Commission approves Fillmore Farmers Market music and Soulful Sundays but residents voice deep noise concerns

The Entertainment Commission voted March 5 to allow weekly live music at the Fillmore Farmers Market (Saturdays, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.) and to permit Soulful Sundays to host weekly entertainment (Sundays, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.), after an extended public comment period in which neighborhood residents and event organizers clashed over noise, outreach and frequency.

Market organizers and musicians described the live music as a cultural amenity that helps sustain vendors and preserves local jazz traditions. Michael Peterson and market manager Mia Simmons said musicians perform for tips and that lineup rules keep sound at a level that allows vendors to transact: "If someone can't hear a seller from across the aisle, they're too loud," a market representative said.

Soulful Sundays organizer Aris Edgley said the event brings family programming, local performers and cultural programming to the Fillmore: "Soulful Sundays was not just about entertainment. It was about bringing back the culture of just being able to play in the streets," Edgley said.

But dozens of residents—many tenants of the Fillmore Center and the Fillmore Heritage Center—testified that repeated, multi‑day weekend activations (Friday, Saturday and Sunday events in the same corridor) have combined to make the block untenable at times. Residents described music so loud that walls vibrated and sleeping in late on weekends became impossible; several said they had filed 311 complaints and reported inconsistent responses. One resident said, "Our windows are closed, and yet our walls shake at these volumes."

Commissioners weighed competing values: cultural preservation and small‑business recovery versus immediate neighborhood quality‑of‑life concerns. Several commissioners urged better, more consistent outreach (including using Nextdoor and mailed notices) and collaboration among the three event organizers that share the block. Staff reminded residents that issuance of permits places events under the commission’s enforcement gaze: when a permitted event exceeds its sound limits, staff can and will respond.

After deliberation, the commission approved both permits with staff recommendations. The Fillmore Farmers Market received approval to host weekly low‑volume music; Soulful Sundays was approved for weekly entertainment. Commissioners and staff encouraged organizers to coordinate scheduling, reduce early morning volume when feasible and provide clear neighbor contact methods to improve responsiveness.