Summer Stroll Great in Person – Bad on Facebook
Summer Stroll was set up to help the merchants on Third Avenue, as well as to give Brooklyn residents a chance to enjoy the open avenue. We went on two nights that were AMAZING.
Maybe for future years, the organizers will:
a) Limit politicians to one table and the number of helpers to two. Put their tables at the beginning or end of the stroll so residents don’t have to mingle with them if they don’t want to. Why can’t all the pols stroll? The pols that were walking around blended into the Avenue. Remember this is merchants event – not a night for pols. Even though we had a great time and reporters said it was a great night (see here and here), a staff member from Marty Golden’s office put a negative spin on the Stroll by being dramatic on Facebook and labeling the stroll “a battlefield.”
b) Offer free tables to artists who sell Bay Ridge specific items. I have never passed Alicia Degener’s table and not purchased items. Items which promote the neighborhood are cherished by many and this would encourage more young artists to sign up.
c) Offer online signup for tables (with the right to refuse/return money of course) or allow more than one office for collection. After the stroll, a staffer from a pols office wrote as if they were representing the merchants and it was not professional.
d) There was good music this year. Sharing info about which bands/individuals are performing will bring more people.
Many people enjoyed the Summer Stroll this yearl, but I know less went this past Friday because they didn’t want to be involved in the drama of the “battlefield” they read about on Facebook. Explained here if you don’t know what happened.
Hugs,
marlene
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