Rick Wright, Chief Executive Officer at MainStreet Oceanside, welcomed the group to the last Morning Meeting of the year followed by his announcement of retiring at the end of this year. He said he felt he accomplished a lot as the leader of the organization and would miss conducting the monthly Morning Meeting. He also said he would be around for a while to help part-time with the transition.
Chief Operations Officer at MSO, Gumaro Escarcega added that Rick has done a lot for MainStreet Oceanside and downtown Oceanside. He said MSO will undergo the transition on January 1, 2024, and will continue to work hard for the downtown businesses and the community.
Juliet Rodriguez, Professional Arts & Culture Assistant for the Oceanside California Cultural District, presented information about designation by the California Arts Council. The designation is bestowed upon areas with a high concentration of arts and culture programming and venues and is determined by cultural resources and activities in five categories: music and art; lifestyle and heritage; culinary and beer/wine; dance and theater; and nature and coastal.
Oceanside is one of 14 state-designated cultural districts in California, and one of three in San Diego, County. Barrio Logan and Balboa Park are the other two. The Oceanside Cultural District was officially designated in 2017 and renewed in 2023. The local district is staffed by the Oceanside Public Library and is advised by a steering committee consisting of 15 members with arts organizations and creative backgrounds.
The goals of the Oceanside Cultural District are supporting local artists and arts organizations; supporting diverse programs and events; and supporting the local creative economy. Additional goals are to highlight equitable and accessible opportunities, increase the visibility of arts and cultures, and engage with the community.
The Oceanside Cultural District received a grant from the California Arts Council with funding of $200,000 per year for three years for marketing, personnel, and events. The OCCD marketing efforts include arts and culture promotions in the Osider Magazine, MSO’s Discover Downtown Magazine, and the San Diego Magazine Visitors’ Guide.
Juliet said the Oceanside Art Walk website, oceansideartwalk.org, lists arts and cultural events in Oceanside. Gumaro asked how to submit events to the calendar. Juliet suggested emailing her at JuRodriguez@oceansideca.org.
Gumaro announced it’s the holiday season and ‘Tis the Season to Shop Local is happening now. Shop & Win Downtown Oceanside is an event where consumers shop in Downtown Oceanside and spend a minimum of $50 on one or more receipts for a chance to win one of three great local prizes, each with an average value of $1,000: Week 1 – Oceanside Staycation, Week 2 – Carla & Linda’s Local Food Tours for up to 10 people, and Week 3 – E-bike from Ride Oside. More information is on the www.shoplocaloceanside.com website. Each $50 spent = 1 entry. Receipts can be emailed to bobbie@mainstreetoceanside.com or dropped off at the MainStreet Oceanside office at 701 Mission Avenue.
The holiday season also brings back the Christmas Giving Trees. MSO partners with three organizations to collect gifts for local youths in need. There are three trees in the MSO office lobby with about 100 ornaments made by local kids. Individuals are asked to take one or more ornaments, purchase one of the items listed on the ornament, and bring the unwrapped item with the ornament back to the MSO office by Friday, December 15. Main Street staff will play Santa and elves to deliver the items before Christmas.
In collaboration with Senator Catherine Blakespeare, Joe and Mary Mottino YMCA, and Libby Elementary PTO, MSO is collecting toys for the Lived Experiences 2023 Christmas Toy Drive. Bring a new, unwrapped toy to the MSO office by Tuesday, December 19.
Morning Meeting attendees and MSO volunteers, Larry and Carolyn asked how the Sip & Shop Downtown Oceanside turned out. Gumaro said that 150 people attended the event, and about a thousand people attended the concurrently run Merry Makers Fair. Both events were successful. He reiterated that these events and the Shop & Win Downtown Oceanside are all part of the ‘Tis the Season to Shop Local campaign designed to support our local businesses during the holidays.
Main Street board member and Design Committee chair, Mary Ann Thiem asked how the Street Vending information workshop went last night. Gumaro said the Entrepreneurship Pipeline Program with MiraCosta College launched with an educational workshop for people interested in street vending. Representatives from the San Diego Health Department and the City of Oceanside presented to 25 people in attendance about city ordinances and the proper permits required to be a street vendor. Gumaro said the workshop will be repeated next year. Mike Bullock asked about a sustainability process. MSO has partnered with Green Oceanside to educate the public about City ordinances to ban plastic bags and polystyrene products.
Gumaro said that Springhill Suites is a partner for the Entrepreneurial Pipeline Program with MSO and MiraCosta College, and the hotel is providing a venue for a quarterly makers market where student makers can sell their products. The EPP is still in the developmental stages, and mentors are needed.
Alex Goodman, managing director at the Oceanside Theatre Company, announced the theater has a ton of programming over the holiday season. “Seasons,” a story about six friends who go through milestone moments of their lives, is showing Dec. 8-10; “Blitzen’s Ball: A Holiday Variety Show” will be showing Dec. 15-24; and for New Year’s Eve, stand-up NERD Comedy returns for a sober New Year’s. Alex suggested one of the ways to spend $50 for the Shop & Win event is to buy gift cards for OTC! He said that the theater was also a recent recipient of $50,000 from the Prebys Foundation, which donated a total of $30m to organizations in the San Diego community. OTC is also going through a transition – Kevin “Blax” Burroughs has stepped into the artistic director role upon Ted Leib’s retirement.
Tyler Garcia from Visit Oceanside said a new event is coming to Oceanside the second week of January – WSA Western Surfing Championship Tour – Jan. 8-14. About 50 athletes will be participating. The event was previously in San Diego and recently moved to Oceanside. He will keep in touch with the organizer about any needs for local volunteers.
Brigid Parsons said she would be presenting an Arts & Economic Prosperity Study at The Seabird on January 26 – more details to come. She said that in 2022 arts and culture contributed $51m to the Oceanside economy.
Happy Holidays!
Notes submitted by Bobbie Mills.
Coffee provided by Pier View Coffee
The MainStreet Morning Meeting is held on the first Tuesday of each month at 8:30 a.m.
We welcome all parties interested in the progress of Downtown Oceanside, including businesspeople, residents, and City staff.
This informative one-hour meeting is held in an informal discussion format. The general public is always welcome! Come meet your city officials, MainStreet Oceanside staff and members and find out about upcoming events and changes to YOUR downtown and city.
The MainStreet Morning Meeting is held at the MainStreet Oceanside meeting room at 701 Mission Avenue. Call our office for more information or directions at (760) 754-4512.
