Downtown Albany Street Festival marks 20th anniversary

ALBANY – The 100 block of Pine Avenue will be the place to be Saturday when the Downtown Albany Street Festival kicks off at noon for a 20th anniversary throwdown.

When Bo Henry and Phil Cannon first envisioned a downtown festival, “We wanted to center it on music, food and kids,” recalls Henry.

This simple formula has continued to today. Henry and Cannon were the nucleus of a kind of ad hoc Downtown Merchants Association at that time. The event was originally held in the 200 block of Broad Avenue. Harvest Moon was located there at the time, and that was where things were happening in the effort to revitalize downtown Albany.

“That changed with the completion of the Bridge House, RiverQuarium and the Riverfront Park,” according to Tommy Gregors, who partnered with the co-founders during the third year of the festival. “With more attractions on Front Street, we decided that to grow the event we needed to move it to the 100 block of Pine.”

This move also proved to be a smart decision when the Snickers Marathon began to be held in conjunction with the festival. The location allows marathon and half-marathon competitors to cross the finish line near the festival site.

“We are able to complement the festival by bringing in additional visitors to the event,” Race Director Rashelle Beasley said. “They give our visitors something else to do while they are in town for the Marathon.”

Beasley also wears the hat of executive director of the Albany Convention and Visitors Bureau; therefore, she is definitely attuned to the impact of tourism and special events within the community. In that regard, the Snickers Marathon and the more than 1,200 runners who participate annually along with their supporters have had a great impact on Albany during the race’s 14-year history.

“This is truly an international event with runners in this year’s race coming from Canada, Mexico, Poland and the United Kingdom,” Beasley says.

Asked if there were any concerns with holding an international competition with the escalating outbreak of coronavirus, Beasley responded, “Not really. We have always had hand sanitizer out anyway. We have sanitation stations along the course, and it has always been a focus for us. After all, running is a pretty sweaty activity.”

The ability to have an event that is sanctioned as a Boston Marathon qualifier is no small accomplishment and requires a certified route for runners. Albany not only has a certified route but one with options related to seasonal flooding as well.

“We made the call to use the alternate route, which ends at Thronateeska Plaza this year,” Beasley said. “So we will move the Runner’s Circle there. With the flooding on the riverfront and more rain expected to fall, we didn’t want the race to end as a ‘Tough Mudder.’”

One thing Beasley wanted to clarify was the concept held by some that the race shuts down traffic throughout the city.

“Not really,” she said. “We do partial lane closures along the course. At major intersections, Albany Police Department directs traffic so the runners are safe and can meet their goals. We do want traffic to stop, not the runners. However, it only holds traffic up for a few minutes. Race marshalls do the same thing at intersections with less traffic. As the last runner goes by, an entourage of clean-up workers tailing the racers cleans up all evidence of the event.”

The race will start promptly at 7 a.m., and the course will be open with a seven-hour limit. As racers finish, they flow toward the 100 block of Pine, where the festival will continue until 9 p.m. Admission to the festival is free for members of Chehaw, the Flint RiverQuarium and Thronateeska. Children younger than 10 years old also get in free. Everyone else will pay $5 admission.

“We have had some flack about the $5 fee,” Henry said. “However, it is the reason the festival has continued for 20 years. This event isn’t a burden on the taxpayer. If you want to attend, you pay. If you don’t want to support it, you pay nothing. We hold over enough money to do it again next year. We use the rest to support those that have supported the festival or the community.”

Over the years, the festival has fluctuated in size and attendance. At one time there were four stages with approximately 50,000 people packing the streets. On more than one occasion, weather has forced a rescheduling of the event or a relocation under the downtown parking deck.

This year’s festival will have one stage, and Southern Arts Music Ensemble will be the opening act at 12:15 p.m. followed by:

♦ 1:45 p.m. Bo Henry Band

♦ 3:45 p.m. Lee Pilcher

♦ 5:30 p.m. Riley Anderson

♦ 7:30 p.m. Thomas Merritt

In keeping with the original format, a variety of vendors and children’s activities will be on site.

Pretoria Fields Brewery will be open during the festival. Patrons will be required to pay a $5 cover charge. However, since that also includes a pint of beer, it’s actually a bargain.

The Flint RiverQuarium bordering the festival site will have a special $5 admission fee per person. Children 3 and under get in free.

Beasley encourages all Albanians to show this year’s visitors the hospitality that has become a signature of the event.

“We receive compliments every year on the community being so receptive to the runners,” she said. “They also give accolades to the Albany Police Department for their efforts to encourage the runners; some even play music for them through their PA systems.”

Staff Photo: Tom Seegmueller