Oakland First Fridays is taking a hiatus from January through March 2024. Event organizers cite high operating costs keeping them from putting the event together. Now, they’re looking for new sources of funding.
from January through March 2024. Event organizers cite high operating costs keeping them from putting the event together. Now, they’re looking for new sources of funding.Even though grant funding and sponsors help cover some of that cost, it’s not enough to sustain it. They need to raise between $20,000 and $25,000 more per month to carry it through the new year.
"It’s really been an incubator for our business and other small businesses in Oakland," said Justin Ford, who said his small business "Oakland’s Own" got its start at First Fridays. "As far as food vendors, just the cost of trying to get a brick and mortar location, a kitchen to do your business, you’re able to bring to come out with your food truck with your items and let Oakland taste your food," said Justin.
Organizers said the event used to have capacity for 95 vendors, but new bike lanes on Telegraph have reduced capacity and as a result, KONO lost thousands of dollars in revenue. "It’s definitely a loss of a shared sense of community in a bigger event that really represents the good parts of Oakland," Pierce said.He told KTVU his shop got broken into twice in the last 48 hours. Despite that, he said, "Through my 85 to 90 First Fridays I’ve helped throw in our spaces, I’ve never really had too many major issues with security so overall it’s a net positive.
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