Published: 1 years 247 days ago
Sacramento Bee: It's a finely painted line separating a popular celebration of art from a rowdy and even violent drunkfest.
Sacramento isn't original in its efforts to define where that line lies in the case of the Second Saturday art walk – Portland, Ore., has Last Thursday, San Antonio and Phoenix both have First Friday.
None of the events in other cities has been linked to a fatal shooting like the one last weekend that claimed the life of a 24-year-old man who police believe was inadvertently caught in gang crossfire.
But all the cities are grappling with how to handle the collages of impromptu performance art, bauble vendors and street musicians, and the growing numbers they attract.
Mayor Kevin Johnson is leading a task force of business owners, residents, police and elected officials to determine how to preserve Second Saturday, said his special assistant R.E. Graswich.
"We can't run away from this," he said. "We will not let criminal activity dictate city policy – this means way too much to Sacramento."
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/09/17/3036102/sacramentos-art-walk-rowdiness.html
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