Oakland First Friday Economic Report

8/13/2019 Oakland First Friday Economic Report

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MILLS COLLEGE OAKLAND, CA

Economic ImpactOf Oakland First Fridays

Victoria Swift, MPP

1/10/2014

This report measures the economic activity created by the monthly event known as Oakland First

Fridays. It measures what economic impact the event has on the city of Oakland, CA. Analysis consists

of three surveys conducted on three different stakeholder groups during a five month time span.


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Economic Impact of Oakland First Fridays 1

Special Thanks To:

Shari Godinez, KONO CBD

Dr. Sharyl Rabinovici, Mills College

Kacey Bills, Mills College

KONO Board (Specifically: Phil Porter and Sonja Brooks)

Oakland First Fridays Community Group:

(Specifically: Isioma Copes, James Copes, Richard Felix, and Edward Yoo)

Dr. Mark Henderson, Mills College

Business Owners and Merchants in the Area

.


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Executive Summary

The purpose of this report is to investigate how the monthly regional event Oakland First Fridays

influences economic decisions in the community and its impact on the local economy. Between March

and August 2013 surveys were distributed to observe Oakland First Fridays effect on the spending and

business habits of the following populations:

Population Contacted Returned Response

1. Brick and mortar business owners nearthe event location

115 36

2. Event vendors 230 303. Event attendees 200 61

Across all three groups, indicators reveal Oakland First Fridays is providing a positive economic impact

for the city of Oakland:

Businesses are consistently generating higher revenue on event nights, hiring more staff, andinvesting in property improvements. Business owners report increases in revenue on event nights by

as much as 100 to 250 percent.

The event has created a business incubator space, providing unique opportunities that allow newentrepreneurs to enter the vending market at minimal cost. Thirty-eight percent of vendors report

Oakland First Friday as their first event, of those first time vendors, all continue vending at other

events throughout the city.

The event generates a consistent income vendors rely on; if the event no longer continued, 48percent of venders would need supplemental income.

Attendees are coming from all across the Bay Area to spend their non-local dollars in Oaklandcreating a retail surplus. The average attendee spends eighty dollars per visit on restaurants,

shopping, and transportation.

BART officials report ridership increases by 5,000 individuals at the 19thStreet station on nights ofthe event.

Additionally, Oakland First Fridays is generating positive buzz in Oakland during a time of city-wide

violence when the need for community connectivity is great:

Oakland First Fridays webpage has ten-thousand hits per month with 40 percent of traffic occurringon the first Friday of each month.


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Real-estate companies are adding Oakland First Fridays as an amenity to their neighborhoodproperty listings.

Major national news organizations have profiled the event as a positive attribute helping revitalizedowntown Oakland.

Combined this evidence suggests that Oakland is benefiting from Oakland First Fridays in a variety of

ways worthwhile to support.


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Table of ContentsImportance of Community Events ................................................................................................................ 5

Economic Impact Analysis ............................................................................................................................. 6Methods ........................................................................................................................................................ 6

Brick and Mortar Business Survey ............................................................................................................ 6

Vendor Survey ........................................................................................................................................... 8

Event Attendee Survey ............................................................................................................................. 9

Primary Findings............................................................................................................................................ 9

Brick and Mortar Business Survey ............................................................................................................ 9

Economic Outcomes. .......................................................................................................................... 10

General Operations. ............................................................................................................................ 12

Event Preferences. .............................................................................................................................. 14

Discussion............................................................................................................................................ 16

Vendor Survey Results ............................................................................................................................ 17


General Operations. ............................................................................................................................ 18

Discussion............................................................................................................................................ 19

Attendee Survey...................................................................................................................................... 20


Discussion ............................................................................................................................................ 23

Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 23

Appendix 1 Brick and Mortar Survey Questions ......................................................................................... 25

Appendix 1.1 Actual Revenue in Dollar Amounts (by Sector)..................................................................... 32

Appendix 2 Vender Survey Questions ........................................................................................................ 33

Appendix 3 Attendee Survey Questions ..................................................................................................... 38

Appendix 4 History of Oakland First Fridays ............................................................................................... 39

Works Cited ................................................................................................................................................. 42


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Importance of Community EventsAround the globe, municipal governments are turning to community art and special events as an

important community development strategy (Madyaningrum, 2010; Wood, 2005). Research indicates

that special events typically require only a small amount of capital investment but can generate

substantial revenue to communities (Gursoy, 2003). In Australia, community art is viewed as a cultural

practice and instrument for social change (Madyaningrum, 2010). In the United Kingdom, local

authorities are using events to achieve diverse ranges of economic and social objectives (Wood, 2005).

Special events and festivals can build cohesion and trust in the community by reinforcing ties through

providing a time and place for members to come together and demonstrate commitment to each other

as well as communication (Gursoy, 2003). Such events also allow individuals to connect cross-

generationally and beyond racial boundaries, it is where stories of those who are marginalized are

made visible (Madyaningrum, 2010).

Additionally, special events and festivals provide opportunities and incentives for businesses. In

a 2005 study by the UK Centre for Event Management, 92 percent of attendees of a local event

indicated they would not have visited the community under normal circumstances (Wood, 2005). It was

determined that each attendee created 13.27 (roughly $20 U.S. dollars) of additional revenue for the

local economy (Wood, 2005). Currently in Oakland, California a monthly event known as Oakland First

Fridays offers a similar benefit.

Oakland First Fridays began in 2005 when a group of gallery owners coordinated programming

efforts for a once a month open house free to the public. According to Danielle Fox, one art gallery

owner, the aim of the project was to bring more visitors to see gallery exhibitions (Fox, 2013). The

popularity of the event ballooned through word of mouth and began attracting thousands of attendees

each month. Rogue venders began appearing on streets surrounding the art galleries which in turn

attracted additional artists, musicians, and other performers. After nine years the event extended

through ten blocks of city streets attracting between 10,000 -20,000 attendees each month (Oakland

Police Department, 2013).1

The opportunity to provide a space to continue the traditions of connecting to one another in

the community has become important as barriers such as a stalled economy and increased city-wide

violence has dampened participation over the past few years. As one anonymous community member

1See Appendix 4 for the entire history of Oakland First Fridays


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explained, Oakland First Fridays has given people in this community a place to go during some of the

darkest times of this recession.Because of the high cost and investment of producing the monthly

event stakeholders have been asking if there is any measurable economic impact to the community. The

objective of this analysis will be to analyze the economic activity generated by Oakland Frist Fridays.

Economic Impact AnalysisTo determine the full economic value associated with Oakland First Fridays this report will use a

tool known as the economic impact analysis model. This analysis illustrates that a positive impact can

occur whether or not event producers generate money from the event itself. An economic impact

analysis measures the economic opportunities created in a community by virtue of an event occurring

(Burgan 2000). These opportunities include activities such as an increase in restaurant and bar patrons

near the event, ridership on public transit to attend the event, and increases in store revenue for shop

owners located close to the event space. Each of these activities requires an increase in additional

staffing, which in turn creates new income opportunities for the region, thus creating a positive

economic impact. The economic impact analysis model will be the basis through which the rest of this

report will be analyzed.

MethodsTo gain a better understanding of the full economic impact of this event, three surveys were generated

and distributed to three specific stakeholder groups based on their role within the context of the event

and community: (1) brick and mortar business owners near or around the event location, (2) event

vendors, and (3) event attendees.

Brick and Mortar Business SurveyThis survey intended to capture the experiences of brick and mortar business owners within or

near the event. Whom to include was based on geographic location of the business to the event itself.

Zones were created beginning with the event footprint and radiating outwards. 2 Areas of emphasis

included blocks with a large concentration of small businesses. The zones are shown in Figure 1:

2Footprint: a geographical area where event festivities occur


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Figure 1

Zone Names Description

1A Businesses inside the footprint of the Oakland First Fridays event (light red indicates

the extended footprint of Oakland First Fridays prior to the city shrinking its permit)

1B Businesses in the KONO district just above the Oakalnd First Friday event2 Businesses in the Uptown/Lake Merritt District just below the Oakland First Friday

event

3 Businesses in the Uptown/Lake Merritt District just outside of the Oakland First Friday

event

4 Businesses inbetween KONO, Uptown/Lake Merritt District close enough to Oakland

First Fridays to be impacted (a number of art gallaries that were the orginal currators

of the event are located in this area)

*Blocks excluded from this map are due to lack of businesses in the area. Any commerce south of Frank Ogawa

Plaza can be attributed to activities generated from Jack London Square, thus excluded from this survey.

Each business was given a thirty-eight question survey that could be taken either online or in

hard copy format created by Mills graduate student Victoria Swift under the supervision of Professor


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Sharyl Rabinovici and with a full Human Subjects Protocol Approval from Mills College.3Responses were

collected from March 4July 15, 2013. Business information was kept anonymous, but business

particpation was tracked to prevent duplicate results. Additionally, the questionnaire was translated by

the City of Oaklands Equal Access Language Assistance officeinto four languages: Amharic, Arabic,

Korean , and Vitanmese. There were four areas of interest the survey focused: 1) Revenue outcomes for

the night of the event 2) General operations 3) Event preferences 4) Demographics of business owners

IdentifiedRiskstoBrickandMortarBusinessSurveyParticipants. Oakland First

Fridays is highly politicized in the Oakland community. In this context, participants invited to respond

may have felt uncomfortable being involved in the survey process as the topic seems to generate

polarizing viewpoints. To prevent political persuasion from biasing results, respondents for the brick and

mortar survey were told the purpose was to capture general experiences as a business owner

concerning changes and activities occurring in and around the downtown area of Oakland.

Additionally, the organization that commissioned the study, Koreatown Northgate Community

Benefit District (KONO), had the potential to make some participants feel obligated to respond. KONO,

CBD is a property based assessment district that provides a range of services to property owners in its

district and acts as a liaison between owners and the city. Because of its perceived influence among

property ownersanonymity in brick and mortar business results were established to protect

respondents. Business owner data was not released to KONO board or staff or to any Oakland First

Fridays volunteer organizers. Anonymity was also important to establish trust with business owners so

they felt comfortable revealing financial information without compromising their business. Another risk

involved a community anarchist group targeting KONO and business affiliates to oppose gentrification.

This could have deterred some businesses from participating.

Responses.For the brick and mortar business survey, 36 out of 115 contacted business

owners participated, for an effective response rate of 31 percent. Because the sample size is relatively

small inferential statistics will not apply.

Vendor SurveyA forty-five question online survey was created by Mills graduate student Kacey Bills and

distributed electronically to the Oakland First Fridays food vendor contact list and to vendors that were

3See Appendix 1 for Brick and Mortar Business survey questions.


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present during the June 2013 First Friday event.4Responses were collected from May 31- July 8, 2013.

The survey was divided into four major sections: 1) Revenue outcomes the night of the event 2) General

Operations 3) Event preferences 4) Demographics of survey respondents.

IdentifiedRiskstoVenderSurveyParticipants. Event volunteers determine which

vendor participates in each event. If event volunteer organizers identified respondents based off of their

answers, unintentional bias could have been created. For this reason all information was reported in

aggregate terms with identifying information removed.

Responses.The vendor survey had a completion rate of 13 percent with 30 out of 230

responding. Because the sample size is relatively small inferential statistics does not apply.

Event Attendee SurveyA five question paper survey was distributed during the August 2, 2013 Oakland First Fridays

event.5Additionally business cards with QR codes that linked to an online version of the survey were

also distributed.6The survey focused on three areas: 1) Economic Outcomes 2) How often the attendee

came to the event 3) the zip code of where the attendee lived.

IdentifiedRiskstoAttendeeSurveyParticipants. None.

Responses.The event attendee survey had 200 solicitations with 61 responses from a crowd

of ten-thousand attendees (Oakland 2013). Because the sample size is relatively small inferential

statistics does not apply.

Primary FindingsBrick and Mortar Business Survey

The brick and mortar business survey focused on businesses owners located near the event

footprint. It is important to track business outcomes because it illustrates how much event attendees

are willing to spend. More localized spending slows retail leakage, which is where community members

spend money outside of the community. It also increases demand for the production of local goods andservices and creates more labor hoursall things which ultimately grow an economy.

4See Appendix 2 for vendor survey questions5See Appendix 3 for attendee survey questions6A type of barcode, when scanned it will link to a URL


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Economic Outcomes.Participating businesses in the area report an increase in overall revenueon event Friday nights versus non-event Friday nights. Figure 2shows the cumulative average and

median revenue of five dates between January and March 2013 (Oakland First Fridays dates include:

January 4, February 1, and March 1; Non-event dates include: January 18 and February 15). The average

revenue shows higher revenue estimates on First Friday dates and lower ones on non-First Friday dates.

This illustrates that the event is having a direct impact on sales for business owners within the

immediate footprint. The lack of increase in the median and the overall difference between the medians

and averages for all dates suggests that not all surveyed businesses experience the same positive

bumpsome are benefitting more than others.

Figure 2

A summary of revenue totals by business sector is show in Figure 3. It appears that bars and restaurants

overall do better on event dates. This data matches evidence received by KONO staff anecdotally. One

restaurateur confided that he makes 70 percent of his monthly profit on the night of the event.

Figure 3

$0.00

$1,000.00

$2,000.00

$3,000.00

$4,000.00

$5,000.00

$6,000.00

$7,000.00

January 4 January 18 February 1 February 15 March 1

Cumulative Average and Median Revenue

of Brick and Mortar Business in 2013

Average Median

January 4, 2013 January 18, 2013 February 1, 2013 February 15, 2013 March 1

Food market or convenience store $49,763.00 Declined to Answer Declined to Answer Declined to Answer $51,2

Service provider $18,251.00 $3,000.50 $750.50 $17,500.50 $3

Restaurant $17,500.50 $7,500.50 $17,500.50 $7,500.50 $17,5

Bar/lounge $12,550.50 $8,694.50 $30,298.00 $4,226.50 $9,2

Beauty/Hair supply or service $3,000.50 $7,500.50 $7,500.50 $17,500.50 $7,5

Restaurant WITH bar $3,000.50 $3,000.50 $3,000.50 $3,000.50 $3,0

Retail/Boutique $2,576.50 $1,196.50 $2,335.00 $1,482.00 $3,3

Art Gallery* $400.50 $150.00 $380.00 $0.00 $2

Other $350.50 $300.50 $300.50 $300.50 $3


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It is important to note that Art Galleries reported extremely low revenue for event dates. The majority of

transactions created from patrons that visit during Oakland First Fridays occur after event dates according to Art

Murmur executive director David Abernathy (Abernathy 2013).

Service sector businesses, such as insurance and doctor offices, appear to overall do better on

non-event nights than event nights. This is predictable as service businesses tend to operate in a

traditional model. Event traffic, noise, and chaos may deter potential clients. However, most service

sector businesses generally are closed within the first hour of the event and noted it did not have too

much of an impact on their operations.

Data indicates business owners who find creative ways to market products or services to event

attendees often generate more revenue on event nights than those business owners who maintain

traditional service models. Creative approaches include things like setting up display tables in the event

footprint enticing attendees to stop by their business location, setting up large sampling spaces in front

of buildings, and selling alternative menu items.

Overall participating businesses report an increase in revenue between 100 and 250 percent

when comparing non-event dates with event dates. Again, results vary based on business sector. Figures

4 and 5illustrate this percentage change in revenue from a typical Friday to an event Friday. Bars and

restaurants experience the highest increases in profitability on event nights, while service providers

loose revenue. A summary of actual reported revenue in dollars is shown in Appendix 1.1.


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Figure 4

Figure 5

General Operations. Seventy-three percent of responding business owners report staying openduring Oakland First Fridays, and 15 percent report normal business hours do not coincide with event

times. No owner choses to close their business during the time of the event. This demonstrates a

willingness among owners to participate in this new market opportunity.

-100%

-50%

0%

50%

100%

150%

200%

250%

300%

Bar/lounge

ArtGallery

Restaurant

Retail/Boutique

Beauty/Hairsupplyor

service

Foodmarketor

conveniencestore

Other

RestaurantWITHbar

Serviceprovider

JANUARY 18 F EBRUARY 1

-150%

-100%

-50%

0%

50%

100%

150%

200%

250%

Bar/lounge

Foodmarketor

conveniencestore

RestaurantWITHbar

ArtGallery

Retail/Boutique

Beauty/Hairsupplyor

service

Other

Restaurant

Serviceprovider

FEBRUARY 15 MARCH 1


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Figure 6

Sixty-one percent of brick and mortar business owners report that Oakland First Fridays affects their

staffing decisions. Most respondents note they hire additional staff to meet demand during peak event

times. This is important because additional labor hours expand economic opportunity.

Figure 7

Additionally 35 percent of business owners report making property improvements to their business in

the past year. The most cited reason is to change aesthetic or visual appeal followed by accommodating

an increase in capacity. In an area notoriously fighting blight for decades, a surge of property owner

investment and improvement is an indicator of security and pride in the community.

73.08%

15.38%

3.85%0.00%

Yes No, my normal hours

of operation do not

fall between this time

Yes but only for a

portion of the time

No, I choose to close

my business on the

First Friday of Each

Month

PERCENT OF BUSINESSES OPEN

DURING EVENT HOURS

Yes

61%

No

39%

Does First Friday Affect Your

Staffing Decisions?


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Figure 8

Event Preferences.At the height of its popularity the footprint of Oakland First Fridays begin at19thStreet and stretched to 27th Street along the Telegraph Avenue corridor. In February 2013,

however, a tragic shooting occurred in the middle of the footprint resulting in the death of an eight-teen

year old attendee. Alarmed and pressured by the public city officials begin evaluating safety and crowd

control management of the event. After a series of stakeholder and community meetings the City of

Oakland determined to reduce the footprint by almost half its size and recognized an official start and

end time. The new footprint began at W. Grand Avenue and ran along Telegraph Avenue to 27th Street.

The new official event time was set from 5pm-9pm. Business owners were asked their opinion on the

new street closure and event curfew.

Sixty-four percent of brick and mortar business owners agree with closing Telegraph Avenue to

auto traffic during the event. Most noted pedestrian safety is the main concern.

72.73%

54.55%

27.27%

18.18%

9.09%

REASONS FOR PROPERTY

IMPROVEMENTS

Change aesthetic or visual

appeal

Increase capacity

Repair Damages

Other

Negate unwanted traffic


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Figure 9

The majority of business owners prefer to keep the current event footprint that extends from 27 thStreet

and Telegraph Avenue to West Grand and Telegraph Avenue.

Figure 10

Forty-one percent of business owners approve of the 9pm closing time for the event. This opinion

contrasts with results received from event vendors, who preferred a closing time of 11pm.

Agree

43%

Strongly Agree

21%

Strongly

Disagree

18%

Neither Agree

nor Disagree

14%

Disagree4%

Do you Agree or Disagree with the

street closures on Telegraph Ave

Agree

Strongly Agree

Strongly Disagree

Neither Agree nor Disagree

Disagree

27th to W.

Grand 48%

27th PAST W.

Grand 20%

Do Not Close

20%

More streets

Closed 12%

Preference of Footprint

27th to W. Grand

27th PAST W. Grand

Do Not Close

More Streets Closed


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Figure 11

It should be noted there is minor frustration toward the event among business owners located just

beyond the footprint. Most of their complaints involve litter left by attendees (a problem that could be

easily resolved with coordination among other business improvement districts in the area). Additionally

those same business owners report an increase in public intoxication incidences in and around their

business after the event ends. However, for the November and December 2013 events, there were no

reported arrests of public intoxication stemming from event activities (Oakland Police, 2013). This may

be indicative of police efforts focusing on public safety limiting public drinking of alcoholic beverages

within the event footprint.

Discussion. According to KONO the previous commercial vacancy rate prior to the popularity ofOakland First Fridays in 2010 was 47 percent; as of December 2013 the vacancy rate was 12 percent

(Godinez, 2013). KONO attributes this improvement partially to the success and notoriety of Oakland

First Fridays. Additionally, new business owners report to KONO they are moving to the area specifically

to be within the event footprint. The willingness of business owners to relocate and participate in the

event marketplace illustrates the creation of new economic opportunities generated by Oakland First

Fridays.

Increase in revenue on event nights, building improvement investments, hiring additional staff and

keeping businesses open during the event are signs that local brick and mortar businesses are

9pm

41%

10pm

18%

11pm

19%

Other

22%

Preference for Ending Time


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incorporating Oakland First Fridays into their business plans. Combined, all of this data illustrates that

many business owners near the event footprint are benefiting from Oakland First Fridays. This is good

news for an area that is historically underdeveloped.

Vendor Survey ResultsThe vendor survey was distributed to vendors, artists, and performers present at the Oakland

First Fridays event and to venders that were in the event organizers email list. It is important to

understand how much venders rely on Oakland First Fridays for income to better determine the events

effect in launching and sustaining new micro-businesses in the community. New small business growth

is a strong indicator of regional economic success. If new business owners are relying on Oakland First

Fridays as a mechanism for marketplace entry it would be in the best interest of city officials to develop

business licensing and permitting processes to foster that environment and encourage economic

growth.

Economic Outcomes.Forty percent of event vendors report generating revenue between$200-$500 per event, and 15 percent of vendors report generating $500-$1000 per event. This revenue

is collected from a four hour period between 5pm and 9pm (which equates to earning roughly $125-

$250 per hour).7

Figure 12

7Based on upper bounds calculations.

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

$0-$25 $25-$50 $50-$100 $100-$200 $200-$500 $500-$1000

Vendor Single Day Revenue


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Seventy-four percent of vendors report revenue generated from the event cover their cost of

participating in Oakland First Fridays.

General Operations.Sixty-four percent of respondents reported vending/performing/displaying

art as their main source of income. Over 30 percent of vendors report vending at eleven to twelve

Oakland First Fridays each year.8Forty-eight percent report if they were unable to vend/perform/display

art at Oakland First Fridays they would need to find another source of income. Thirty-eight percent of

vendors report that Oakland First Fridays was the first event they had ever vended. All of those first time

vendors report going on to vend at other events throughout Oakland. This demonstrates that Oakland

First Fridays is become a venue for individuals to launch a new business.

Figure 13

8Oakland First Fridays occurs once a month; the most any one can attend is twelve events per year.

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11-12

Per

centofRespondants

First Friday Event Per Year

Number of Oakland First Friday Events Vended

Annualy


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Figure 14

Additionally, seventy-two percent of vendors report having an Oakland business license and 79

percent report having a California Sellers Permit. Oakland First Fridays organizers estimate 130 venders

attend each event. Forty percent of survey respondents claim to generate $1,000-$5,000 a year from

participating in Oakland Firsts Fridays. Conservatively, this means the event generates $52,000 in

vendor revenue per month.9This results in total annual revenue transactions of $624,000 each year that

streams into the economy just from vendor activity. Keep in mind this is for vendor revenue only and

excludes any sales tax the City of Oakland or that Alameda County might gain from transactions

occurring from brick and mortar businesses.

Discussion.Vendors are benefiting from Oakland First Fridays. The event is generating a businessincubator space that creates a unique opportunity allowing new entrepreneurs to enter the market at

minimal cost. This is something exclusive to Oakland First Fridays because of its nominal vending fees in

comparison to other local events that sometimes charge $200 or more for space (Art and Soul, 2013).

This opportunity also benefits low-income vendors as barriers of entry are removed. These new vendorscontinue working other events throughout the region multiplying their impact in the local economy.

This is good news for the City of Oakland especially as city officials are concentrating efforts on

campaigns to improve new business generation and growth.

9130 vendors(40%) = 52 vendors ($1,000) =$52,000

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

1-2 2-4 4-6 6-8 8-10 10-12 12+

PercentageofResponden

ts

Events

Additional Events Vended per Month


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Attendee SurveyThe Attendee survey was distributed to individuals present during an Oakland First Fridays

event. It is important to track typical attendee spending to determine how much additional economic

revenue attendees contribute locally. The revenue generated by attendees is assumed to otherwise not

exist if the event did not occur.

Economic Outcomes.Event attendees on average spend $80 each time they come to OaklandFirst Fridays. Figure 15shows attendee purchases based on consumer category.

Figure 15

The three largest categories are food, vendor shopping, and transportation, accounting for nearly 65

percent of all spending. The large spending in transportation reflects the data reported from BART

officials as well. Figure 16is what BART has dubbed the Uptown EKG. It tracks ridership at the 19th

Street BART station over the course of a year. The peak points in Figure 16 correlate with the dates of

Oakland First Fridays (representing what looks like a heartbeat, the heartbeat of Oakland). On average

during those event dates BART receives around 15,000 riders when normally it only averages 10,000.

$0.00

$5.00

$10.00

$15.00

$20.00

$25.00

Average Amount Attendee Spends at Oakland

First Fridays


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Figure 16

Additionally the event continues to bring new attendees to Oakland with nearly 25 percent of attendees

reporting the August 2013 event as their first time attending. Over 15 percent report they attend almost

every month.

Figure 17

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

How many times do you attend Oakland First

Fridays each year?


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Attendees were also asked where they were visiting from. The map below indicates their responses. The

majority appear to come from outlying cities in the East Bay. However, attendees report traveling as far

as Sacramento and Palo Alto, and two event attendees are from out of state, Colorado and

Pennsylvania.

Figure 18

Additionally, Google Search Trends indicate that news headlines for Oakland First Fridays is on

the rise as show in Figure 19. Figure 20 illustrates Art Murmur news headlinesearch rates as well. This

is a good indicator to sense the relevancy of the event among the public.

Figure 19 (Oakland First Fridays)


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Figure 20 (Art Murmur)

The website company that hosts the Oakland First Fridays site reports 10,000 hits a month with

40 percent of those searches occurring on the first Friday of each month (Tolioupov, 2013). This

evidence combined illustrates that Oakland First Fridays is a popular trending topic among internet users

in the region. Note that minimal marketing effort is managed by event organizers. Most publicity is done

through media outlets seeking to speak with event leaders. Additionally, online real-estate listings are

adding Oakland First Fridays to their lists of amenities indicating its proximity to the event as an

additional perk for would be buyers (Berkeley, 2013). This illustrates that the event has marketing

appeal in sectors beyond just traditional retail. Oakland First Fridays is become an avant-garde status

symbol (of sorts) to promote local property among real estate agents.

Discussion. Oakland First Fridays maintains enough appeal to attract new attendees, and is alsostrong enough to sustain a returning loyal audience. Individuals are traveling across the region to spend

dollars in the Oakland community during a time when mass retail leakage has been affecting the city 10.

Media outlets and online communities view Oakland First Fridays as a trending popular topic. Sectors

not traditionally affiliated with events, such as real-estate, are receiving benefits from the notoriety and

popularity of Oakland First Fridays. This is all good news for Oakland as it can use this positive public

relations momentum to propel its reputation as an avant-garde city and competitive tourism destination

within the region. ConclusionOverall Oakland First Fridays is providing real economic opportunity for growth by generating

meaningful work, business growth, positive public relations momentum, and additional economic

10Retail leakage: members of a community spend money outside of the community


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activity that otherwise would not exist but for the event. The data from the three studies summarized in

this report suggest an overall positive response from the community. Municipalities across the world are

spending significant amounts of resources in their efforts to establish regional events that have the

appeal and outcomes similar to Oakland First Fridays. The City of Oakland has an opportunity to

enhance the event using a minimal amount of its resources to help it continue successfully. Helping to

sustain Oakland First Fridays and make it an ongoing attraction for the region is a strong economic

development investment.

The city can continue rallying its efforts to support Oakland First Fridays by:

Reallocating some of Measure C funding to event organizers to better stabilize its infrastructure Working with the Special Business Permits office and Economic Workforce Development

department to find creative solutions that will protect and foster the entrepreneurialenvironment of Oakland First Fridays

Encouraging further cooperation among city agencies like the Oakland Police Department andPublic Works to address public safety and cleanliness concerns for areas beyond the event

footprint

Promoting Oakland First Fridays in official city marketing campaigns and Visit Oakland materialsas a tourist destination for the region

Additionally, it may be helpful for policy analysts to re-evaluate outcomes with similar surveys in twelve

to sixteen months to document trends and verify any changes in effects, needs, or conditions.


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Appendix 1 Brick and Mortar Survey Questions1. Which of the following categories would best describe your business?

a. Art Galleryb. Bar/loungec.

Food market or convenience store

d. Hair/Beauty supply or servicee. Retail/Boutiquef. Restaurantg. Restaurant WITH barh. Service provider (e.g., business services)i. My business does not fit into any of these categories

2. How long have you been in business at this location?a. Under 6 monthsb.

7-11 months

c. 1-2 yearsd. 3-5 yearse. 6-10 yearsf. 11-15 yearsg. 16-24 yearsh. 25+ years

3. On average, how many employees are kept on staff throughout the year at this specificlocation?

a.

I am the only employeeb. 1-5 employeesc. 6-10 employeesd. 11-25 employeese. 26-50 employeesf. 51-99 employeesg. I00+ employees

4. Approximately what fraction of your employees are full-time? (40+ hours a week)a. 100%b. 75%-99%c. 50%-74%d. 25%-49%e. 10%-24%f. Under 10% of my employees are full-timeg. None of my employees are full-time


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5. Approximately what fraction of your employees are seasonal?a. 100%b. 75%-99%c. 50%-74%d. 25%-49%e. 10%-24%f. Under 10% of my employees are seasonalg. None of my employees are seasonal

6. Have you made property or large maintenance improvements to your business to increase ordecrease business capacity in the last year?

a. Yesb. No

6.1 If you answered yes, can you please explain those improvements in the text box below:6.2 What prompted your decision for these property or maintenance improvements? (select all

that apply)

c. Change aesthetic or visual appeald. Increase capacitye. Negate unwanted trafficf. Repair damagesg. None of the aboveh. Other

The next few questions will ask information regarding business revenue. If you are uncomfortable

revealing this information, you do have the option to decline answering. However, keep in mind any

identifying information will be removed and all the responses will be reported in aggregated (average or

summed) units among all survey respondents. By completing this information to the best of your ability,

it will enable a more thorough understanding of economic experiences occurring in the district.

7. Overall, which of the following best describes your business recent revenue history?a. 2012 was BETTER than 2011b. 2012 was WORSE than 2011c. 2012 was about the SAME as 2011d. Does not apply

8. What was your annual gross revenue (before taxes) for 2012?I do not feel comfortable revealing this information


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9. (If participant chooses not to answer question): What range do you estimate your gross annualrevenue for 2012?

a. Under $10,000b. $10,001 - $25,000c. $25,001 - $50,000d. $50,001 - $75,000e. $75,001-$100,000f. 100,001 - $250,000g. $250,001 - $500,000h. $500,001 - $750,000i. $750,001 - $999,999

j. $1 Million +The following section will ask revenue questions about specific time frames. All respondents are encouraged to

take a moment and refer to business records as needed for the month of January 2013 and March 2013.

Remember you can save this survey and return to complete it at any time. You have the option to skip or answer

in general terms if preferred. Completing this section will help clarify what city actions may or may not have an

impact on your business revenue.

10.Referring specifically to January 2013, what was your gross monthly revenue (before taxes)?I do not feel comfortable revealing this information

11. (If participant chooses not to answer question): What range do you estimate your gross revenuefor January 2013?

a. Under $5,000b. $5,001 - $10,000c. $10,001 - $15,000d. $15,001 - $20,000e. $20,001 - $50,000f. $50,001 - $99,999g. Over $100,000h. Decline to Answer

12.What was your gross revenue on Friday, January 4, 2013?I do not feel comfortable revealing this information

13. (If participant chooses not to answer question): What range do you estimate your gross revenueon January 4, 2013?

a. Under $100b. $101 - $500c. $501-$1000d. $1001 - $5000


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e. $5001 - $10,000f. $10,001 - $25,000g. Over $25,000h. Not open on that datei. Decline to Answer

14.What was your gross revenue on January 18, 2013?I do not feel comfortable revealing this information

15. (If participant chooses not to answer question): What range do you estimate your gross revenueon January 18, 2013?

a. Under $100b. $101 - $500c. $501-$1000d. $1001 - $5000e. $5001 - $10,000f. $10,001 - $25,000g. Over $25,000h. Not open on that datei. Decline to Answer

16.What was your gross revenue on February 1, 2013?I do not feel comfortable revealing this information

17. (If participant chooses not to answer question): What range do you estimate your gross revenueon February 1, 2013?


18.What was your gross revenue on February 15, 2013?I do not feel comfortable revealing this information

19. (If participant chooses not to answer question): What range do you estimate your gross revenueon February 15, 2013?

a. Under $100b. $101 - $500c. $501-$1000


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d. $1001 - $5000e. $5001 - $10,000f. $10,001 - $25,000g. Over $25,000h. Not open on that datei. Decline to Answer

20.What was your gross revenue on Friday, March 1, 2013?I do not feel comfortable revealing this information

21. (If participant chooses not to answer question): What range do you estimate your gross revenueon March 1, 2013?


22.Do you keep your business open between 5pm-9pm on the First Friday of each month?a. Yesb. Yes, but only for a portion of the timec. No, I choose to close my business on the First Friday of each monthd. No, my normal hours of operation do not fall between this time

23.Please explain?24.Does the First Friday event effect your staffing decisions? (This could include hiring security,

parking attendants, or regular staff)

a. Yesb. No

25. If yes, please explain:26.Have you done any additional maintenance to your building in direct response to First Friday?

(This can include but not be limited to redesigning retail space, graffiti cleanup, faade changes,

etc.)

a. Yesb. No

27.Please explain:


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28.Have you needed to apply for additional permits or licensing through the city in response to FirstFriday festivities? (This could include but not be limited to permits like parking, Cabaret license,

liquor license, etc.)

a. Yesb. No

29. If yes please elaborate in text box below30. In terms of First Friday, do you agree or disagree with the decision to have street closures on

Telegraph Avenue?

a. Strongly Disagreeb. Disagreec. Neither Disagree or Agreed. Agreee. Strongly Agree

31.Please explain?32.When thinking about street closures for First Friday which do you prefer:

a. Closing Telegraph from 27thto West Grandb. Closing Telegraph from 27thpast West Grand into the Uptown districtc. I do not believe Telegraph should be closedd. I would like even more streets to be closede. Other

33.Please explain?34. In general, which time would you prefer First Friday festivities end?

a. 9pmb. 10pmc. 11pmd. Other

35.Do you have any additional thoughts or information to share about your businessexperience in regard to First Friday?

Demographic Information of Business Owner (Optional)

36.What is your Ethnicity?a. African Americanb. American Indian


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c. Asian or Pacific Islanderd. Latinoe. Whitef. Other

37.

What is your primary language?a. Amharicb. Chinesec. Englishd. Koreane. Spanishf. Vietnameseg. Other

38.What is your gender?a. Maleb. Female


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Appendix 1.1 Actual Revenue in Dollar Amounts by Sector)Figure 2a Figure 2b

Figure 2 Figure 2d

$0.00$5,000.00

$10,000.00$15,000.00$20,000.00$25,000.00$30,000.00$35,000.00$40,000.00$45,000.00$50,000.00$55,000.00

January 4

(First Friday)

$0.00$5,000.00

$10,000.00$15,000.00$20,000.00$25,000.00$30,000.00$35,000.00$40,000.00$45,000.00$50,000.00$55,000.00

January 18

(Non-First Friday)

$0.00$5,000.00

$10,000.00$15,000.00$20,000.00$25,000.00$30,000.00$35,000.00$40,000.00$45,000.00$50,000.00

$55,000.00

February 1

(First Friday)

$0.00$5,000.00

$10,000.00$15,000.00$20,000.00$25,000.00$30,000.00$35,000.00$40,000.00$45,000.00$50,000.00

$55,000.00

February 15

(Non First Friday)


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Appendix 2 Vender Survey Questions1. Which of the following best describes your participation with First Fridays?

a. Art Vendorb. Food Vendorc. Retail Vendord. Performer/Entertainere. Displaying art that is not for purchasef. Other

1.1 Please briefly describe your product or merchandise1.2 Which category best describes your food:

g. Coffeeh. Cuisinei. Dessert

j. Other1.3Please describe your cuisine: (Ex. Mexican, Italian, Korean, etc.)

2. How many First Friday events do you participate in throughout the year as avendor/artist/performer?

a. 1-2b. 3-4c. 5-6d. 7-8e. 9-10f. 11-123. Is First Friday the first event you have ever vended/performed/displayed art?a. Yes, First Friday was the first event I ever vendedb. No, I was a vendor at other events prior to First Friday

4. Do you participate as a vendor/artist/performer at other events outside of First Friday?a. Yesb. No

5. How many times (or events) per month do you vend/perform/display art?a. 1-2b. 2-4c. 4-6d. 6-8e. 10-12f. 12+

6. Please list other events where you are a vendor/artists/performer7. Do you notify your clients/audience when you are vending/performing/displaying art at First

Friday?

a. Yes


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b. Noc. Sometimes

8. How do you market your participation in this event?a. Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)b. Blogs (Wordpress, Tumblr, Instagram, etc.)c. Media advertising (print newspapers, radio spots, etc.)d. Emaile. Fliersf. Word of Mouthg. Otherh. I do not market my participation

9. Are you aware that vendors/artists/performers should be contacting a block coordinator (listedon the First Friday website) to participate in First Friday?

a. Yesb. No

10.Do you contact a block coordinator EVERY TIME you plan on vending/displaying art/performing?a. Yes

b. No11.How would you rate the overall effectiveness of communication and access to block

coordinators?

A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F

11. 1. Please explain your rating

12.Do you consistently vend/perform/display art on the same block for First Friday?a. Yesb. No

13.Would you prefer to vend/display art on the same block for every First Friday?a. Yesb. Noc. Indifferent

14.Would you be willing to pay a vending/performing/display fee to participate in First Friday?a. Yesb. Noc. Indifferent

15.What about would you be willing to pay?$30 $60 $90 $120 $150 $180 $210 $240 $270 $300

16.Any additional comments or suggestions regarding First Friday operations practices?17. Is your business in its incubation period (i.e. beginning stages)?

a. Yesb. No

18.What would you like to have available for your business incubation? (Select all that apply)a. Expertise in marketing, social media, and website development


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b. Micro-loan for business permit and tax certificatec. Pop-up storefront/retail/gallery space for free or reduced ratesd. Shared space with computers, conference rooms, internet and printers

19.Does the revenue you generate at First Friday cover the costs of vending/performing/displayingart at the event?

a. Yesb. Noc. Break Evend. Not Applicable

20. Is vending/performing/displaying art your main source of income?a. Yesb. No

21. If you were unable to vend/perform/display art at First Friday how much would your livelihoodbe effected?

a. Small effect: Lose extra disposable incomeb.

Medium effect: Need to find a new source of incomec. Large effect: Will not be able to afford monthly expenses

d. No effect on livelihood22.How interested are you in placing your vending product in a retail store or restaurant?

a. Veryb. Somewhatc. Not Veryd. Not at all

23.How interested are you in Opening your own retail store or restaurant?a. Veryb. Somewhatc. Not Veryd. Not at all

24.What is your average revenue from one First Friday event?a. $0-$25b. $25-$50c. $50-$100d. $100-$200e. $200-$500f. $500-$1000g. $1000-$1500h. $1500-$2000i. $2000-$2500

j. $2500+k. Non Applicable


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25.What is your annual revenue from First Fridays?a. $0-$50b. $50-$100c. $100-$500d. $500-$1000e. $1000-$5000f. $5000-$10,000g. $10,000 - $20,000h. $20,000+i. Non Applicable

26.Do you have an Oakland business license?a. Yesb. Noc. Unsure

27.Have you ever applied for an Oakland business license?a.

Yesb. No

c. Unsure28.Do you have a California sellers permit?

a. Yesb. Noc. Unsure

29.Do you have any additional thoughts or suggestions about Oakland First Fridays operations?30.What is your gender?

a. Maleb. Female

31.What is your Race/Ethnicity?a. American Indian or Alaska Nativeb. Asianc. Black or African Americand. Hispanic or Latinoe. Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islanderf. Whiteg. Other

32.Please select your age range?a. 0-18b. 18-25c. 25-35d. 45-55e. 55-65f. 65+

33.What level of education have you completed?a. Currently in middle school or high schoolb. Did not complete high school


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c. High school graduate or equivalent (GED)d. Some Collegee. Associates Degreef. Bachelor Degreeg. Master Degreeh. Doctorate Degreei. Other

34.Employment status, are you currentlya. Employed for wagesb. Self-employedc. Out of work and looking for employmentd. Out of work but not currently looking for employmente. Homemakerf. Studentg. Retiredh.

Unable to work


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Appendix 3 Attendee Survey QuestionsTo assist us in measuring the economic impact of Oakland First Fridays, I would like to ask you some

questions about your expenditures while visiting Oakland. Your information will remain anonymous.

1. For the number of people in your group, including children, for your trip to Oakland to attendOakland First Fridays, how much did you spend on:

a. Transportation $____________b. Food & Non-Alcoholic Drink $______________c. Alcohol/Tobacco/ Cannabis $__________d. Shopping at Oakland First Friday Vendor Booths $___________e. Shopping at other businesses while visiting Oakland during your Oakland First Friday

Trip $_____________

f. Entertainment (movies, clubs, concerts) $________________g. Overnight Accommodations $_______________h.

Other/Misc. $_________________

2. How often do you attend Oakland First Fridays throughout the year? (please select one)This is my first time I come to every First

Friday

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

3. What is your zip code? ______________________4. Are you interested in receiving Oakland First Fridays updates and announcements?

Yes____ No____

5. Oakland First Fridays needs volunteers! Are you interested in learning about volunteeropportunities?

Yes____ No______


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Appendix 4 History of Oakland First FridaysContributionsby Shari Godinez (KONO, CBD), Danielle Fox (Art Murmur), and Rock Paper Scissors

In 2005 a group of Oakland art gallery owners, known as Art Murmur, coordinated programming

efforts for a once a month open house free to the public. The aim of the project was to bring more

visitors to see gallery exhibitions. The event occurred on the first Friday of each month, and both the

event and the group organizing it came to be known as Oakland Art Murmur. The activity was just what

Oakland needed during a stalled economy, and Art Murmur became a popular destination of choice

every first Friday. It became so successful galleries found themselves having trouble managing attendees

who began overflowing into outside streets.

The Rock Paper Scissors Collective, one of the participating art galleries made up of volunteers,

applied for an event permit to block the street from auto-traffic to protect pedestrians and provide

greater accessibility to the larger non-gallery community. The permit was filed for a monthly craft fairdubbed, the 23rdStreet Fair, after the name of the street in front of the galleries. In conjunction with

Oakland Art Murmur, the Rock Paper Scissors Collective managed the monthly fair while KONO, CBD

provided security and sanitation. Additional vendors continued to show up each month, setting up on

sidewalks beyond the craft fair boundaries. Concerns for pedestrian safety mounted as vendors took

over Telegraph Avenue, a major thoroughfare that runs through downtown Oakland.

Oakland Art Murmur and the Rock Paper Scissors Collective, recognizing it did not want the

responsibility of managing street activities in a large area of downtown, sought assistance from the city.

However, because of severe budget cuts the City of Oakland could offer little assistance. As First Fridays

grew more unwieldy, drawing up to 10,000 visitors to the neighborhood each month, Art Murmur

decided to officially separate itself from anything occurring outside of its member galleries doors and in

June 2012 closed the 23rdStreet Fair.

After Oakland Art Murmur stepped away, there was no organization taking responsibility for

street activities, no event permits, no programmatic organization, and no publication of the event.

However, despite this disorganization, vendors and visitors still appeared every first Friday of the month.

Pedestrians, performers, and Occupy Oakland took over festivities for two months, holding impromptu

parties and demonstrations in the street blocking auto traffic. At its height, the street was so crowded a

local bus became stuck in the crowd. Attendees began writing graffiti on the outside of the bus before

the driver could snake its way through the pedestrian traffic. The local transit authority took it upon

themselves to reroute the remaining bus schedule for the night.


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Again, concerned for pedestrian safety KONO, CBD approached the City Administrator

requesting help, specifically to close down Telegraph Avenue and approaching streets. The request

required additional traffic management and rerouting of major bus routes through the area, as well as

increased Oakland Police Officer crowd control presence a large and costly logistical project for the

city. However, with a lot of persuasion and concern for public safety, the city agreed and word spread of

the new closures. The next month exploded with even more street vendors setting up booths

throughout the newly closed blocks of Telegraph Avenue and 20,000 attendees. Activities, no longer

confined to a single block in front of art galleries, stretch ten blocks. The new boundaries (or footprint)

began at 19thStreet and ended at 27thStreet.

Concerned about the cities increased involvement, vendors and artists begin organizing to

discuss how they would like to take charge and maintain the event to keep its character organic. The

group of volunteers begin meeting every Wednesday night in September 2012 with sixty volunteers.

Since no other organizations were involved the volunteers were free to structure leadership however

they wanted. It was determined the volunteers would become a democratic council of majority rule

with no one individual maintaining power or authority over the event. The city continued to offer its

support by providing street closures and security while KONO, CBD maintained sanitation.

The event under its new leadership model appeared to be successful for about six months

before tragedy struck. On the night of February 1, 2013 eighteen year old Kiante Campbell was shot and

killed and three other victims wounded as a result of street violence shortly after Oakland First Fridays

ended. Despite a police investigation expressing the murder was not a result of event activities,

members of the community used the opportunity to express their disapproval of the event. Dissonance

mounted, and coupled with political pressure from prominent leaders, the city decided to scale down

the event by decreasing its footprint size from ten blocks to five and shortening the ending time from

11pm to 9pm. Additionally, the city gave a deadline for phasing out safety services it could no longer

provide for free and insisted that the volunteer event organizers pull a formal event permit each month

just as it required of every other event in the city, or face being shut down.

Volunteers approached KONO, CBD asking for a fiscal partnership while they tried to formalize.In collaboration with KONO, CBD the group focused their efforts on creating a new structure to ensure

Oakland First Fridays could become self-sustaining and meet the new city requirements. Many

volunteers stepped away during this time recognizing the democratic structure was slowing down

decision-making activity and causing stress with its members. By the end of 2013 the partnership

between KONO, CBD and Oakland First Fridays volunteers decided to hire its first staff member, an


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Event Coordinator and Fundraiser. Currently KONO, CBD and its leaders are working with the remaining

Oakland First Fridays volunteers, of which there are six, to start the next phase of development, a formal

Oakland First Fridays non-profit organization. This analysis is just one piece of that process.


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Works Cited

1. Art and Soul. (2013). Art and Soul Event Sign Up. Retrieved fromhttps://register.artandsouloakland.com/event/event.php?title=Event+Signup

2. Berkeley Hills Reality. (2013). Oakland. Retrieved fromhttp://www.berkhills.com/communities/oakland/

3. Burgan, B. University of Technology, S., & Australian Centre for Event Management. (2000).Events beyond 2000: setting the agenda : proceedings of conference on event

evaluation, research and education, Sydney, July 2000. Australian Centre for Event

Management.

4. Confidence Interval Definition | Investopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2013, fromhttp://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/confidenceinterval.asp

5. Godinez, Shari. Personal Communication. 20 December 20136. Gursoy, Dogan, Kyungmi Kim, and Muzaffer Uysal. Perceived Impacts of Festivals and

Special Events by Organizers: An Extension and Validation. Tourism Management25,

no. 2 (2004): 171181.

7. Madyaningrum, Monica E., and Christopher Sonn. Exploring the Meaning of Participation ina Community Art Project: A Case Study on the Seeming Project.Journal of Community

& Applied Social Psychology21, no. 4 (2011): 358370.

8. Oakland Police Department. Personal Communication. 6 November 2013, 17 December 20139. Rock Paper Scissors Collective. Personal Communication. 10 January 201410.Tolioupov, David. Personal Communication. 1 November 201311.Wood, Emma H. Measuring the Economic and Social Impacts of Local Authority Events.

International Journal of Public Sector Management18, no. 1 (2005): 3753.
https://register.artandsouloakland.com/event/event.php?title=Event+Signuphttps://register.artandsouloakland.com/event/event.php?title=Event+Signuphttp://www.berkhills.com/communities/oakland/http://www.berkhills.com/communities/oakland/http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/confidenceinterval.asphttp://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/confidenceinterval.asphttp://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/confidenceinterval.asphttp://www.berkhills.com/communities/oakland/https://register.artandsouloakland.com/event/event.php?title=Event+Signup

Documents

Oakland First Friday Economic Report