Mermaid and Moon Boutique and Event Rentals YK have teamed up to create the 47th Street Festival, which will feature live music, workshops, and fitness classes.
Meredith McNulty, owner of Mermaid and Moon Boutique and festival co-organizer, hopes the event can showcase and support the arts while navigating Covid-19 concerns.
“What we’re hoping to do is really celebrate the arts community and offer a space for people to share their artistic talents,” McNulty told Mornings at the Cabin.
“The arts community has really been affected by Covid, especially musicians and painters. It’s been a tough time for everyone. And I had to close the business when the pandemic happened,” said McNulty.
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“So now that I’m open, I want to be able to offer a space for other artists that have also been affected.”
The festival will feature music, painting and jewellery workshops, and fitness classes run by new businesses Gemini Fitness and Studio 47. Food will be available for purchase from Elke’s Table.
Performers include DJ Puppy and Sami Blanco, Jim Taylor and Patrick Jacobson, and Jen Walden and Terry Pamplin.
Colin Dempsey, owner of Event Rentals YK and co-organizer of the festival, says pandemic restrictions will mean extra measures are put in place.
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“It’s actually created some interesting adaptations that we’re excited about,” he said. “There are a lot of challenges but we think this might, in some ways, be a better model for a festival.”
Each event is limited to 40 attendees to adhere to physical distancing measures, with booking ahead of time essential. (Head to Mermaid and Moon’s website for tickets.)
The performers’ tent will be separate from the spectators’ seating area with a neutral zone in between. Chairs, tables, and portable washrooms will be disinfected after every event.
“We’re playing it really safe. We don’t want to play any games here. We just want to show that this can be done safely,” says Dempsey.
More: View the festival schedule | Festival Facebook event
McNulty and Dempsey ask people interested in performing to contact them in case space is available. Meanwhile, they are looking at organizing another festival in future.
“We want to really demonstrate that yeah, you can host your events, you can host your weddings, you can host your celebrations, your corporate functions, whatever,” said Dempsey.
“It’s just a matter of a safety plan. And we’ll do that for you, we’ll get the approval. We’ll do the layouts, the planning. We’re very happy to make it easy for people.”
The festival runs from July 31 to August 2 and will be held in front of Mermaid and Moon Boutique at 4909 47 Street, with both licensed and family-friendly events throughout the weekend.
