MISSOULA — Scott Osburn of Always On LLC is proposing to bring a large music festival to Missoula’s Playfair Park in 2024.
The festival would have one stage but bring in 10-20 thousand people a day over the course of two days in July. It would be self funded by Osburn, a University of Montana graduate.
Coille Putman thinks community events are important, “I really enjoy music and I think music festivals are a great thing and it’s a great thing possibly for Missoula.” However, she doesn’t want a big festival at a neighborhood park. “I feel very strongly that Playfair Park is not the best location and venue,” Putman stated.
She went around the park and knocked on doors at 13 houses to gauge opinions. The results yielded, 4 no answer, 1 in support of having a festival, 3 had deep concerns, and 5 which had no idea that the event had been proposed. Putman was concerned by the number of people who did not know about the festival – she wishes that communication to neighbors would have been better earlier on in the process.
On Monday evening at the City Life Community Center, Osburn presented on a variety of topics including neighborhood disturbances, traffic, sound mitigation, environmental impacts, safety, and local economic impact.
City council requested that Always On LLC hold this meeting to answer questions from neighborhood and Missoula residents directly.
On parking, Osburn said that they would be leasing parking at the fairgrounds – making that the entrance/exit point. Parking would need to be paid for in advance. An hour before music begins, the festival team would close parts of Bancroft, Pattee Creek, and Stephens Ave that surround the park. They may set a system up where neighbors would need a special decal to get through to their homes. Camping would not be allowed in the neighborhoods and there would be security and emergency services at the park. Additionally, a hot-line would be set up for all complaints.
As for sound, houses nearby would get some sort of support like a free ticket or assistance if they wished to leave their homes during the 2-day festival. Headliners would get to play louder than other performers – ranging from 70-85 decibels – until curfew at 10 p.m. Osburn said that the decibel level of the music does not account for noise made by festival-goers. He also stated that a sound log – sharing the decibel levels reached – would be sent to the city.
Many at the Monday night meeting had concerns about the environment impacts – some stating that the fields they play on would be without grass for the remainder of the summer. Osburn detailed that he would have to re-seed or re-sod grass if it were to be wrecked during the shows. There will be before and after footage taken to make sure the festival is acting in accordance with contractual obligations to the environment.
Tiffany Seaman lives across from the park and has kids that play sports there. “I live right on Bancroft and so this directly affects us.” She says there is a lottery to use the space and some groups wouldn’t get to have their event or game if the festival takes place. “It’s not a benefit to the neighborhood and it would actually take away from some of our attributes to the neighborhood and the usage for everybody,” Seaman told MTN.
City council will discuss the festival further in the Climate, Conservation, and Parks Committee meeting starting at 1:20 p.m. on Wednesday.