Chamber planning street fairs on Superblock

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“Because of the nature of the construction in the vicinity, the food trucks that are already permitted on the block and the fact that this property and the adjacent property were traditionally used as the parking for these types of events when they were held on the boardwalk,” Piazza added, “the city may require that the applicant provide alternate parking and traffic contingencies.”

“It is the chamber’s understanding that … the chamber has completed all applications and details to allow the street fairs to take place,” Tannenbaum said.

Though the city and the Long Beach Historical Society host two arts and crafts fairs in July and August, Tannenbaum said that the chamber’s events will feature a larger variety of food and retail vendors, in addition to activities for families and live music on both Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m., organized by Artists in Partnership Inc., which holds events like the Folk-to-Funk and the Barrier Beach Blues and Arts festivals. The first fair will coincide with Surf Week.

“We’re going to have one thing that the other shows don’t — we’re going to have a whole section for rubber rides, games, face painting and clowns and cotton candy and balloon making, so it becomes a family event,” Tannenbaum said. “And then we’re going to have a stage set up and we’re going to have little bit of entertainment.”

The chamber came up with the idea of holding a street fair on the boardwalk about a year ago, he explained. After Sandy, however, the concept took on a sense of urgency, and the street fairs were among a number of ideas that the chamber proposed in March to help local businesses.

The food trucks now operating at Riverside Boulevard will also take part, Tannenbaum said, adding that, to date, more than 20 businesses have expressed interest, and organizers are hoping for a turnout of 5,000 to 10,000 people.

“I would be excited if we had 100 or more [vendors] because we’ve never done it before,” he said. “Already, we’ve had about 30-plus inquiries … there were a few people who joined the chamber, and the reason they did it was to be in the street fair.”

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