Rochesterfest Moving to New Site

It looks like Rochesterfest will have a new home next year.  The Rochester Park Board today approved a request to allow the community event to be based at Central Park next year.

 Organizers still need to finalize other details, such as addressing concerns expressed by Mayo Clinic about using the site and dealing with a lack of adequate electricity.

The Park Board was assured that organizers will do their best to protect the park itself during the week long event.  The stage, vendors and most activities will be on the streets surrounding the park, not on the actual grounds.

The board approval covers only next year.  Rochesterfest organizers will meet with the board again next year to review the situation.  If there are no major issues, it’s expected the board will be asked to allow the 2016 event  to be held there as well.

There was no discussion today of a permanent site for Rochesterfest, which has been held near the Mayo Civic Center in recent years.  The upcoming expansion of the center forced the event to relocate.

Rochesterfest executive director Carole Browne told the board without a downtown site, the event would not survive.

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