Editor's Note: In the Aug. 20 issue of the Daily Texan, the number of blocks originally planned for the festival was stated incorrectly.The original plan included three blocks. The Texan regrets the error.
A Labor Day weekend music festival will be held on South Congress Avenue shopping district as scheduled, after overcoming initial opposition from neighborhood groups that didn't want the traffic and security problems.
The South Congress Avenue Street Festival will feature live bands, such as Del Castillo, Vallejo and Grupo Fantasma, as well as food and arts and crafts. Last month, several residents and stores located on the avenue objected to the festival, but some have since changed their minds due to compromises, including reducing the number of closed off blocks from three to two.
Neighborhood groups bordering South Congress, including the Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Association and South River City Citizens, were at first strongly opposed to the nine-hour festival. The popular First Thursdays event held on South Congress during the first Thursday of each month already brings a flood of cars and pedestrians to their neighborhoods.
"The opposition we received from the neighbors is really not a bad thing, because it let us know what their concerns were and keep trying to answer and work on these concerns," said Rob Lippincott, event organizer. He also owns Guero's Taco Bar on South Congress.
Kenny Hilbig, SRCC president, said his group is willing to work with the city to hold the festival safely and securely instead of bringing the issue to City Council.
"My preference is that the festival not occur, because of the impact on the neighborhood," Hilbig said. "I am concerned about traffic, safety, trash and security. It looks like the festival is going to occur. If we can't stop the festival from happening, then [we will] work closely with them."
Lippincott expects 10,000 or 12,000 people to attend.
"We worked with the city's transportation and safety department, and we are looking at how traffic will go through the day of the event. Coordinators talked about where trash cans can be placed," Hilbig said. "Most important were actual police officers throughout the neighborhood, not other forms of security, not security guards."
Lippincott said professional engineers developed a traffic detour plan.
"We are going to be putting up a lot of no-parking signs throughout the neighborhood and help alleviate the congestion," Lippincott said. "And we are going to hire a lot of extra police for security, and it is over before dark, all over right at dark."
About 25 police officers will secure the area, he said.
The Sept. 4 festival will run from noon until 9 p.m. Affected streets will be Congress Avenue, Gibson Street and Elizabeth Street, Lippincott said.
"It seems like it would be a lot of fun, local music, kids, bands," James Maund, owner of Rue's Antiques Inc. at 1500 South Congress Ave., said. "It should be fun."
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