SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : City Agrees to Hire Street Fair Promoter

The City Council has approved an agreement with a Redondo Beach promoter to put on a monthly street marketplace downtown.

The nighttime event, from April to October, is designed to generate more interest in businesses along Camino Capistrano and parts of other downtown streets. A series of similar street festivals were organized in 1992 by local entrepreneurs who stopped after the workload became too much.

The council on Tuesday voted unanimously to have Conte Productions of Redondo Beach operate the marketplace. The city will pay the firm $3,000 to start the event. The money will be paid back over time with a percentage of Conte Production’s profits.

The agreement between the city and Conte Productions won’t be final until it is approved by Conte Productions’ attorneys.

One downtown businessman urged the council to reject the marketplace agreement, saying that it could result in vandalism and other crime.

Ron Cohan, who owns a jewelry store on Camino Capistrano, said that the 1992 marketplace had hurt his business, not helped it.

“It was really a terrible experience for us,” Cohan said.

City Manager George Scarborough said that crowds of people who attended the 1992 marketplaces took with them more potential for litter, traffic and other problems. But Scarborough said the city can beef up its police presence, if necessary, to help marketplace private security staff keep the event safe.

Mark Conte, president of Conte Productions, said that as many as 125 vendors could operate in booths set up for the marketplace.

“I do not plan on bringing a flea market to your town,” Conte told the council. “I plan on bringing a quality, family show to your town.”