Business owners have mixed feelings about relocation of this year’s Summerfest
The annual Summerfest art celebration, customarily held at the Logan Tabernacle, has been relocated this year to the Logan-Cache County Fairgrounds.
Tammy Firth, who is part of the organization committee for Summerfest, said conflict over the event’s location has come up in the past with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which owns the tabernacle grounds.
“They have been talking about it for a while, but they decided to finally make the change this year,” Firth said.
She said the church felt it was a subject of conflict to have sales on church property.
Having Summerfest on Main Street has been of great assistance to the businesses located across from the grounds.
Manager Carla Olsen said The Bluebird Restaurant got a lot of business from Summerfest.
“This is going to hurt Main Street a lot. Summerfest has been going on for years,” she said. “A lot of business owners on Main Street are really upset about the move. A lot of businesses have their sidewalk sales during that time.”
Olsen said The Bluebird receives a lot of business then because people like to stop by for a light lunch or ice cream during a hot day, and they are able to come in the restaurant and cool off.
Russ Akina, head of the Parks and Recreation Department for Logan, said, “This weekend we will have corresponders going out to the vendors who have signed up too see if they still want to be a part of Summerfest this year.”
Akina said if his group does not receive a sufficient amount of vendors who still would like to take part with the event, then they may have to hold Summerfest for a year and reconsider their plans.
Firth said things are coming along really well with planning for relocation at the fairgrounds.
“I am really optimistic about the turnout,” she said. “People love Summerfest.”
The relocation has a lot of positive aspects, Firth said.
“At the fairgrounds there are built-in restrooms, so we don’t have to supply portable bathrooms, and they have built-in drinking fountains, as well,” she said.
There is a lot more parking available at the fairgrounds, so it will be easier on people coming to the event, Firth said.
“There is enough parking room for 800 vehicles at the fairgrounds,” she said.
Akina said the conflict brings up the need for Logan to have a civic space of some kind for events like Summerfest to be held.
“Hopefully that will be in the works for the future,” he said.
Firth said, “We are all looking forward to the new change and are really excited.”
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