Come on, this is a one day event! Charging small business owners and entrepreneurs $1,000 for a booth for a day is not in the spirit of community. That fee is equivalent to approximately half a month's retail space rent in Leimert and the surrounding area. Quite frankly, I attend street fairs like Taste of Soul to not only hear the music , but especially to meet these vendors and sample their wares. Charge higher fees to large sponsors and corporations who can absorb the cost, however, please lower the fee or consider a plan similar to the Leimert farmer's market, wherein a percentage of sales is paid to the hosting entity. I had a great time last year, and look forward to seeing a diversified array of new vendors this year. Keep breathing life into this vibrant community!
Posted by LJ, on 10-17-2008 15:14,
Well, I have emailed and phoned Sentinel, spoke to Mothers in Action and have had numerous emails with Danny Blackwell, Jr. - their excuse for having a high price for vendors is so sad and not justified. Yes, the community will suffer. There is a very well-known food vendor who will not be in attendance - whose fish will you eat tomorrow? Vendors like myself cannot afford $1,175 for a one day event. I would not profit. I do not have a store where I can write this off on my taxes where it would make a big difference. I vend at the African Mktplace every year and gladly pay the amount requested. I pay less for that event which goes over 3 weekends than it would be for Taste of Soul for ONE day. I love it that TOS dont request for admission (AMP should do the same), but find costs somewhere else like the big companies who can afford this overly greedy high price. The first year, they charged $300. They cant justify this high jump from $300 to $1,175. I can bring my own canopy, table and chairs. I cant stand greedy Black people. Taste of Soul, Danny Backwell, Jr. and those involved are greedy Black people who really are not doing this for the community. The community is being cheated out of seeing the very many small businesses who you wouldnt normally get a chance to see and purchase from. Hmmm, for instance, my Crenshaw Blvd. tshirt. This is just sad and I am letting everyone know it.
Posted by Jamiel's Law, on 10-17-2008 19:51,
The Jamiel Shaw Family will be there tomorrow gathering signatures for "Jamiel's Law." If you haven't signed the petition yet, this may be your final chance! Help stop gang violence with Jamiel's Law!
Posted by Jacqueline R. Anderson, on 10-19-2008 03:18,
I attended the "Taste of Soul 2007" I really enjoyed the event. The only thing that I didn't like were the prices that the vendors charged for the food. I feel sorry for the families who had to spend a fortune, becasue I could barely feed,myself. We'll at least now I know why the booth prices. I sure hated to miss this years event, I had to work.
Posted by LJ, on 10-19-2008 15:49,
I wish I knew about the signatures being collected...no one ever presented that to me at TOS.
Jacqueline, I have attended TOS for all 3 years. L.A. Sentinel, Mothers in Action, the Blackwell family all benefit from this event. The vendors do not benefit. Its impossible for them to benefit when the price is so high.
Lets say you are a big business, pay out $1,175 for a one day event - you can afford to do this because you have a big business which can easily write this off on your taxes. Giving away your items for such an event is no big deal
So if you are a vendor who frequents various events in the community, you sell maybe $300 worth of good, not counting how much you may have paid for the goods or materials then you pay the full amount for vending at TOS or half of it, you lose money. TOS is not about small businesses or event vendors.
There was a lady out there passing out invites to another event next weekend, she made sure to mention "$150 for all three days not what they are charging here." I laughed, glad to know we all thinking the same about these people. My mother, all of my life purchased Sentinel newspapers - love to be able to tell her about this madness. When I see their newstand, I think, yea right.
I love Black people, but I cant stand our ways. Now I get it when my uncle will not support Parks and the like. I am getting it at my young adult life.
Posted by Greg Carter, on 10-21-2008 07:50,
I was at the first taste of soul in 2006, missed 2007, so I made sure to attend this years event. What a difference, over 100,000 people. Although it was great, I was a little disappointed because their was no program to inform you of the times and stage of the performances. Their were also not enought vendors with water and sodas for sale and "no alcohol". Why no alcohol?
