Overcoming challenges to future outdoor entertainment performances due to disruptive commercial vendor noise intensity and the resulting community outrage

Abstract

Outdoor entertainment and concerts are commonplace historically. Many of these public attractions also include commercial, concessions, and other vendor booths. Typically, such events are regulated by local government. During the inaugural performance of a successful music festival, whose sponsors had contractually agreed to the community permitting requirements, a commercial vendor proceeded to generate such loud and intense sounds that the entire festival and closest residential community were bombarded with object vibrating sounds. The public outcry from the local residential community was immediate and so was the reaction of the festival organizers. The commercial vendor was ordered to vacate the venue. However, the local community was so outraged that the festival organizers were put on notice that the festival had violated its contract and would not be permitted again. After many hours of community outreach and public hearings, the festival organizers were given a highly conditional permit to hold the festival again the following year. Strict A-weighted and C-weighted noise limits and heavy violation fines were imposed, as well as a requirement for continuous noise monitoring at multiple sites at the venue and in the residential community. This paper reports the concert performance results of the past few years.