THE POWER OF PLACEMAKING “Events are like that spark”
BY NICOLE MISKOVIC
How Events Shape Our Community and Boost Our Economy In downtown Bradenton, the hum of conversation blends with music drifting from the Riverwalk. Food trucks line the street. Artists paint live while children laugh and dance. Neighbors, strangers, and visitors alike are sharing the same experience. This moment is more than just an event. It’s placemaking in action. Placemaking, according to Project for Public Spaces, is the collaborative process of reimagining public spaces as the heart of every community. It emphasizes the connection between people and the places they share, turning parks, streets, and plazas into vibrant, inclusive spaces that foster identity, interaction, and pride. One organization helping lead the placemaking movement locally is Realize Bradenton, a nonprofit that builds community and promotes economic prosperity through the activation of public places. Its latest initiative, BAM!Fest, brought an estimated 10,000 people to the Bradenton Riverwalk in April for a free day-long celebration of art, music, food, and family fun. Events, Festivals, and Economic Impact Beyond the social and cultural impact, events also generate real economic returns. According to the Economic Development Journal, the economic impact of tourismbased events is driven by new money (spending that comes from outside the local area and circulates within it). This means every out-of-town visitor attending a festival or event like BAM!Fest contributes to our local economy through ripples of interaction with the community, from eating at restaurants to staying in hotels. 54 | BMAG
Photos by Jeremy Piper