West Second Street will be rockin’ and rollin’ again this summer
as the Friday Night Music Series remains in its original location,
despite a tentative proposal to move the popular event off of the
main downtown drag.
Morgan Hill – West Second Street will be rockin’ and rollin’ again this summer as the Friday Night Music Series remains in its original location, despite a tentative proposal to move the popular event off of the main downtown drag.
“It will remain where it has been for well over a decade,” said Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Dan Ehrler. “The board has a motion before it at its meeting next Wednesday that may create a new opportunity for the event.”
Earlier this month, the chamber was considering moving the 14-week series, which start June 1 and end Aug. 31, to the parking lot of the center at the Second Street and Depot Street intersection, home of the chamber.
The reason for the proposed move was to cut down on the labor involved in setting up and tearing down for the event, according to Ehrler.
The chamber sent out 130 surveys to downtown merchants and residents to gauge their response to the proposal. Morgan Hill Downtown Association Executive Director Theresa Kiernan helped get the surveys distributed and encouraged people to return them.
Response in favor of keeping the event on West Second Street was “overwhelming,” Kiernan said.
“Merchants are interested in helping out in a constructive way to keep the series downtown,” she said. “If they can help out in a financial way, become a sponsor of the series, that’s helpful. If they or their families, friends, can lend a hand with setting up and tear down, those are the two biggest issues for the series,”
Merchants are pleased the event won’t be changing locations.
“I’m happy they’re not moving it,” said Jana Castelan, co-owner of Poppy’s Fish, Poultry and More. “The downtown music series needs a central location downtown as it has had all these many years. Thank you for listening.”
The initial idea to move the music series has had a positive result, said some merchants, because people are now aware of the amount of work involved in putting on the series.
“I thought it was great that the chamber sent out surveys and asked all the merchants, it’s always good to have input,” said Rosy Bergin, co-owner of Rosy’s at the Beach. “We had the survey in our bar and asked our customers, and they were overwhelmingly in favor of keeping it where it is. I think that people never really realized how much work is involved with it, and now that we know, we can chip in and help. I think it’s great.”
