Chamber outlines June 7 'Battle of the Bands' at Piper Park; commissioners press for parking, sound and safety plan

Marty Murphy, representing the Larksburg Chamber, asked the Parks and Recreation Commission for feedback on a proposed Battle of the Bands fundraiser at Piper Park on Sunday, June 7.

"Last year we did have about 600 attendees. We're looking to... hopefully get to 700 attendees," Murphy said, describing a five‑hour family‑friendly event with five to six bands, food vendors, local beverage partners, a kids' zone and a single, simplified ticket price. She described efforts to control waste and partner with zero‑waste organizers and to provide security and on‑site medical personnel.

Murphy said the chamber plans to limit the scale of vendor infrastructure compared with last year to cut costs, will require local vendors to use recyclable serving ware and intends to coordinate event parking through ticketing (Eventbrite) and discussions with adjacent lots and partners. She proposed a range of cost‑cutting measures, a single ticket price (adult ticket example cited at $45) and expanded family programming.

Commissioners welcomed advance notice but pressed for a formal parking plan, noise and decibel guidance from the sound contractor, and clearer logistics for ingress, egress and crowd control. One commissioner said there were parking and traffic-management issues last year and that new "no parking" signs on Rose Lane and a recently opened library parking lot could complicate this year's logistics. The commission also urged coordination with the city’s summer music series to avoid schedule conflicts and to explore co‑branding or joint promotion.

Murphy acknowledged those concerns and said she would check parking availability with Redwood High School Foundation and the Lucky parking lot, work with the event sound contractor on decibel limits and provide a detailed parking and logistics plan to staff. The presentation was informational; no permit vote was taken at the meeting.

Commissioners encouraged staff and the chamber to return with the requested parking, safety and sound-management plan before event permits are finalized.