Lisa's Blog
Insight to Real Estate News in Jacksonville & Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
The Riverside Arts Market - A One of a Kind Experience
Tony Allegretti, Market Director for the Riverside Arts Market, gave a great presentation at the Jacksonville Chapter of the American Marketing Association last month. He explained that the Riverside Arts Market was not an overnight phenomenon as it may seem to some, but rather 16 long years in the making. Tony attributes a large portion of the success to the numerous volunteers and interested parties that have come together to support the effort. Economic “on site” impact of the market for 2009 was estimated at $1 million and more than $4 million when incorporating the surrounding businesses.
The Riverside Arts Market houses 158 booth spaces. Two are dedicated to children and run by non-profits every week. Entertainment varies each weekend. Managing all of this is not an easy task and special software had to be built in order to handle booth space availability and rental. A committee selects the various vendors that participate each year. There are several aspects that the committee reviews, including originality of product and how well the vendor fits into the overall product mix.
The Riverside Arts Market is marketed extensively online and can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and RiversideArtsMarket.com. In addition, the group uses various other forms of outreach including Constant Contact, Daily Billboard, radio, and television advertising.
New features this year include a free bike valet, encouraging carbon savings and free wifi which allows sponsors to be more interactive with the public and helps vendors accept credit cards.
Tony’s vision for the future of the Riverside Arts Market includes a floating dock for the water taxi and recreational boaters, expansion to include Riverside Park and 5 Points, bigger names on the stage, and a more “European” car-free enjoyment of local attractions and the market.
Heather Senterfitt
First Coast Focus
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