More variety, new week for Feast Street
John Chiocchio is giving last year’s inaugural Welland Feast Street a 10 out of 10.
The Ward 3 councillor made the comment as Feast Street chair Lucas Spinosa and out- going Welland Downtown BIA executive director Stephanie Hicks gave a presentation on the 2017 event at Tuesday night’s city council meeting.
Spinosa — he’s Welland Downtown BIA’s chair of marketing, events and promotions — said the goal of the event was to piggyback off of the former Niagara Food Festival; promote downtown Welland and its businesses and to engage them to participate; be as green and environmentallyfriendly as possible; offer a variety of food; have affordable tasting menus; be family- friendly; and showcase local talent.
“There was a lot of community feedback the same day or the next day, people obviously enjoyed themselves,” he said.
Hicks told council the event was heavily promoted and marketed on social media and a website was made up for it as well. A hashtag — # down2feast — was used to promote it and engage participants, she added.
“We had $ 3 tasters at each of the vendors and there was no duplication of food, there was a wide variety. We had some difficulties getting vendors to come out, being our first year it was a bit of risk for them,” Hicks said, thanking those that did take the risk.
She said local restaurants also had $ 3 tasters and were packed throughout the two- day event.
“Businesses asked us: ‘ Could you do this every weekend?’”
Chiocchio said he visited downtown restaurants during Feast Street and found them busy and creative. He also said the food options on the street were good.
The councillor asked if any thought had been given to expanding the event across Main Street Bridge to West Main Street this year.
Spinosa said the event would love to expand and said part of the reason it was held where it was — East Main Street between Hellems Avenue and just before King Street/ The Boardwalk and on Cross Street between East Main and Division streets — was to keep transit disruption to a minimum.
Ward 2 Coun. David McLeod said without events like Feast Street, Welland misses the opportunity to showcase the community.
He asked the pair about a $ 6,000 grant request made of the city to help offset costs this year.
“If you don’t get that, do the vendor fees go up?” McLeod said.
Spinosa said the request was for waiving of fees and in- kind services from the city.
“Regardless of whether we get that, we’ll do what we need to to keep the vendor fees the same. We’ll find more sponsorship money,” Spinosa said. Spinosa said there are a few changes coming to the event. The date will be pushed back a week, to Sept. 22 and 23, to avoid a conflict with the Niagara Wine Festival in St. Catharines.
“There will be some layout changes to make things more accessible from the streets and there are plans for more food vendors … there will be more diversity in the food,” he said.
Keeping entertainment local is also a key part of the festival, Spinosa said. He said bringing in big name bands is one of the biggest costs events face.