Street Fair "Kings" Call Critics Snobs, Yuppies

Photograph of an Astoria street fair by Harris Graber on Flickr

As tempting as zeppoles, fruit magnets and gym socks are, there's still a movement to re-think the city's street fairs (which cost the city much more in police overtime than what it makes in permits). City Councilman Daniel Garodnick told the Daily News, "These have become monothematic corporate enterprises with very little local or community flavor and the system is in need of reform." But the heads of those corporate enterprises are saying they are helping the little guy!

Three companies are behind two-thirds of all street fair events that are produced in the city. Tom Berman, whose Clearview Productions took in $2.3 million from vendors, said, "I earn my living by helping hundreds of groups that help thousands of people all year round. In these extraordinarily difficult times, many of these groups are relying more than ever on the money from these fairs." Non-profit groups can get permits for street fairs for just $15, whereas a private company would have to pay over $38,500 (it's unclear whether the non-profit groups are really making that much money from them—some groups make less than $5,000.)

Berman also said of critics, "That's very much the yuppie attitude - 'We don't want to close the street. We don't want shopping on the street.' The streets belong to the neighborhood and to New Yorkers." Another street fair founder, Arthur Tisi, insisted, "Hundreds of thousands of people love street fairs."

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By Jen Chung in News on July 19, 2010 4:01 PM

Comments [rss]

wingedearth

Save your overpriced sausages and fried dough.

That's What She Said

"Booohooo hooo hooo..... save the family streetfair vendor. You elitists are trying to snuff out the honest hardworking family farmer.... er streetfair vendor."

Nevermind the details, of course. Taxpayer money siphoned into the bank accounts of megamillion dollar corporations.

Sketto

Local business owners (like delis and pizza places) pay rent every day to be on a street with walk-in customers. When a street fair opens up in front of their door, both blocking pedestrian traffic and selling the same stuff, they get completely fucked.

thelexiphane

"These have become monothematic corporate enterprises with very little local or community flavor and the system is in need of reform."

Are we talking about the vendors at these street fairs? Or are we talking about Chase Bank, Rite-Aid Pharmacy, Subway sandwich shop etc. that seem to dominate this street in Astoria--as they do in almost every NYC neighborhood?

Superb photo selection on this one Jen.

John L

I like street fairs. I don't see the problem. Yeah a lot of them are exactly the same but I only go to one or two local ones a year, so it's not a big deal. As far as the cost in overtime, well then raise the permit price, make sure that if the company claims to be a non-profit that it really is one, make sure the vendors are paying their taxes and make them hire a private security company, but I don't think we shouldn't get rid of them.

New Yorkers are increasingly becoming whining, crybabies. How inconvenienced can you possibly be by a yearly street fair? Come on guys there's bigger battles to wage.

dgeee

"I earn my living by helping hundreds of groups that help thousands of people all year round. In these extraordinarily difficult times, many of these groups are relying more than ever on the money from these fairs."

Translation: He pays undocumented workers who are behind the booths at street fairs less than minimum wage and pockets the rest.

ozik

I think this nails it:

"Hundreds of thousands of people love street fairs."

Yeah, and there are how many millions of people in NYC on a given day? Hundreds of thousands is not a sufficient amount of people to warrant the current system.

Aleksey

Sorry, the only people who like fairs are the ones who do not live near them.

Last fair that was near my house resulted in several cars getting keys and damaged. It's a huge pain in the ass; and they should not be holding any stupid fairs in the middle of apartment blocks.

whitecastlerock

These street fairs have been abysmal since the late 90s. Botulism on wheels served by hunchbacked mutants. Get rid of them.

version

So if it costs the city more than it earns it, that means that we as taxpayers are subsidising these pieces of crap?

bklynbagel

The street fairs just aren't special. Its generally the same food, same crowd, same problems. Either have less or make it more community oriented to shed some spotlights on whats left of nyc culture.

Mordicai

I mean-- I like street fairs too. & I don't want to see street fairs disappear. I just want to see more local industries involved. Because I want a lobster roll. GIVE.