Party maestro may guide city’s events

SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - With five months left until Halloween, The City is close to hiring a full-time employee who will be tasked with organizing an alternative to the popular Castro party.

The Entertainment Commission’s pick for the job, which pays $45,000 a year under an ordinance passed in February, has yet to accept the position, according to the commission’s Executive Director Bob Davis. An announcement is expected next week, however, and community organizers said it’s about time.

Halloween has drawn thousands of revelers to the Castro for decades, but recent parties, which have drawn more than 250,000 people, have resulted in bloodshed. Officials clamped down on a “non-event” last year.

Several ideas are being considered to avoid a similar crackdown this year, including a Halloween parade or a handful of concurrent neighborhood parties throughout San Francisco, Supervisor Bevan Dufty told The Examiner on Wednesday. Dufty also said The City has reached at least one sponsorship agreement to help fund a large tent or concert venue.

In February, the Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance sponsored by Dufty creating a position responsible for the promotion and safety of city events as well as planning future events. The events manager may also be called on to work on other soirees, such as ING Bay to Breakers.

bbegin@sfexaminer.com

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