Managing the Urban Image. Cities as Scenery for Events: A White Night Event as a Case Study

• Main Author: ELENI ATHANASOPOULOU
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cluj University Press 2015-12-01
• Series: Romanian Review of Regional Studies
• Subjects: Kalamata; scenery; urban image; white night; Greece
• Online Access: http://rrrs.reviste.ubbcluj.ro/arhive/Artpdf/v11n22015/RRRS11220154.pdf

Organizing street events in the cities is not something new. Many cultural, social or religious events take place on the streets, whereas many of them have become international events and attract pan-european attention and coverage. Mega cities are organizing festivals and cultural events in order to attract tourists and contribute to local and regional development. This trend has started growing and spreading around Europe. Medium-sized cities are also organising such multi-dimensional public space events. As a case study it is interesting to present a white night event that took place in Kalamata (a medium-sized city in southern Greece), in August 2013. The shops stayed open until 3 in the morning, offering their products at reduced prices and encouraging people to consume. The city center provided the scenery for an alternative massive celebration. Parties were thrown and concerts took place, around the city. Many people from the Kalamata Region visited Kalamata City. The success was unexpected. This article describes what good can come out of the adoption of a successful north-European cultural white night event (in St. Petersburg and elsewhere). The implementation of an interesting idea, adjusted to the local circumstances, is worth to be looked into. The article concludes that urban scenery can play an important role to the organisation and success of such multicultural events.