Local businesses in support of long running art festival after city denies permits

The Desert Arts Festival is usually held on several different weekends, bringing in about over 10,000 to Frances Stevens Park near downtown Palm Springs, but that may change in the near future.

The city denied the festival's permits for March said it has outgrown its location.

Local artists and some local businesses who depend on this festival said they are stunned by the city's changes.

“Its alot of clients so I feel like can affect only us but other places around the community," said David Martin.

David Martin, MidMod server said he's seen the boost in traffic during the festival. He's not the only business impacted.

“Its huge, we have so many people that may have never been to Palm Springs who come into the store, we have alot of locals who come," said Stephen Monkarash.

Business owner of Just Fabulous, Stephen Monkarash has been an advocate for the festival to keep its home at Frances Steven Park.

Monkarash sent an email to the city reading in part,"I strongly urge you to reconsider your denial of permit...we have never had a problem."

Also, Hank Bates, Property Manager of the Corridor, expressing his thoughts through an email reading in part "I have seen this art festival make a strong positive impact over the years."

“Its just not important to us as business people these artists may not have the avenue in other places to really show their work," said Bates.

Local business on Palm Canyon drive are chiming in support of this art festival and are hoping the city finds a solution.

“We’re looking at if we reduce the number vendors by a significant amount and made sure that we had crowd control and widen space between booths so that someone in a wheel chair can easily get through access," said Mayor Geoff Kors, Palm Springs.

The city is also concerned that this is a for profit business benefiting from using a public park.

"This is a for profit business that makes money and we aren’t against people making money but these are public parks thats a longer term conversation," said Mayor Kors.

A conversation the city is starting Tuesday morning where they are looking at both short and long term solutions for the art festival and future use of public parks.

West Coast Artists confirmed that they are a profit business that also has a non-profit, WCA Arts Foundation that makes about it $12,000 dollars of donations per year.  

The city plans to have a meeting with the organizer and the special event planning team tomorrow at 10 a.m. to find a solution.