Organizers, city prep for One Spark 2015

Crowdfunding festival runs next Tuesday through Sunday

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – One Spark 2015 is less than a week away, and Wednesday organizers and city leaders came together to make sure Jacksonville residents have the information they need to have a great time downtown.

As One Spark co-founder Elton Rivas shared what's new for year three of the crowdfunding festival, he's still amazed at how the event, one he said started on a napkin, has grown.

"It's awe-inspiring for us. It is a tremendous amount of work but we are really thankful for our team and super excited for all the creator projects this year," Rivas said. 

New this year are more food and entertainment options for everyone, especially families, and a new app and opportunity for creators to use reward-based crowdfunding to raise money.

This year there will be 555 projects in 71 venues across 20 blocks of downtown Jacksonville.  The city of Jacksonville says the event has $1.8 million economic impact on local economy. With 250,000 people attending the festival last year, organizers said now it is one of top 20 festivals in attendance in the US.

There is also the new One Spark App. People can download it now and start scoping out their favorite creators even before they come downtown to vote for them.

Traffic and parking will be big issues next Tuesday through Sunday as several downtown streets will be closed. Mayor Alvin Brown and Rivas said they have worked together for months to make the event a success.

To make getting there easier, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority is providing free skyway rides this year, extending hours and adding several bus routes during the festival. There will even be free parking at certain lots.

It's part of an effort to streamline traffic because the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office will be closing many roads downtown during the festival.

One hiccup though, once drivers cross the bridge they won't be able to get on 95 South because of the Overland Bridge project.

That's why officers said practice patience or, better yet, take another route.

"You can go over the Heart Bridge easily to Emerson to 95 south or you can take Bay Street right by the Prime Osborn and catch the interstate there and go over the Fuller Warren Bridge," JSO Assistant Chief, Leonard Propper said.

MAPS & MORE ONLINE: Street closures | Public transportation, parking

Rivas said contributions at One Spark will be rewards-based this year. Like traditional online crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter or RocketHub, creators at One Spark 2015 will be able to offer rewards through their project profiles on OneSpark.com.

But the biggest change is there will be more to do.

"For the experience for the attendees, there's more food and beverages for everybody to experience, and more for families to actually come down and participate in," Rivas said. "The library is doing things. Sweet Pete's is doing things. There's more on that side."

Brown said the festival has put Jacksonville on a global stage and the city is proud to be one of One Spark's largest sponsors.

"One Spark has grown to be a signature event for Jacksonville and downtown has grown along with it," Brown said. "I'm looking forward to six exciting days in the heart of Jacksonville."