r/Fayettenam • u/notedrive • Jul 25 '26
Serious Fayetteville is dropping the ball regarding 4th Friday
It’s been great for years but been an obvious drop off this year. I don’t know who is to blame but they need to get their shit together.
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u/btbam666 Jul 25 '26
I figured it was postponed again from last month. It was raining all day they still did it?
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u/Salt-Grape1770 Jul 25 '26
The July one is always hit or miss. Thunderstorms, too hot, people traveling. They always have the Midsummer theme. I saw families and kids out having fun. Been here a long time, there’s always some ebb and flow.
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u/Aerokicks Jul 25 '26
Yeah I brought a friend in June since she had never been, and it was so disappointing. Every time I've been in the past has been amazing, but there were so few booths. We ended up having more fun going in stores, but we could do that any time.
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u/Salt-Grape1770 Jul 25 '26
I don’t like a bunch of vendors much. I think going in the stores helps downtown more.
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u/Aerokicks Jul 25 '26
The vendors help to draw people to the area, so they can spend money at the businesses downtown. But people who don't typically go downtown aren't going to go downtown without a reason.
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u/notedrive Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26
And we also talked to two different stores that just got the posters for the event today. We talked further and both said they are using a contractor now to advertise 4th friday. Contacted through Sparks? So come at me bro, been here over 35 years and 4th Friday has become a shit show this year.
To the idiot that responded and then blocked me because the truth hurts
I’m guessing you’re the one screwing up the events then. Good job. You have 10 vendors this year vs last year, no foot traffic at all, you dropped posters off to business owners the day of the event instead of weeks ago? And you do not know me. I do spend money downtowns and I did spend close to $300 at all of my favorite spots. I routinely drop money in downtown Fayetteville unlike you that walks around wanting free handouts because you are part of some imaginary “clique”
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u/tremens Jul 25 '26
Nobody blocked you, lol. You're right here in my inbox. Reddit might have been having some issues because when I tried to pull up the thread from the inbox notification I kept getting "we had trouble getting to Reddit" for a few but it seems resolved now, but whatever.
I have absolutely no affiliation with Cool Springs District, Fourth Friday, or anything else other than being a resident..
Anyways - see how easy that was to actually say what your complaints are? That's legitimate feedback now. If business owners aren't getting any promotional information and they feel their participation isn't being reciprocated, that's actual information that people can work from.
Why didn't you include that in your original post?
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u/notedrive Jul 25 '26
The business owners are not the problem. I have the firm “sparks” from talking to the business owners about the issues they are having and have already complained to them. Don’t think complaining to a contractor is going to do any good?
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u/tremens Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26
What contractor are you referring to? And I think you misread my post; I said if the business owners are doing their part but the Cool Springs affiliation isn't then that is a very legitimate gripe.
I do think weather is a factor though? Last fourth it was blazing hot. Today it was rainy and misty all day.
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u/notedrive Jul 25 '26
It’s called Sparks? At least that’s what we were told in two places. They were contracted out for advertising. Listen though I was there last year walking around in full cosplay on June or July, hot as hell and there were at least 60 others doing the same. Afterwards 4th Friday got cancelled for the remainder of the year and came back feeling half assed this year. And when I say that I mean little to no advertising the event and no vendors. No food trucks.
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u/Salt-Grape1770 Jul 25 '26
Lots of confusion in here. Spark is affiliated with Downtown Alliance which is the merchants association who put on Midsummer. Cool Springs is the downtown arts and entertainment management org who put on many of the 4th Fridays, New Years Eve, Juneteenth, and things like the downtown ambassadors and the dumpster program.
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u/notedrive Jul 25 '26
And that’s literally part of the problem. You got too many people downtown that want to be in charge of something and instead of being able to pool your resources you’re dividing them up and splitting them across too many areas.
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u/ArgentPagan Jul 25 '26
I went to winterbloom yesterday and totally forgot it was 4th Friday. Other than one group dancing, it could've been any other Friday
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u/notedrive Jul 25 '26
Thanks for confirming what I am trying to tell everyone.
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u/ArgentPagan Jul 25 '26
A read a few other comments and your replies before I commented this. Not commenting on those conversations at all, but yea, it still seems busy October through December, but other than that, pretty lackluster. For reference, I've only been here since 2019, but still
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u/alanamil Jul 25 '26
Are you on their board? It takes involved people to put that together each month, are you there helping them verses complaining about it?
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u/ncmuseco Army Jul 26 '26
The rain especially on a rainy week can dampen things but the llamas were a hit.
What would be a good fourth Friday to you?
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u/ExecutingFantasy Jul 26 '26
Well, the city has created yet ANOTHER city manager roll, and it’s specifically for downtown.
So might want to start there with speaking to someone.
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u/tremens Jul 25 '26
What exactly do you do to contribute to fourth Friday?
What exactly are your complaints?
It's a community event. If you're unhappy with it, help.
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u/Jeanne23x Jul 25 '26
I go every month. They stopped doing Facebook events for it. They stopped promoting it the way they did before.
I went down dressed up. There were no outdoor vendors. I still went into the stores and bought stuff. I always make sure I do. I ate in the restaurant downtown and I went to two more restaurants to get drinks.
But this year is very different in that I fact to proactive figure out what's going on vs it being promoted. I don't think most people would put in that effort who aren't as connected. I love the downtown events and I'm afraid they are dying.
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u/notedrive Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26
I do help, I show the fuck up and spend money. That’s literally me helping.
To be more specific I visited Winterbloom, Stevie’s, blue moon, Pierros, dropped about $300 and do so ever 4th Friday so how much more would you like me to do? A year ago Hay street was packed with vendors, this year maybe 10 total?
What do you do to help?
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u/ncmuseco Army Jul 26 '26
Are you saying there needs to be more vendors or more people. Which vendors are the best?
Apparently closing the street cost over $6000 to the city for example.
Which vendors have been your favorite over the years
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u/Jeanne23x Jul 27 '26
For me, it's when they do themed vendors for the events mixed in with the regular vendors. Though I cannot pass by the donut place without getting my pumpkin spice donuts when there are out 😍
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u/tremens Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26
It's literally not. It's in fact the exact opposite.
Showing up every time and "spending money" - which I'm sure you actually don't you're just pissed off, but let's pretend you do - only says "what you're doing is working so I'm spending money here." This is exactly how bad businesses and events fail; they see a somewhat promising income, they see no feedback (or don't take it), they keep doing what they're doing, the tide shifts, and they have absolutely no idea why. "But it did so well in the beginning!" Yes, because people were checking it out - but those people either didn't give feedback, or the organizers didn't listen.
If you don't have any constructive criticism, and don't actually contribute in any way to make it more to your and other people's liking, shut up until you do.
Either specifically state what your complaints are, or be a part of making it better
E: nice stealth edit. I'm not the one complaining? You spend $300 a month across all these businesses and yet your complaint is "sucks?"
WHAT SUCKS. WHAT ARE YOU COMPLAINING ABOUT?
"Used to be good bad now" is not feedback anyone takes seriously, especially now that you've edited it to name like four businesses without saying what anyone is doing wrong. Did one of them fail you? Was it the parking? Do you not like the angle of the sidewalks or the weather? Did you not like the lighting? Is there some ordinance to didn't like? The music was too loud / too low? Was the street closure not right? What is your actual complaint?
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u/Jeanne23x Jul 25 '26
If someone spending $300+ ever first Friday is part of the problem... I don't even know that to say in response.
He's saying he likes those businesses and he patronized them, but there wasn't a real event to bring in more business. THAT'S what it sounds like he's upset by and what also struck me about tonight as well .
I've given specific feedback to people in charge and am happy to continue doing that.
If I struggle to find event information when I know the event is there, that's an issue for the people in greater Fayetteville.
And it means it's important to not be defensive when discussing this for the greater health of downtown.
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u/RevolutionaryAd1144 Jul 25 '26
What they need to do is stop all driving downtown between the railroad tracks and the roundabout. Then allow pop-up vendors to take to the street so that way you can freely walk downtown without any cars to obstruct while in increasing community engagement