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Parks & Public Spaces
Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans application to hold the 31st Annual Asian/Pacific American Heritage Festival in Union Square Park on Sunday, May 2nd, 2010
WHEREAS, Community Board Five takes its role in the review of applications for Parks Special Events seriously and requests an opportunity to review the application before a permit is granted by the Parks Department Special Permit Office; and
WHEREAS, A proposal has been received from the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans to hold the 31st Annual Asian/Pacific American Heritage Festivalin the north end of Union Square Park on Sunday, May 2, 2010 from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm (with setup beginning at 7:00 am and cleanup ending by 8:00); and
WHEREAS, The event will be a celebration of Asian Pacific American heritage and traditions which will feature music and dance performances, martial arts and folk arts demonstrations, and the sale of food, drinks and crafts, in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 100 vendors are anticipated, the majority (approximately 80%) of which will be community organizations; and
WHEREAS, Money raised from food and drink sales will go to the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans, the nonprofit organization that produces the event, which is run primarily by students and volunteers; and
WHEREAS, The setup will include a stage for the performances and six-foot wooden tables for the vendors, signage will be limited to banners announcing the event, and the applicant has represented that there will be no corporate signage, although event brochures will be distributed in which sponsors will be acknowledged; and
WHEREAS, The festival had been previously held in Union Square Park for many years and was moved to Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in 2008 and 2009 due to the construction in Union Square Park; and
WHEREAS, The applicant does not yet know the fee that will be charged for this year's event, but in 2007 (the last Union Square Park event), the applicant paid a fee of $6,000; and
WHEREAS, The event will be free and open to the public and attendance is estimated at 3,000; and
WHEREAS, The Committee found the scale, cultural diversity and community focus of the event to be an appropriate use of the Park; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends approval of the application by the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans to hold the 31st Annual Asian/Pacific American Heritage Festival in the north end of Union Square Park on Sunday, May 2, 2010 from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
The above resolution passed by a vote of 41 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining.