Westheimer Street Festival
westheimer street festival community street fair held biannually houston texas united state approximately festival underwent name management change afterwards street festival absorbed currently known free press summer fest festival well current successor westheimer block party take name westheimer road thoroughfare houston extends approximately bagby street westpark tollway near terminus westheimer road pass number block neartown area acquired reputation houston bohemian enclave sometime end world war ii time street festival inception neartown area served social geographic hub houston gay lesbian community well focal point alternative art music within city houston large became westheimer street festival offshoot westheimer colony art festival known bayou city art festival since established artscrafts festival original event later street fair occurred twice yearly course weekend midapril weekend midoctober throughout westheimer art festival westheimer street festival continued diverge one point art festival became fencedoff paidadmission event held parking lot strip center intersection westheimer road montrose boulevard time street festival extended dozen block along westheimer included well hundred art craft vendor food vendor beer booth well several outdoor stage showcasing local band musician eventually westheimer colony association decided vacate neartown area altogether first moving downtown houston later memorial park—reorganizing process bayou city art festival early westheimer street festival grown event hosted many attendee twoday period requiring street closure westheimer half dozen block resulting traffic jam several block direction festival originally fairly anarchistic organic event central organization realizing event size required professional management city houston took step ensure would westheimer street festival absence professional management principal step agreement texas alcoholic beverage commission prevent issuance socalled picnic permit within block covered festival tabc agreed would issue single alcohol permit individual entity holding street closure permit city city restricted condition obtaining permit would issued unless applicant taken insurance policy covering event hired sufficient cleanup sanitation security guarantee minimal impact surrounding residence circumstance westheimer street festival came control westheimer street festival corporation led john florez friction street fair local resident somewhat abated mr florezs management prior experience event producer tendency minimize event budget wherever possible frequent complaint neighborhood homeowner chronic lack portable toilet attendant consequence minimal attention postevent cleanup running close second started friendly neighborhood event held resident relaxed fairly bohemian community become bacchanal crowding thousand neighborhood increasingly dominated upscale condominium increasingly conservative inhabitant late matter reached point city council member annise parker chris bell felt obliged introduce city ordinance requiring public hearing precondition issuance street closure permit ordinance became law june last true westfest neartown held october shortly thereafter mr florez moved event neartown altogether several year produced event called westheimer street festival exile eleanor tinsley park several mile north original festival site point last vestige similarity original community event pretty well gone party beckoned however westheimer street festival exile largely run steam mr florez attempted return event neartown unofficially piggybacking onto annual gay pride parade principal effect attempt alienate many mr florezs remaining friend houston gay lesbian community cement opposition local community group entire idea neighborhood street party florez relocated san antonio late murdered june two young men local video store video mexicano wanted travel houston annual gay pride weekend festivity october saw return sort westheimer street festival initially called westfest compressed known westheimer block party event brainchild free press houston publisher omar afra bear extremely little resemblance oversized unmanageable street festival bear considerable similarity community street festival art show existed early event occurs without street closure series property around intersection westheimer road taft street change neartown area experienced last twenty year rule possibility block party ever grow match original festival experienced slow steady growth last two year however seems finding friend supporter within community afra later invested westheimer block party replacement free press summer fest since likely new reincarnation westheimer street festival done good westfest death icon westheimer street festival westheimer street festival dead november houston indymedia westfest purist organization bring back westfest westheimer november houston indymedia westfest portrait street festival photo book