Tisbury selectmen voted unanimously this week to host a second Beach Road Weekend after the three-day summer concert drew glowing reviews from townspeople and business owners.
Organized by concert promoter Adam Epstein of Innovation Arts and Entertainment, the three-day music festival was held at Veterans Memorial Park in early August.
About two dozen people attended the selectmen’s meeting in the Katharine Cornell Theatre Tuesday to express support for the event.
First responders commended the effective planning and management.
“They were very cooperative throughout the whole planning process,” said fire chief John Schilling. “We had a really solid communications plan.”
Tisbury police Sgt. Bill Brigham said there were no arrests, and only three people were taken into protective custody for intoxication.
“By all accounts the weekend was a success,” the sergeant said. He said in the future, police would install more temporary light towers and work to improve parking for people with handicaps.
EMS Coordinator Tracey Jones said many people visited the first aid tent, but there were no major medical issues. She said next year they would work to provide more resources for people who needed to change children’s diapers.
Town department of public works director Kirk Metell said patches of grass were affected during the cleanup.
“The field did take a little bit of damage because the rain was a little early,” Mr. Metell said. “They drove machinery over an unprotected area because they were in a hurry to get material off the field.” He said the event organizers were in the process of hiring Island contractors to make repairs.
The concert will contribute a modest sum of money to town coffers — about $40,000 net of direct costs, according to an accounting by town administrator John (Jay) Grande.
Mr. Grande said Innovation Arts paid the town a total of $98,000. That included a $40,000 fee for use of the park, $33,000 to pay town employees and first responders who worked on the event, and a $25,000 damages deposit.
He said to date, $31,000 was needed for payroll. The town will keep the damages deposit until facilities are fully inspected, Mr. Grande said.
About 5,000 people attended the festival on Saturday and 6,000 on Sunday, according to organizers. After the festival ended, Mr. Epstein sent a letter to selectmen seeking permission to host a second festival at the park next summer.
Seth Gambino, a Tisbury business owner who lives near the park, was the lone critic to speak.
“It was two weeks of living in a construction zone,” Mr. Gambino told the selectmen. “During the event, things actually shook off our shelves.”
But others, including a musician who performed in the festival, business owners, other abutters and music enthusiasts said the concert was an exciting milestone for the town.
Rachel Baumrin said she usually has to travel off-Island to see big bands and she was thankful to be able to sleep in her own bed after going to a large concert.
“We’ve lost so many music venues on this Island,” she said.
Tisbury resident Holly Mackenzie lauded the atmosphere.
“I thought it was just so wonderful that there were families there,” she said.
Laura Beckman of Island Puff and Pass on Main street said the concert brought some life to the town.
“It did contribute to record sales at Island Puff and Pass,” she added.
“I’ve been involved with a lot of festivals over the years,” said Island musician Sean McMahon who said he was speaking on behalf of many other musicians who performed at the festival. “It was like a miracle that this festival happened as well as it did.”
In other business Tuesday, selectmen appointed seven people to the new town natural resources committee. Thomas Robinson, Amandine Hall, Sally Rizzo, Jeff Canha, Bill Sweeney, John Kollett and David Hearn will join James Hale, Michael Baptiste, James Tilton and Matthew Hobart, who were appointed last month.
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