Annual street fair opens its booths for business

Karen C. Tully Arizona Daily Wildcat The "road crew" of the Coyote Country Seasoning Co., Greg Goforth (right) and Jack Fields set up their booth on Fourth Avenue yesterday afternoon. The 27th annual Fourth Avenue Street Fair starts today and runs through Sunday.

The 27th Annual Fourth Avenue Spring Street Fair, which starts today and runs through Sunday, is one of the country's largest festivals, with nearly half a million people attending spring and winter fairs annually.

In the past, the fair has drawn about 300,000 people between Friday and Saturday, said Libby Stone, executive director for the Fourth Avenue Merchants Association.

However, with such an influx of people to the Fourth Avenue area, parking is at a premium.

Mike Butler, president of the West University Neighborhood Association, said a problem arises when the only available on-street parking for residents is filled by fair-goers.

"It's something that we live with, and it's something we accept because it is a legend in Tucson. We have to co-exist on this thing," Butler said.

Free parking will be available downtown Saturday and Sunday to help alleviate the problem.

In the Iron Horse Neighborhood, which extends roughly from East Eighth Street to East Broadway Boulevard, and from Fourth Avenue to North Euclid Avenue, there has been a decrease in the parking problem.

Hardy Grant, president pro tem for the Iron Horse Neighborhood Association, said the parking problems caused by the fair are not as serious as in past years.

In 1986, the parking problem was "hideous" as fair-goers double parked, parked on lawns and parked in residents' driveways, Grant said.

He said a parking lot near North Third Avenue and East 10th Street has alleviated the problem.

"I have lived through the era when Fourth Avenue was virtually a ghost town. It is much nicer to have stores down there instead of empty buildings," Grant said.

Grant likened the fair to a good neighbor who has two noisy parties a year. He said the economic benefits outweigh the inconvenience.

The fair provides the Fourth Avenue merchants with a monetary "shot in the arm twice a year," he said.

Wendy Jimenez, manager of Maya Quetzal, a restaurant at 429 N. Fourth Ave., said her business increases 40 percent during the fair.

Elizabeth Patterson, dining room manger for Cafe Sweetwater, 340 E. Sixth St., said the fair increases the restaurant's bar and dining room business two or three times more than usual.

"I'd say there is a 50 percent increase during the fair," said Mike Haggarty, co-owner of Piney Hollow, 427 N. Fourth Ave. "During the fair itself business is always superb."

However, one business owner said his business slows down.

"Actually I just consider it advertising, if anything it slows my business," said Doug Horner, owner of The Ordinary Bike Repair Shop, 741 N. Fourth Ave.

Horner said many people come through the store to look around, but that not many fair go-ers actually buy anything. He also said his regulars avoid the store during the fair because of the crowd.

"Although I consider it good, it isn't good for business for me. I'm not complaining," he said.

Although she would not give a specific figure, Stone said the Fourth Avenue Merchants Association makes a profit by renting street space to vendors. She said the profits make up a significant portion on the association's budget.

Stone said the money goes toward landscaping, maintenance, flower pots and other improvements to the area.

Because alcohol is served at the fair, Stone said the association also wanted to be extra careful about event security. She said a 60-person security team, consisting of privately hired security and off-duty Tucson Police Department officers, will be on hand at all times.

"We cut people off. We make sure all liquor laws are followed," she said.

She added that through the years there have been few alcohol-related problems.