In San Francisco’s Yerba Buena district, the organization once budgeted a significant sum to host splashy events. Now, the organization invests in modest events such as an art and makers market, walking tours, and bracelet-making sessions.
In San Diego, the Gaslamp Quarter Association once hosted a Mardi Gras festival that was the largest such event in the Western U.S. But the event grew so unwieldy that rather than pleasing downtown business owners, it actually alienated the district’s merchants.
Business owners complained about traffic disruptions, about blocked access to their businesses, and about a general concern that they were overlooked during the Mardi Gras festivities.
Yerba Buena and the Gaslamp Quarter offer examples of a growing trend in downtown attraction and activation: Rather than producing massive events, organizations are shifting their focus to micro-events.
Next on the Gaslamp Quarter’s micro-event schedule is a pickleball tournament being planned for Thursday evenings in August and September.
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