Signs promote Salsa Festival at city’s entryway

The city council is banking that commuters driving to and from the Valley can’t miss the large banners announcing Saturday’s eighth annual Salsa Festival.

One banner is visible as drivers leave town on a wall along State Road 347, and the other is further north on the highway, visible to motorists as they enter city limits.

The Maricopa City Council approved a deviation from the city’s policy regulating large promotional banners last week.

The action is part of a pilot program to see whether large banners can help increase attendance at community events, while not being overly commercial or unsightly.

The city has a special-event permit allowing businesses and organizations to install banners up to 32 square feet five days prior to an event and direction signs 24 hours before an event.

Will Dunn with the Action Alliance Network, a nonprofit group partnering with the city to market the festival, said the many commuters in the city miss event advertising in the local media and the city’s marketing channels.