May 3—The Danville News
DANVILLE — What goes on behind the scene among Spring Fling organizers is often overlooked by the thousands of visitors who come to enjoy all the food and festivities this street fair has provided for 37 years.
Spring Fling requires a lot of planning and coordination, said Rebecca Dressler, executive director, Main Street manager, Danville Business Alliance (DBA). "It's been going on for a long time, so I feel like we have the preparation for it down to a science now. But it still requires planning and logistics when getting the food and craft vendors, local business participation and our nonprofits."
This year there are more than 240 vendors in 270 spaces (some people have multiple spaces).
Coordinated efforts with the Danville Borough, Danville police, fire police, and volunteers are essential to success. Police put signage on the meters so that people don't park on the streets. Fire police close off the streets from the south end of Mill Street all the way to the north end.
Spring Fling begins at 9 a.m. Saturday.
'The preparation every year begins almost as soon as the Spring Fling ends on Saturday," Dressler said. "We are working on this, essentially, all year long, right up until the day of the event."
The DBA marketing group has a vendor list comprised of previous vendors "and people who have reached out to us," she added. "After this weekend's events we will send out a notice of upcoming events and news about the Spring Fling of 2024."
There are vendors who will sign up either the day of the event next year or right after this year's Spring Fling.
Applications for next year will be available online.
The event is always held the first Saturday in May. The deadline for applications to participate in the next Spring Fling is usually about Feb. 15, Dressler said.
There is a map that the DBA marketing team sends out to vendors who might request a specific location.
"First priority is to our member businesses," Dressler said. "And then there are other variables outside of the downtown placing them. We fill in from there. We have vendors who have been coming for many years and they have a spot they like. We try to accommodate them."
When it's all over, the DBA committee meeting for the event discusses it: what were the issues, how can the Spring Fling be improved, and what can be added that is new and different for the following year.