Reply #17: The A&W Festivals were all very well attended. Throngs of people.

[TahitiNut]

That's one of the side-effects of the cost of real estate in Silicon Valley - people have less disposable income for entertainment and other purposes. Further, homes are far smaller - with small yards/patios. Thus, people use public spaces HUGELY more often, not only because of space but to enjoy the year-round climate and geography. Attendance for a 2-day festival was almost always estimated in 6-figures when I was there. That's the point - people like people and don't avoid crowds anywhere nearly as much as my born'n'raised state of Michigan.

The Gilroy Garlic Festival, an exception to the blocked-street downtown venue, was always held on open land, with shuttle parking. Attendance there has been over 100,000 for many years, as I recall. (2005 Attendance: 129,644.) That again is for a 3-day weekend festival going from 10am Friday to 6pm Sunday. (They open earlier on Friday since they don't block streets.) The Gilroy Garlic Festival was also somewhat unique in that it charged admission ($12 adult, $6 seniors and children). Most didn't. Gilroy is also a bit of a drive south of the major population centers in the bay area - so it's less convenient.

On edit: I found the attendance figures for the GGF ...
Attendance to Garlic Festival during the last decade:

2002: 125,409
2001: 127,719
2000: 123,048
1999: 126,710
1998: 122,010
1997: 122,297
1996: 108,000
1995: 100,240
1994: 125,000
1993: 135,000

http://www.gilroydispatch.com/news/contentview.asp?c=60335



PLEASE don't get me wrong. I'm not slamming the AAAF - if anything, I'm applauding weekend summer street festivals unreservedly. They were something I adored about living in the Bay Area ... exercise, sunshine, fresh air, people, food, beverages ... what's not to like?