This is such a hot topic for the neighborhood. Since I get so many questions about it I thought I'd write this email and let all of you know at once what's going on.
Pete Marchica is the founder and visionary of the festival. It was a gift to us from him.
I know many people are interested in having the festival so while Pete is fundraising I sincerely hope the neighborhood pitches in and helps out this year so it can come back in 2014. His contact info is below.
In the meantime there may be some smaller musical events in the park with a different theme.
Bluegrass isn't possible because it will draw more people than we can handle at the park and a big bill from the city will ensue. Also keeping the high standard that was the Rose Park Bluegrass Festival is important if we want it back in 2014 in it's full splendor.
Here is Pete's letter to us:
Dear residents of Rose Park and the city of Long Beach:
It is with an extremely heavy heart that I inform you, that the Rose Park Bluegrass Festival will not be happening this August. What started as a dumb idea over breakfast, soon turned into what I can only describe as a magical success story.
The success of the Rose Park Bluegrass Festival was phenomenal with the 2nd year's attendance estimated at well over 3,000 people. I could never have imagined that so many people would come out to a tiny little park, albeit in a wonderful neighborhood, even for an afternoon of good music and wholesome fun at no cost. While I still delight in the joy we were able to share as a community, the fact of the matter is that although this festival was free to attend, it was not free to produce. The Rose Park Bluegrass Festival is a professional production and you deserve nothing less.
Try as I might, I cannot get around the fact that police, fire, sound technicians, traffic control staff, electricians, stage manager, port-a-potty deliverer, Free Mason, musicians, shuttle driver, security guards, printer, web designer, graphic designer, and health department worker all must be paid to continue the festival. There are many other jobs that the festival created in addition to the amazing number of volunteers who gave their time on the day of the event. While the volunteers did not expect to be remunerated, I was grateful for the Rose Park resident who purchased lunch and snacks for them.
I have spent the last five months exploring how I can bring this experience back - how to single-handedly raise the funds needed. As the volunteer festival director, I also served as the sole fundraiser to bring in the tens of thousands of dollars needed to support all that goes in to this extraordinary experience. This is increasingly difficult to do in this economic climate and in conjunction with my earning a living elsewhere. (???) I have come to the conclusion that the only way to do this again is to do so with your help. I would like to work with each and every one that wants to see the festival back and do just that. Bring it back.
Let's take this year to come up with a collective fundraising effort and bring the festival back in 2014. Until then, The Rose Park Bluegrass Festival will be on hiatus for 2013. Rest assured that while the festival is taking a year off, I am tirelessly working to make this event sustainable for years to come.
That said, we'll be back in 2014 (with bells on). Thanks for all your love and support. I will be in touch with how we can work together and how you can help bring this amazing event back in to the neighborhood.
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or you can always visit our website at
Respect and Regards,
Pete Marchica
Founding Festival Director
Rose Park Bluegrass Festival
Please email with any questions you may have. info@rpna.org
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