Palmer Chamber suspends Friday Fling citing public safety

Friday Fling, a weekly summer destination in downtown Palmer, has been temporarily suspended by its organizer, the Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce, according to a letter issued to its members and vendors.

Chamber officials cited public safety.

According to Palmer Chamber Board President Kelly McKay-Dolfi, there were over eight different vehicles-pedestrian incidents this season which prompted the Chamber's decision to postpone Friday Fling. She claimed there was an incident where a vehicle plowed through a barrier of cones to park at the Palmer Library lot.

“It was crazy,” McKay-Dolfi said.

The Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors issued the following statement:

"Dear Vendors and Members, Several situations have occurred surrounding the operation of vehicles within the event area that have endangered both staff and public. We have been unable to mitigate these safety issues as of Friday and the dangerous vehicle activity continues to jeopardize safety. As a result the GPCC Board of Directors made a motion in a Special Meeting on June 23rd to suspend Friday Fling on 6/28 & 7/5. All vendors will be reimbursed for any booth fees associated with the cancellation. We will be working to put together a plan to ensure the safety of the event. We will be reaching out to the City of Palmer and the GPCC membership for assistance.”

Vendors sold their wares while community members enjoyed the market Friday, June 21, the most recent Fling. Everyone appeared seemingly unaware that an impending decision to put the beloved annual marketplace on hold was just a few days away.

Supporters of the Fling have rallied on social media since the news surfaced. Local business owners have offered their property and parking lots as an alternative for merchandise vendors and food trucks anticipating on doing business again on Friday.

McKay-Dolfi noted that deterring traffic from Friday Fling has been particularly difficult this year due to numerous factors such as the city of Palmer not providing barricades like they have in past years. She said the Chamber is currently working on rebuilding their relationship with the city while working on other endeavors to ensure pedestrian safety such as hiring additional security staff. She stressed that they aren't blaming the city or wanting to “throw them under the bus.”

“Ultimately, the Chamber is responsible if someone got hit," McKay-Dolfi said. “That is why it was put on hold. We're trying to move forward with it.”

McKay-Dolfi said the Chamber is working to reopen Friday Fling as soon as they can. She said postponing the popular weekly summer event was an extremely difficult decision to make.

“It's a very horrible spot for this to be in," McKay-Dolfi said. “I am absolutely sick to my stomach that call had to be made… This is very emotional for us. Unfortunately, right now we're here and I wish we weren't… We're trying to mitigate and do the right thing.”

McKay-Dolfi said that she feels for the vendors who are missing out on these important and expected work days.

“These guys need spaces and the last thing we want to do is cut out the vending," McKay-Dolfi said. “As a business owner, the last thing I want to do is cut traffic that brings

The Chamber issued another statement on social media Wednesday, June 26:

“On the evening of June 21, there was extremely heavy traffic due to other events in the area. The cones providing the road closure were run over, and a vehicle nearly hit a staff member of the chamber. The police were notified. Chamber staff attempted to direct traffic, resulting in another altercation when a male exited his vehicle in the middle of the road. The chamber prioritizes the safety of their staff, vendors, and community members. However, the chamber does not have enough staff to manage these serious safety issues. We are taking a pause to secure the appropriate staff, volunteers, and contractors needed to open this market safely. We are collaborating with the city and other resources to resolve these issues.”

This is a developing story. Follow Frontiersman.com for more information.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com