There will not be a Missionfest in 2018.
The Mission Downtown Business Association (MDBA) sent a letter out to its members last week announcing that the annual street festival was being postponed.
“The MDBA board has made the tough decision to postpone Missionfest until 2019,” MDBA executive director Jamie Hayes explained to the Mission Record.
The reason for the postponement is not a lack of support, growth or money. In fact, it is being set aside to allow improvement to be made to the downtown core.
In September of 2016, it was announced that the district would invest $3.5 million into a First Avenue streetscape improvement project in the downtown core. The project will span three blocks, from Horne Street to Grand Street.
“We are very excited about the upcoming improvements to downtown Mission. They are going to be taking place in spring and summer of 2018. It’s going to be a complete revitalization of sidewalks, lamp posts, trees, shrubberies, and more,” said Hayes.
“A mammoth project like this will make it very difficult, if not impossible, to hold a street festival in the middle of the construction.”
MDBA board members looked at some alternative options for Missionfest, including changing locations or holding it later in year, but postponing it made the most sense.
“We decided the best idea was to postpone it until 2019 and hold it in our beautifully newly-revitalized downtown Mission and make it the best Missionfest ever,” said Hayes.
Missionfest first began in 2011. In just six years, the event has tripled in size. More than 6,000 people attended Missionfest 2017 held in August.
“It’s one of the most highly anticipated events in Mission,” said Hayes, adding she doesn’t think postponing it will have any negative impact on the community celebration.
“If anything it will give us time to plan an even better festival in 2019.”
