Fourth of July -> Dallas Trinity Festival

[GarrettCarey]

Anyone planning on going? It promises to be fun! The proceeds are supporting the famed Trinity River Corridor Project! See you there! woooohoooooo!

<a href="http://www.dallastrinityfest.com":D allas Trinity Festival</a>

[dallashorn]

Anyone else think that is an interesting Cowboys are sponsering Trinityfest. I don't think they did it last year?

[gc]

they are working it.....trying to increase their local popularity and support...........so the STADIUM VOTE passes whenever that may be.

smart move by jerry

[chiboi]

This is a very positive sign...If we get the new stadium near downtown and the Trinity Project off the ground and Victory going forward as Hillwood promises, the entire city core will explode!

[CTroyMathis]

DART vows smooth rides on 4th
06/29/2003

By TONY HARTZEL / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/localnews/columnists/thartzel/stories/062903dnmetroadrunner.33a99.html


Thousands of people are expected to attend this year's July 4 Trinity Fest celebration, and Dallas Area Rapid Transit has vowed to be ready for them.

This year, the agency has created new plans for handling the crush of riders expected after the fireworks end. Last year, throngs of rail customers crowded Union Station and waited for hours to get a ride home.

"We have things really well planned out," said Tim Newby, DART's assistant vice president for service planning and scheduling.

Rather than have one station for event-goers, the transit agency has come up with a plan that divides the crowds according to which line they ride.

Red line trains will skip Union Station, and will pick up and drop off event-goers at the Convention Center station only. Blue line trains will skip the Convention Center station to pick up and drop off patrons at Union Station only.

The Trinity Railway Express commuter line could offer special service to Trinity Fest for the first time. Tickets must be purchased in advance for the commuter trains, which will stop only at CentrePort, West Irving and South Irving stations before reaching Union Station.

Commuter line tickets are $6 each or $18 for a four-ticket family pack. Based on low early sales of fewer than 100 tickets, though, DART is considering scaling back its TRE service or canceling it altogether. A decision could be made Tuesday.

Once transit riders get to the event, 75 DART volunteers will be on hand to point them in the right direction. Waiting lines will be established for train riders to return home, a more orderly scenario than last year's crush crowds at Union Station. Trains often arrived at Union already full of passengers who got on the trains at other stations.

Trains will run every 10 minutes starting at noon. They will continue to run until about 1:30 a.m., which is well after the agency usually halts service. Trains will run even more frequently after the fireworks end.

"The intent is to have this orderly and planned out," said Mr. Newby, who added that it's difficult to predict crowd behavior based on one day of experience from last year's inaugural festival, which attracted 300,000 people. "People are going to have to wait in line, and people are going to have to stand on trains."

DART volunteers will be on hand to count passengers that will be allowed on the platform for the next train. Each rail car will carry 125 people, and 72 of them will have seats.

Most trains will have three cars, which means the agency will be able to carry at least 4,500 people per hour in one direction and 4,500 people per hour in the other direction. Those figures are based on 10-minute frequency.

Tickets for Trinity Fest are $3.50, with 50 cents of that going to DART to cover part of its costs. DART has several suggestions for riders:

• Buy a $2.50 light-rail day pass at light-rail station ticket machines or at participating Minyard, Carnival and Sack 'n Save food stores. A ticket purchased for the trip downtown also will be good for the trip home.

• Be prepared to wait. Because the event falls on a Friday, rail passengers can stay a little later after the fireworks end. Trains will run almost two hours longer than usual, and possibly later if needed.

• TRE customers must buy their rail ticket in advance. Trains will leave CentrePort at 5, 6 and 7 p.m., and each color-coded ticket will be good for a return trip at a set time: 10:45, 11:15 and 11:45 p.m. Passengers must have a TRE ticket to be allowed on the platform to wait for that train.

• Tickets for Trinity Fest and for the TRE service can be purchased through July 3 at downtown Dallas DART stores located at the Akard light-rail station and at Elm and Ervay streets. Trinity Fest tickets only can be purchased through July 4 at the grocery stores listed above.

[INTX dave]

I am a little late in this reply, but was wondering...

Did anyone attend this year's Trinity Fest? If so, how was the event? and the traffic/transit?

I was out of town, but would love to hear any opinions - especially as to how it might affect the event next year.

[gc]

$80,000 owed for Trinity Fest
Debt tied to parking lot use; organizers to repay city, plan for '04 event
10:02 PM CST on Thursday, February 19, 2004
By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News and CHRIS HEINBAUGH / WFAA-TV
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/022004dnmetfestdebt.a211.html


The organizers of Trinity Fest 2003 still owe Dallas $80,000, more than seven months after the Independence Day celebration.

Pay up, Dallas officials say, or good luck producing Trinity Fest 2004.

"If there's a special event that owes us money, we won't issue them a permit again," First Assistant City Manager Mary Suhm said Thursday.

The $80,000 debt stems from the Trinity Festival Corp.'s use of a Reunion Arena parking lot during Independence Day weekend, according to city records obtained this week.

Ms. Suhm said she has spoken with Carol Reed, Trinity Festival Corp.'s president, and expects the organization to repay the city within the next few months, possibly in installments – an arrangement City Council member Lois Finkelman confirmed as "having been discussed."

Trinity Fest organizers should forget about Dallas forgiving the debt, city officials said.

"The city can't forgive the money – it's money that's owed to the city," Mayor Laura Miller said. "And $80,000 is a lot of money."

Ms. Reed argued that her corporation produced Trinity Fest 2003 with little help from the city – financial or otherwise – even if the event proved an economic and social boon to downtown. City memoranda indicate that Dallas contributed about $61,000 in various support services for the event.

Still, the parking lot would have sat vacant and not generating a dime for the city had Trinity Fest not brought thousands of people downtown, Ms. Reed said. But that doesn't mean Trinity Festival Corp. won't repay the debt, she added.

"We're not suggesting that it be forgiven, we're suggesting that what we need to take a look at for future years is exactly what it is that we're providing," she said. "We paid well over $100,000 in security and fire costs to Dallas police and firefighters. The citizens of Dallas, the taxpayers of Dallas paid absolutely nothing for us to produce Trinity Fest."

Ms. Reed vowed that Trinity Fest 2004 would go on. Ms. Finkelman and council member Veletta Forsythe Lill said city officials are working with Ms. Reed to ensure the event takes place. The event has been staged the last two years.

"This is an important signature event for the city," Ms. Lill said, adding that the $80,000 owed to the city may be reduced because Trinity Festival Corp. repaved parts of the parking lot.

In 2002, officials estimated that nearly 300,000 people packed Reunion Arena parking lots and the nearby area for the free Trinity Fest celebration. In 2003, organizers charged $3.50 for general admission and up to $125 for an air-conditioned skybox. About 75,000 to 80,000 people attended, organizers said.

"It brings people downtown; they spend money," Ms. Reed said. "And all that ripples out into a much greater impact than what you can get off of rental in a downtown parking lot."

E-mail dlevinthal@dallasnews.com and cheinbaugh@wfaa.com

[psukhu]

I ate dinner in downtown last year instead of eating dinner in Addison.

I think the city should allow free use of those lots because they are making the money from sales tax revenue.

[TexasStar]

I ate dinner in downtown last year instead of eating dinner in Addison. I think the city should allow free use of those lots because they are making the money from sales tax revenue.

Wow! You must have eaten a LOT to make up for $80,000! :D

[psukhu]

Well, over 400,000 attended last year...

That's not counting the people who watched from outside of the grounds.

[TexasStar]

I know, I've attended the event both years.

Still don't think the city should forgive the agreed upon rental for the venue. There are costs incurred that need to be paid for an event of this size (police, clean-up, traffic, etc.)
The promoters should have accounted for this when they set ticket prices.

[psukhu]

I agree. They had a contract.

Plus, if they did have 400k paying guests, then how can they not afford to pay?

[drumguy8800]

Ugh. Crap. Trinity Fest is cancelled. Its first year, they had an unbelievably huge.. too huge, in fact, turnout. The second year, they had a slightly smaller turn out.. but it was only because of force. The city had to tone it down. And now, one of our only huge festivals.. is gone. After only two years. I'm sure it has good reason, and I'm sure that the money that was being spent on Trinity Fest will be well spent on other projects.. but it certainly is a shame to see something as exciting as Trinity Fest be completely shut down. As a plus, Willie Nelson, instead of having his annual cookout in Central Texas, will be coming to Fort Worth. I guess Dallas will remain partyless and empty this July 4th..

[jenga]

anyone go to the Target sponsored fireworks show last night in downtown?...I was there and was just wondering what people thought of it...

[bloodandpopcorn]

Was it horribly sparsely populated?

[jenga]

At first, but then a lot of people showed up. The city was expecting 20,000 but I read in the DMN that only about 7,000 were there. The city told everyone to sit on the steps of City Hall to watch the fireworks and hear the symphony. You could hear the symphony wonderfully,but when the fireworks started you couldn't see the low ones because a building. Overall, it was awesome. You just had to move to Pioneer Plaza to get the best view. The Dart wasn't that crowded either, which was nice.

[Jack Flack]

It was a nice display but they did not plan very well for it since it could be barely seen from City Hall. I'm glad I didnt' get there hours early to claim the best spot only to have to pick up everything and run to the opposite side of the convention center like a lot of people did.

[Flaming Moderate]

Trinity Fest symbolized how Dallas just can't get its act together. The first one too many people came and now it is cancelled. I'm glad they had something, if small, but I can't understand why Dallas can't pull off a good civic event.

Houston had a fireworks show . . . I don't know how it went as I was not there . . . but some folks did get shot in a gang fight during it though.

[Columbus Civil]

Dallas does very few things right.

[gc]

City fireworks show: D stood for 'dud'
'We couldn't believe we were seeing such a small ... display in one of the best-known cities in the world'
9:59 AM CDT on Wednesday, July 7, 2004
By EMILY RAMSHAW / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/070704dnmetdallasfizzle.afd93.html

Jon Jackson was ready to party. The salesman had 50 friends crammed into his downtown loft apartment and a great view of the Dallas skyline. But when fireworks burst over the city's Fourth of July celebration, the mood fizzled. "A lot of [the guests] were missing better fireworks in their own towns," Mr. Jackson said. "We couldn't believe we were seeing such a small fireworks display in one of the best-known cities in the world." Not so in the suburbs. From Garland to Irving to Addison, regional Independence Day events boasted top-of-the-line fireworks and performing artists and drew record-setting crowds.

Dallas, on the other hand, attracted only 7,000 guests – down from 80,000 at last year's Trinity Fest and less than half the anticipated crowd. Despite the turnout, city officials called the show a success. After the throngs of people that mobbed past events, they said, the scaled-down version was a nice respite. But some residents said they expected more from Dallas. Faced with impressive lineups in the suburbs, they say, the urban center should've at least tried to compete with its neighbors. "Dallas should be the anchor for all these cities, bringing people into downtown," Mr. Jackson said. "Instead it's the opposite – downtown empties to shows in the suburbs."

Competition

City Council member Veletta Forsythe Lill said suburban competition probably factored into Dallas' dwindling numbers. "Our events have become dispersed," she said. "Everybody seems to have an event, and that translates into fewer people at any single event." Ms. Lill said that instead of having one or two choices, residents have dozens of celebrations to choose from. "People have become selective about the Fourth of July," she said. Mr. Jackson's party wasn't the only one confused. As pops rang out downtown Saturday, thousands of visitors seated outside City Hall realized the city-planned concert was no place to view fireworks. In a stampede of picnic blankets and baskets, many took off running for a better view, sitting on shoulders and peering among trees. Some gave up and got in their cars. "You could hear the noise, and you could just barely see them over the trees," said Brad Penk, a Garland resident who works at Lew Sterrett Justice Center. "I know they cut it back some this year, but it's almost not worth doing if you're not going to do it right."

Interim City Manager Mary Suhm said those who attended the downtown celebration enjoyed it. And she said it's wrong to compare this year's event – the Target-sponsored "Big Oooh-Aaah" – to the Trinity Fests of the last two years, which brought 300,000 and 80,000 people, respectively. "They're not the same kind of event," Ms. Suhm said. "We said in the beginning it was going to be different – low key." Trinity Fest 2004 was canceled this year because of a lingering $80,000 debt from last year's bash, held in the Reunion Arena parking lot. The free replacement event, planned for July 3 at Crow Park, was moved to City Hall because of flooding in the Trinity River bottom.


'Too much rain'

"The whole point was to call attention to the Trinity and the recreation opportunities there," Ms. Suhm said. "We just had too much rain ... but we'll probably get together to think about next year." Lateisha Hayes hasn't missed Dallas' fireworks in 26 years. She said she didn't mind this year's scaled-down version. From her aunt's house near Fair Park, her family enjoyed the fireworks, even if they weren't as big and bold as last year, she said. Ms. Hayes said the difference this year was publicity. She said the show wasn't nearly as well advertised as it has been.

"They used to be handing out fliers in grocery stores, but not this year," she said. "We didn't even know where to go." From now on, Mr. Jackson said, he'll always know where to find fireworks. After Saturday night's fiasco, he headed to Irving's Las Colinas show Sunday. "It was breathtakingly beautiful – unbelievable," he said. "It was everything Dallas wasn't. It was a wonderful, wonderful surprise."

[gc]

from the frontburner....

THINK BIG. LIVE LARGE. EXCEPT, APPARENTLY, WHEN IT COMES TO PYROTECHNICS.
A pseudonym-using FrontBurnervian points out that Dallas' fireworks display didn't exactly live up to the city's new slogan.

I guess the campaign slogan doesn't apply to that sorry excuse for a fireworks show put on by the City of Dallas. 7,000 people go to Dallas' show, and 100,000 go to Addison's. That's like Hackensack, New Jersey, drawing 500,000 people and New York City drawing 50,000. I particularly enjoy the comments by interim City Manager Suhm calling the display "low-key." Perhaps she should cut out the doublespeak and use the word "lame."

Tim Rogers · 12:00 PM

I already don't like Suhm...using competition as an excuse is pathetic. Rain, seriously...

Honestly, how can the city be so proud of the new logo, slogan, etc and have a low-key 4th celebration? How can an event be so poorly planned? Why can't these people connect the dots?

[tamtagon]

Honestly, how can the city be so proud of the new logo, slogan, etc and have a low-key 4th celebration? How can an event be so poorly planned? Why can't these people connect the dots?

Beginning with the mayor, each member of the city council should shown during local news standing in corner wearing a dunce cap.

Maybe the mayor is waiting for Trinity River Park to be completed before concerning herself with a Fourth of July spectacular.

[tamtagon]

Despite the turnout, city officials called the show a success. After the throngs of people that mobbed past events, they said, the scaled-down version was a nice respite.

Pardon my French, but that's just bullshit. This was the perfect opportunity to unveil the new DALLAS BRAND and make everything better.

[The Great Hizzy!]

There ya go, Tam! Curse! It's refreshing! :)

In all seriousness... I missed why the original Trinity Fest was cancelled and why the fireworks show at city hall managed about only 35% of what was expected?

[rantanamo]

totally agree. What a bummer to hear about this. I was up in Garland with family and friends, and their celebration was huge. When it cam time for fireworks(4 nights of them), the streets were packed all over the city. Why was Dallas so afraid of the first Trinity Fest? I missed that one for South Padre(was really huge). Security problems? Why isn't the city striving to kick Garland's butt? I simply don't get the attitude of this city sometimes.

[gc]

The first TrinityFest was awesome. It was everything they promised and more....crowds, concerts, entertainment for the family, beer, food, and awesome fireworks.

Unfortunately, Trinity Festival Corporation still owes the city around $80,000 and I think city leaders are intimidated with 300,000 people being in downtown...Live large..Think Big

[rantanamo]

If those were the only problems, then the City Council needs to get off their keesters and start looking for corporate sponsors. This thing needs to be treated like a CART street race. Hmmmmmmmm, CART street race. Hmmmmmmmmm. I imagine the city council would try to limit that weekend to less intimidating numbers. BRING BACK THE TRINITY FEST!!! It's a shame that Dallas can't even compete with South Padre's 4th celebrations. The streets there were packed, vendors everywhere selling things. Even that bridge from Port Isabel to SPI was covered with cars . What is this city doing? I know this isn't seen as crucial, but I think it is. This is a chance for many who don't see downtown to see downtown. This is name making. This is image building. Such endeavors are priceless to Dallas for suburban residents and visitors to see the city as vibrant.

[jenga]

If the 20,000 people that the city expected to show up actually did, the city would have been screwed. There wasn't enough room for that many people where they said there would be and there definitely weren't enough vendors for 20,000. I've been to Garland last year and the year before. It's impressive. Great bands, great carnival, great planning...the city of Dallas needs that.

[Columbus Civil]

Fireworks always seemed sort of redneck to me.

[The Great Hizzy!]

LOL

Redneckism must be alive and well across the country, then. My dad would agree with you: "So bush league..."

[drumguy8800]

I, for one, think that it was a mixed blessing. That's money much better spent on getting the Trinity River Corridor Project, I-30 reconstruction, I-635 reconstruction, High Five, Fair Park, LRT, and downtown initiative projects underway. Garland and Addison are both sitting on gold mines- Addison in particular. The city has to pay for roads, and that's the extent of it. The only highway that runs through the city is privately maintained by NTTA- they don't have to worry about building massive highways, snatching up ROW, dealing with residential issues, urban issues, etc etc etc. Dallas needs this money, and next year, (2005 is when the first calatrava's gonna be built! yahoo!), there will probably be a much bigger celebration. Dallas has too much to worry about- once the city has a good place to show you fire works (a la trinity,) they'll show you fireworks.

[rantanamo]

World full of rednecks. Especially on New Years around the world. Those damned New York rednecks.

[Lakewooder]

For many years, a big fireworks show was held at the Cotton Bowl. Tom Thumb sold discounted tickets. The end zone with the ramp was blocked off for displays (which included the cartoon Tom Thumb logo being lit up with flares and sparklers or whatever) and the stadium was usually filled. It was quite exciting when the lights would be turned off and the first rocket shot up behind the antenna and near the Comet Coaster. The streets and parking areas were packed with people watching for free. Samuell Grand/ Tenison parking lots were also a good place to watch. One could also see the Lakewood Country Club show there too...

At FP, there wasn't much in the way of a festival or midway thing, but that could be done today, with vendors. Personally, I see the Esplanade lined on each side with temporary semi-elegant sidewalk cafes, a la Tivoli or Piazza San Marco in Venice -- with chamber orchestras or bands.

As it was, this year, I watched the Lakewood CC show from my upstairs window, it was a pretty display. And it always draws a lot of peripheral specators. I imagine most "Lakewooders" would rather hang around after our parade and see the show in the neighborhood rather than going Downtown, or FP, unless it's another really huge Grucci event, with a name band or two.
I have some other friends who went to White Rock Lake near Winfrey Point and they said they were able to see several shows across the city (I think Dallas CC in HP still does one).

[Foucault]

I went to the wind symphony concert, and it was fairly full. Not of the usual types to attend a symphony concert, that's for sure...
And why is D making a fuss about Addison's celebration? Everyone knows Addison is a crime-ridden wasteland full of juvenile deliquents busy trying to vandalise their horrible schools. :angryfire

[drumguy8800]

Here are a couple of pictures that Jenga took and let me post- first, a picture of some people layin' down gettin' ready for the show- It looks really cool cause there are all the trees and there's the giant green lawn- the second one doesn't have much to do with the actual event, but I thought it was a very impressive shot. It actually compliments the hideous flag poles in front of City Hall.

http://www.ovillachurchofchrist.com/derek/collection/07030402m.jpg

http://www.ovillachurchofchrist.com/derek/collection/07030401m.jpg

[Columbus Civil]

World full of rednecks. Especially on New Years around the world. Those damned New York rednecks.

Exactly!

[DFWCRE8TIVE]

Trinity Fest sued over old bills
08:44 AM CDT on Saturday, May 26, 2007
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/local/stories/052607dnmettrinityfees.1066278b.html

The city of Dallas sued the Trinity Festival Corp. on Thursday, contending it still owes the city $80,000 for its 2003 July Fourth fireworks celebration. Trinity Fest attracted 80,000 people to downtown Dallas in 2003. But the city says it never paid to rent the Reunion Arena parking lots. Former City Council member Craig Holcomb, who was president of Trinity Fest, said the corporation was dissolved in 2004 after it couldn't pay its bills. He said the city attorney told him the city would drop its lawsuit if Trinity Fest produced records showing it didn't have any money. Mr. Holcomb, executive director of Friends of Fair Park, is planning a smaller festival July 1 in Fair Park.

Michael Grabell