ALBANY, NY (WRGB) — Live concerts have made a triumphant return to Lark Street after a five-year hiatus with the launch of Lark Out Loud, a day festival featuring local tribute bands. Organized by two local bars, the event aims to revive the historic Albany street’s vibrancy.
“Lark Fest was one of the biggest events in Albany,” said Chris Pratt, founder of Lark Out Loud. “Thousands of people would come for the music and stay for the local businesses and the restaurants. But since COVID, the festival has not made a return.”
Local business owners have reported a significant decline in foot traffic and profits since the festival’s absence. Trudy Steier, general manager of Savoy Taproom, said, “Yeah, the loss of it has really impacted a lot of businesses. We really miss seeing people out and about. It was a great day for people to make money. Yeah, we just haven’t had that for a while. So we’ve definitely missed that on the street.”…