PITTSBURGH \u2014 Lizzy Sidwell and her sister no longer have Jam on Walnut in their summer plans.<\/p>\n
Just this week, the Shadyside Chamber of Commerce announced the annual Jam on Walnut music festival won\u2019t be happening this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One of the reasons they gave is the growing concern around community safety, cleanliness and underage drinking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
According to Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Erika Strassburger, last year, hundreds of teenagers showed up and were drinking in the parking lots surrounding Walnut Street.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we were experiencing outside of the Jam on Walnut perimeter, in the parking lots outside of Walnut, was essentially a teen takeover. People would hear about it from all over the county and know that this is a place where you can both hear music from outside of the jam and have a little party,\u201d Strassburger said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, she was a part of a broader discussion about how there would need to be safety changes if the event went on this summer.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the organizers chose to hold it again this year, we would want to try a test run. Plan an event, perhaps making it an all-ages event and ending early,\u201d she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the event organizers, which are local nonprofits, also said they didn\u2019t have the capacity to put on the event.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Instead, they decided to have a Summer Music Series that is more of a family event, and will be in the afternoon, instead of a nighttime music festival.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Strassburger hopes the Shadyside summer staple will eventually return.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a real shame on the one hand because we know that, in the past, when it first started, neighbors would walk down the street and really enjoy it,\u201d Strassburger said.<\/p>\n
The first Summer Music Series event will be on June 13 from 3-6 p.m.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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