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Good-Expression-4433 t1_jd8fvr9 wrote

Unfortunate. Last year was my first time going and it was kind of nice having a big start of summer gathering. Doing it when more students can attend makes sense though.

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fmtheilig t1_jd8lb5q wrote

Thank you, reddit. You have failed me yet again, facebook.

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BlancheDevereauxPVD t1_jd8vfas wrote

The only issue in the change from June that I see is that it definitely brought people downtown in a typically “dead” season and was helpful for the small businesses around the area. September is when things pick back up.

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RandomChurn t1_jdc8q69 wrote

>September is when things pick back up.

That's probably why they're switching to Sep: more people + getting new students into having a fun experience downcity

(Although I agree with you: much rather have it in June)

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Thac0 t1_jd8m8ls wrote

Bummer it was a really nice start to the summer. I think more people would show up in June too

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dzoni-kanak t1_jdb543t wrote

Yeah, it was always a nice hazy, lazy summer city walk around for people who live here. That was still... Very busy.

The idea of turning it into a student attended juggernaut... Why not just make a separate festival?

It's now essentially an entirely different festival entirely because the energy and composition of the audience is radically different.

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waninggib t1_jdcd87h wrote

Agreed. Last year was so busy that I spent more time waiting in line for things than anything. I can’t even imagine it with more people.

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Guyincognito4269 t1_jd8kvf1 wrote

Plus it overlaps with Pride. Can make the draw problematic. I know I prefer Pride.

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Proof-Variation7005 t1_jd8owk6 wrote

Sunday has always been the "dead day" for PVDFest but I think going up against NFL opening weekend is probably going to make that even more extreme

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iandavid t1_jd99irp wrote

You might be overestimating the overlap between PVDFest attendees and people who care about football

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Proof-Variation7005 t1_jd9r4vi wrote

Idk, that seems to wildly underestimating how popular football is. There's definitely a chunk of that fandom that isn't going to care about a street festival but I don't think the average football fan doesn't like fun things to do.

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waninggib t1_jdak56x wrote

This feels like foreshadowing and feels like PVDFest is gonna be lame. The first couple were so good and it’s just been less enjoyable every year.

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Thac0 t1_jdaj1m5 wrote

The Boston Globes Rhode Map email said:

“New mayor, new PVDFest.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley plans to announce later today that the city's annual arts and music festival will be held in September rather than June, which is when former mayor Jorge Elorza preferred to hold the three-day event.

This year's PVDFest will be scheduled for Sept. 8 through 10, essentially closing out summer in Providence rather than opening it. The new dates also ensure that thousands of college students will be able to attend the event because it will be held during the school year.

Elorza rebranded the former Providence Sound Session into PVDFest during his time as mayor, pouring resources into the downtown festival to make it a signature event in the city each year. It has attracted nearly 600,000 attendees and 4,600 artists since its debut in 2015 (it was interrupted by the pandemic).

The event will be planned by Joe Wilson Jr., a veteran actor who runs the city's Office of Art, Culture and Tourism.”

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