Community Need or Challenge and your Desired Outcomes
The City faced significant challenges: barriers to entrepreneurship for minority business owners who represent 68.6% of local enterprises and insufficient youth employment options in a community where only 14.1% hold bachelor's degrees. Vibrant community programming that combines arts and commerce provides residents with important opportunities to build networks that drive economic mobility.
Small businesses which often struggle are the backbone of the Baldwin Park economy. The program creates opportunities for local restaurants to dramatically expand their customer base, with some reporting 500% increases during events. Small vendors gain affordable venues to test business concepts and gain exposure, youth access valuable first-job experiences and the community leverages its rich cultural heritage for economic development.
Innovative Approach(es)
Baldwin Park’s approach innovates by reimagining traditional summer concerts and street fairs into engines of economic opportunity. Instead of allowing unlimited vendor participation, the program carefully curates approximately 130 vendors without duplicate products or services offered, ensuring diverse offerings and protecting each business. Baldwin Park businesses receive priority access and discounted rates, fostering local business growth.
The Baldwin Park Downtown Street Market and Summer Concert series is anything but a regular market. It is an economic engine that builds community spirit, uplifts local businesses, provides critical employment opportunities, and builds the City’s brand. The result is a program that consistently attracts thousands of attendees on a weekly basis and serves as a highlight of the summer for many of our community members.
Community Collaboration
The success of the Summer Concerts and Downtown Street Market series would not be possible without strategic collaboration among diverse stakeholders. The Recreation and Community Services Department works closely with the Public Works department to coordinate complex logistics of transforming public spaces into vibrant marketplaces and event centers.
The program builds on strong partnerships with local businesses and community organizations. The street markets rely on strong collaboration with a diverse set of local vendors, which strengthens the Baldwin Park business network. The carefully curated vendor list ensures Baldwin Park businesses have first opportunities, receiving a 15% discount and City-provided equipment. NextGen helps create employment pathways for high-need local youth while America’s Job Center helps employ local part-time employees.
Measuring Success
The program’s sustained operation over a decade provides concrete metrics of success. The coordination between summer concerts at Morgan Park and subsequent street markets on Maine Avenue demonstrates effective use of City spaces to maintain programming momentum throughout the season.
The success of the event can be measured by several key indicators:
- High Community Attendance
- Local business growth
- Increased branding presence
- Growing production value
- Consistent youth employment
