Photo by Gregory Burrus
There was tremendous excitement last month when South Orange Village announced it would be closing the street next to Spiotta Park to create a pedestrian plaza — complete with tables, chairs and live entertainment courtesy of Downtown After Sundown — every Friday and Saturday evening throughout July.
However, as South Orange Village Center Alliance Director Bob Zuckerman noted, “the weather gods did not cooperate” for the first two weekends of July (SOVCA did manage to squeeze in one night of music and street life).
Nonetheless, the “Party in the Plaza” is back with a better forecast this Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16. Zuckerman said that there’s only a 10% chance of precipitation on Friday and a 20% chance on Saturday.
The Downtown After Sundown bands booked for Spiotta Park are:
- Hodgepodge on Friday, and
- The David Easton Band on Saturday
SOVCA will be working with the parking authority and police to close of the area, including parking, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays in July, as well as arrange for the tables and chairs. Zuckerman noted that two or three of the tables would be reserved for Pandang restaurant offering al fresco dining.
If successful, the pedestrian plaza could be extended to other times of the year.
(Pssst! Also check out Downtown After Sundown on Sloan Street, where Laredo will perform on Friday, and the Late Night Kennel Club will perform their brand of Gypsy Jazz, Blues, Surf Noir and Western Swing on Saturday. See more upcoming dates and bands here.)
