Shreveport mayor addresses concerns on upcoming Crawfest event

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) — Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux released a statement Thursday, March 16 regarding concerns about Crawfest .

“Crawfest is this weekend at Betty Virginia Park. The festival has become very popular, and it is the kind of family-friendly event the City would like to host in its parks.

“Any festival in a central city park will involve some inconvenience in the neighborhood, and the City and the sponsor are taking steps to minimize the inconvenience. These steps include maintaining access to many areas of the park during the festival without paying an admission fee, closing off certain streets to prevent parking on those streets, shuttles to and from the site from remote parking areas, and discontinuing live music at 8 p.m. (and at 7 p.m. on Sunday) to reduce noise after that time.

“The festival organizer has the agreed to pay for all cleanup and public safety officers, fire, and law enforcement. In essence, the festival is providing a family-friendly event at the park at no cost to the City.

“Citizens concerned about the festival have raised valid points about whether the City should require a payment for the exclusive use of a part of the park, especially if the organizer collects admission. The City currently does not have such a policy, and Mayor Arceneaux has directed SPAR to draft a policy to review that would deal with fees for exclusive use of park facilities, times of operation and amplified sound, and other issues raised by concerned citizens.

“With respect to whether the sponsor is for-profit or non-profit, the City views the convenience or inconvenience of the use of the park the same regardless the organization of the sponsor. The ultimate policy may differentiate in some respect between for-profit and non-profit ventures.”

Some South Highland community members raised concerns about the three-day event, mainly pointing out parking on streets, noise complaints and having to pay an admission fee to enter a public park.

[RELATED: Residents raise concerns about upcoming Crawfest at Betty Virginia Park]

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