How downtown Sarasota block party organizers find fresh bands

More than 2,000 people come out each month to experience Fresh Fridays downtown on the first Friday of each month, Joseph Grano, Jr. said.

Grano is the president, founder and marketing communications thought leader of Next-Mark, the marketing agency that organizes the block party on behalf of the Downtown Improvement District, a special district of the city of Sarasota.

Held in varying locations in the heart of downtown and featuring live music, the event is promoted as offering the freshest talent in the area. But how does it manage to stay on top of its goal, continually bringing new faces or high-end bands to draw crowds each time?

Although the company works with a $10,000 monthly budget provided by the Downtown Improvement District, as well as in-kind donations and sponsorships, choosing acts still requires careful planning.

After all, even a middle-of-the-road band costs around $5,000, according to Grano.

Then there are the costs for staging, electricity, insurance liability, promotion, labor and portalettes. All workers at the event are paid, though the city provides in-kind services like trash management, policing and street apportionment. 

Photo by Ian Swaby

“$10,000 goes very, very fast,” Grano said. “We have to stretch this budget, and that has really been a challenge.”

The hope is that the effort will offer an experience in one of Sarasota's most luxurious areas for some guests who have less to spend. 

“They want to have that downtown experience, but they may or may not be able to afford to spend $200 on dinner on a night out, but, they want to be part of the fabric of downtown, and that's really what this has done,” Grano said. 

Downtown Improvement District Chair Chris Voelker said the event, which began in 2021 while she was serving on the board of the district and the idea was pitched to her by former city commissioner Hagen Brody, is about bringing the community together.

“It began with us trying to find some sense of community, and particularly after COVID, someplace where people could just have a great time, just come with a kid, with the parents, whatever,” she said.

Voelker said the event’s other genesis was to create an experience elevated from what had been seen in the past, offering only high-end restaurants and entertainment.

It's an effort in which she also plays a part.

"I probably talk to Joe all time," she said. "What are we going to do, what are we going to do for that? What kind of theme will we use? Do we need a theme? What kind of music?”

Typically, staff review possible bands and narrow the selection to about three, bringing it to the team at Next-Mark. In order to pare down the list, they talk to other influencers locally who regularly attend the events, while also considering the budget. 

Grano will talk to anyone who contacts him or approaches the company in order to see if they are a fit, or to consider them for the future.

“We definitely are inclusive of local bands; we have Southbound75 For our March event, and we do want to see fresh faces, so, it's not unusual for us to go to the East Coast or go to the Naples market, and bring in some bands that people haven't seen before,” he said.

The events tend to eschew more progressive music forms in favor of dance bands; an 80s night was a big hit with guests, Grano noted. 

“We have music that appeals to a wide group of people,” Voelker said. “Older people. Younger people. So we always try to keep it that way.”

Part of the event's success, said Grano, also depends on the involvement of its management. 

“I feel really strongly that we need to be there,” Grano said. “I’ve never missed an event, and neither has Chris. We are there; our team is present.”