Peoria Times
March 3, 2022
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Smaller events important to city of Peoria BY LAUREN SANDERS
Peoria Times Contributing Writer
With more than 60 small events on his calendar, the Peoria arts and events superintendent works to engage residents following the pandemic. “We have really started to expand on our small-event offerings,” said Bill Moss, Peoria arts and events superintendent. That begins with musicians performing in district parks from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Sundays for the next three months. Moss said these types of events were scaled down from 4,000 people to around 400. “Our events are much more concise, much smaller, but much more targeted to the neighborhood,” Moss said. “We work very closely with the councilperson in particular districts to bring that out.” Marylou Stephens, Peoria arts and Musicians perform at Peoria’s Second Saturdays in October 2021, while residents theater manager, added, “These small explore special vendors, outdoor games, art installations, and local food and beverevents are where you can really show age options. (Photos courtesy of the city of Peoria) whelmingly posthe identity and itive,” Stephens personality of your said. neighborhood.” According to These smallStephens, these er-scale events socially distanced have multiple events keep pabenefits. For one, trons safe, too. they give city em“We will not be ployees the chance limiting the numto meet more resiber of people. But dents. we will still be “We as city emmaking it much ployees actually easier to social have the opportudistance … and nity to interface anything that we with our commudo outdoors, we nity … and, you are not requiring know, their (the masks or vaccinacommunity) retions,” Stephens sponse at these Santa Claus visits the Old Town Holiday Festival to take photos with families. said. events are over-
In collaboration with the Peoria Unified School District, Stephens created a plan to hold the Arts and Cultural Festival, on March 26, outdoors. “All of the children who are performing, whether they are in band, choir, dance, theater, and all of the artwork will be outdoors. … At least this way we keep the number of people spread out throughout the Old Town,” Stephens said. As Moss sees the increase in the demand for events, he hopes to bring back some events from pre-pandemic times, including Devour the World. “The demand for events, I think, is only going up at this point. Our very first event back from, you know, a kind of dormancy, was July 4 last year. We were worried. Is anybody going to show up?” Moss said. While procedures differ from pre-pandemic, city officials saw the residents’ demand for community events, with about a 7,000 attendance increase for Peoria’s first All American Festival back in person. “That was before omicron came out, so I think people were feeling pretty safe, pretty excited, and then omicron happened and we did see a dip in our numbers,” Stephens said. Despite seeing dips in attendance, Stephens said she classifies an event as successful if the attendees felt they had a great experience and were safe, two really important criteria. With a decrease in staffing, Moss reported, he downsized and changed some elements. You can still expect inflatables, but you’re going to get it just differently. “It’s things you travel down, like slides, or go through, like an obstacle course. Staffing is a huge issue for us, SEE EVENTS PAGE 22
