued collaborative effort as we plan for the future of outdoor activities in downtown Madison.  You are an important voice in this process and we want to hear from you.  Our discussion will consider issues such as the number, location, size, and length (time and number of days) of events, particularly those on the isthmus, and the impact this has on residents, businesses and city services, staff, and resources. We look forward to your insights.

Please email madisonevents@cityofmadison.com if you have questions or comments.

Hope to see you May 3!