EMAN Discusses Mt. Airy Day Location Options
The festival happens in May.
It's only September, but the East Mt. Airy Neighbors organization has already started talking about its plans for Mt. Airy Day, which takes place in May.
The organization talked about it during a meeting Tuesday.
The event is typically held at Cliveden, which has big, grassy areas that allow families to sit down and eat when they can. Carnival games are played on the grounds of Upsala across the street.
There has sometimes been talk, however, about moving the festival elsewhere. Board Secretary Hertis Smithey said he's been talking to several business owners along the Avenue—such as people from Geechee Girl Rice Cafe, Earth Bread & Brewery, McMenamin's and Food For All—and some have said they'd like to see the event moved north toward Mt. Airy's primary business district.
"The merchants feel they should get a shot at this influx of people," Smithey said.
He said the neighborhood "got practice at putting together an event like this" during August's Night Market. Then, hordes of people came to a closed-down Germantown Avenue to eat and drink as the sun set.
Members said they were potentially open to the idea but said that could require extra costs. There might need to be an increased police presence, which is expensive, and the neighborhood organization now has a good relationship with Cliveden, which it doesn't necessarily want to sabotage.
"You're also changing the flavor of it," board member Janet Amato said. "It's no picnic on the grass anymore."
Board member Dan Muroff said the event could potentially be held at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, which might be accommodating to that. But Amato said there are other restrictions on that campus.
Ken Weinstein, who was at the meeting and owns Trolley Car Diner, said he has spoken to several business owners about the idea.
"It would be a very popular idea to bring 5,000 to 10,000 people to Germantown Avenue," he said.
Ultimately, board member Dave Bell said, people need to think about the purpose of Mt. Airy Day and about what they're trying to do by holding the event. That, he said, should be the basis for any decision made.
Board members will discuss the issue at future meetings.
In This article
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East Mount Airy Neighbors
7301 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA -
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Chew House
6401 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA -
Upsala
6430 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA -
Geechee Girl Rice Cafe
6825 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA -
Earth Bread Brewery
7136 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA
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McMenamin's Tavern
7170 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA -
Food For All Market
7127 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA -
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Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
7301 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA -
Trolley Car Diner
7619 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA
David
5:24 pm on Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Sounds like they are deciding between Mt.Airy/Germantown Day or Mt. Airy/Chestnut Hill day. The location will change the crowd and if it's on Germantown Ave., it will have a very different feel. To me, one location feels more appropriate, but the other better supports the businesses that make Mt. Airy what it is. Tough call.
Bill Ewing
7:51 am on Thursday, September 15, 2011
The Germantown Avenue location was used in the past, and it did not work out well. It actually did not generate business for the stores along the avenue, and security was a serious problem.
Phillip Seitz
8:30 am on Thursday, September 15, 2011
That was, to put it mildly, a looong time ago. The success of the night market showed that something else entirely different is possible. Mt. Airy Day suffers from seriously hardened arteries; it's time for a change--anything would be great, and something that supports our business district would be very desirable.
Deborah Gary
12:21 pm on Friday, September 16, 2011
Wouldn't it be nice to recognize that Mt. Airy goes far beyond the primary business district? Having the event at Cliveden and Upsala confirms this. In fact, the businesses on this end of the corridor (Mt. Airy extends to Washington Lane) would love to benefit more from the events planned for Mt. Airy. Mt. Airy Day is the ONLY Mt. Airy event that occurs on this end. In fact, I would want to include closing the 6300 Germantown Ave block. This influx of people and revenue would more than benefit these businesses that already have only a percentage of the patronage of the upper business district. In addition to our historical sites and long time businesses, we have quite a few new businesses opened in the last 2 years in this block: Color Book Gallery, Bonds Arts and Crafts, Eke Art, Cleo's Closet, Wisteria Vintage and the Brown Spot that are all great additions to Mt. Airy.
Meenal Raval
8:54 am on Friday, September 23, 2011
Change is good. Mt Airy Day is too formulaic right now.