Shuttle run will fuel the fun
DOWNTOWN: Jam-packed weekend easier to navigate thanks to bus loop linking Snoop Dogg, k.d. lang, the Fringe and more
By KELLY PEDRO, The London Free Press
Londoners will be able to hop on shuttle buses next Saturday to get to six events happening within blocks of each other downtown.
The jam-packed weekend and construction projects prompted organizers to establish the impromptu shuttle service.
"We thought it would be kind of a cool idea if we all came together and put together a shuttle to get people downtown a little bit easier," said Lisa Thomas, marketing and special events co-ordinator of Downtown London.
Voyageur is providing two shuttles that will run from 3 p.m. until midnight on June 18. The buses will run on a loop bordered by King St., Wellington St., Queens Ave. and Ridout St. A round trip should take about 15 minutes.
With two concerts -- k.d. lang at the Grand Theatre and rapper Snoop Dogg at the parking lot of the London Music Hall on Queens Ave. -- the Fringe festival, Nuit Blanche, the Car-Free Festival and the Kids Expo at Victoria Park, thousands are expected to flock downtown.
"There's just so much going on," Thomas said.
But for the first time, the events won't happen in isolation.
The idea, said Thomas, is to encourage people attending one event to also visit the others. Families checking out the Kids Expo at Victoria Park may stick around for a kids' band playing at 7 p.m. at the Car Free Festival, Thomas said.
Concert-goers enjoying k.d. lang or Snoop Dogg may also stay for the various Nuit Blanche events in the core.
Downtown merchants are looking forward to the weekend.
"Our merchants embrace it because with the revitalization efforts down here, they want to show that off, too," Thomas said.
The concerted effort stems from a report several years ago by the downtown task force that recommended a convergence of festivals and events to draw people downtown.
"That can foster social cohesion, bringing together people from different neighbourhoods. It's also great for bringing in out-of-towners because it's highlighting what London has to offer," said Jason Gilliland, director of the urban development program at the University of Western Ontario.
Having a celebration of festivals can also help avoid "festival burnout" some may experience as the summer goes on, he said.
Downtown London has been trying to get new festivals to co-ordinate with existing festivals to create a unique experience, said Janette MacDonald, manager of Downtown London.
"We're really trying to work together to make the weekend much bigger," she said.
"It's something we've been promoting for a long, long time and it's finally coming together."
Check out The Free Press next week for more on some of these events
DOWNTOWN EVENTS
London Fringe, June 17 to 26
A 10-day theatre festival featuring local, national and international performers who vie for attendance and awards.
Nuit Blanche, June 18, 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Galleries, museums, laneways, sidewalks, alleys and parks become venues for contemporary art activities, exhibits and performances.
k.d. Lang, June 18, 8 p.m.
The Grammy and Juno award winning singer performs at the Grand Theatre with her touring band the Siss Boom Bang.
Snoop Dogg, June 18, 7 p.m.
The U.S. hip-hopper plays outdoors at the London Music Hall parking lot.
Car-Free Festival, June 18 to 19
A two-day environmental festival with live music, vendors, kids' activities and local artists in one big street party.
Kids Expo, June 17 to 19
Music, performances, demonstrations and fun for kids aged three to 15 at Victoria Park.
............................................................................................................
Sounds like a cool idea, and it's awesome that all these events are happening at once! I know that I would not want to be late for the Snoop Dogg concert if I was at the Kids Expo, and had to go see k.d. Lang!
Prev
Linear Mode
