APPLETON, Wis. (WBAY) – Mile of Music returns to downtown Appleton in less than a month, but a popular venue won’t be hosting bands this year and their decision why has sparked an online debate.
The music event has grown significantly since launching in 2013, but the bigger crowd has also created some issues, which bars like Deja Vu say have led them to make this difficult decision, to sit this year out.
With less than a month to go, before Mile of Music returns to downtown Appleton, the excitement is already building for the event, which features around two hundred artists, and 700 live musical performances at every end of College Avenue.
“It’s kind of a necessity of life here at this point in time,” said one Appleton resident. “Everyone looks forward to it every year. It’s an entire community endeavor. There’s not a person in this mini metropolis, anyone around in this area you know that doesn’t participate in some way shape or form.”
However, the size of the growing event is also causing some concern, with the owners of Deja Vu, posting on social media: “Over the years, the days of this festival have become a dizzying, mad scramble for the staff who put in countless hours each of the four days, to the point of complete physical and mental exhaustion, and often-times injury.”
It goes on to take issue with the notion that the festival is free, and the expectations customers have because of it, adding: “Venues pay in thousands, both directly to Mile of Music and in additional operating costs, from staffing and inventory to maintenance and repairs (most of the time from vandals).”
To keep problem customers away, Deja Vu, is suggesting Mile of Music, begin some sort of cover charge, although the idea isn’t popular with some residents who attend the festival.
“There’s money to be made, believe me. In one way, shape, or form there’s money made for everyone. It has to be that way in this point of time,” said an Appleton resident. “You can’t set a precedence for years and oh, now we’re going to charge people. That is not going to fly.”
The owner of another bar, the Wooden Nickel, says he fully supports Mile of Music, and being a part of it. The event’s founder, Dave Willems, said the decision by Deja Vu was made ten months ago and a replacement venue has been selected.
A popular venue during Mile of Music says it won’t participate in the event being held next month in downtown Appleton.
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