By  Cecilia Chan
Independent Newsmedia

Although the city’s six signature events such as Glendale Glitters and Chocolate Affaire are drawing visitors to downtown, Glendale is looking at more ways to improve the bottom line for merchants.

Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission last week reviewed recommendations that include having more Glendale-based vendors, expanding the vendor selection committee and addressing unlicensed vendors at the events, which together boast an attendance of 350,000 for fiscal year 2016-17.

"We always try to bring something new to the table," said Martin Dickey, Special Events manager. "We don’t rest on our laurels."

Some of the enhancements for the events held this fiscal year included free Wi-Fi for visitors so they can engage in social media and adding more romance authors to the Chocolate Affaire, according to Mr. Dickey.

The annual events are held in historic downtown, bounded by 57th, 59th, Myrtle and Glendale avenues. The city budgets about $566,900 directly for the signature events.

Recommended improvements resulted from a recent community survey, held earlier this year.

The city will make more effort in regards to the event vendors, according to Erik Strunk, director of Public Facilities, Recreation & Special Events.

Over the last three seasons, the city accepted 77 percent of Glendale-based merchants who applied to participate in the signature events, according to the city.

Yet, the number of local participants remain low. Of the 259 vendors who participated in the current season’s events, just 36 were Glendale-based.

"It’s very important to give local businesses the chance to participate in their hometown events," Mr. Strunk said. "And it’s the philosophy the city uses when vendors apply. Every consideration is made to get local" vendors.

Board member Henry Rosas suggested subsidizing the fees for Glendale-based vendors or increasing the fees for non-Glendale vendors.

"Some cases it’s not a matter of they don’t get in, it is they don’t exist," Mr. Dickey said, noting that the city already charges pretty expensive fees.

Not every Glendale business with a store front has the equipment and staff to operate under a tent, compared with professional vendors who go on a national circuit and do it full time, according to staff.

Staff recommendations to improve things for vendors include revising the selection criteria, expand the selection committee with people outside city employees and address unlicensed vendors.

Mr. Strunk said there were a few rogue vendors at Glendale Glitters, who were ushered out by the city maintenance crew and park rangers. The recommendation for the coming events is to go after them for tax and license fees.

Additionally, staff plans to offer an educational presentation on how to be a vendor for the events during a Chamber of Commerce procurement fair in May, he said.

Staff also proposed for non-event days, Sunday through Thursday, to use Murphy Park to further promote downtown merchants by providing them with booths and have entertainment by nonprofit groups. The downtown area attracts about 1,500 people a night during non-event days, according to the city.

Other proposals include more festival signs at major entrances, conduct quarterly briefings with merchants and provide more public restrooms.

Staff also is developing a special event app that would tell people what is happening downtown and can take feedback.

This issue is expected to go to the City Council for review.