Artists, Vendors Plan to Defy City’s ArtHop Crackdown [Video]

Artists and vendors say they plan to defy city orders banning outdoor tables and food trucks at ArtHop — some of them directly, some of them more creatively.

Because of the 15,000 people who can show up on the street at the once-a-month event, Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias and Fresno Code Enforcement said outdoor vendors and food trucks would not be allowed at the Thursday, Aug. 1 event. He said that ArtHop had strayed from its origins as an indoor event.

Arias said they needed the month to figure out what the future of ArtHop would look like.

The announcement caught small business owners by surprise, with many saying they rely on ArtHop for their income.

Pedro Cullin Jr., who identified himself as a vendor, asked at Thursday’s Fresno City Council meeting what the fines would be for operating outdoors. He also asked if it would be a one-time …