SAN DIEGO — The Port of San Diego is enforcing a rule on crowds at the Promenade outside The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park.
Seven thousand music lovers bought tickets to see John Legend inside The Rady Shell Friday. Hundreds more lined the Promenade to see and hear the same thing, for free. It’s something the public has done since The Shell opened in 2021.
Patricia Buckley lives downtown and comes to hear the concerts at The Shell often.
"It’s wonderful for the soul for anyone who lives to listen to music. It’s probably one of my favorite things about living downtown,” Buckley said.
Patricia comes to hear the concerts and does so for free by sitting along the Promenade outside The Shell.
Sabrina Franklin and Emmanuel Robinson said they come and sit outside The Shell for concerts often.
“You can bring your own food and your own drink. Listen to some good music. Meet some good people out here. Sometimes it's a party out here just like in there,” Franklin said.
However, the parties outside got too packed. In March, the Port of San Diego passed a new law to keep people from bringing their own chairs, tables or coolers to the Promenade next to the bay, closest to the shell.
Travis Wininger is Vice President of Operations for the San Diego Symphony which manages The Shell for all events.
“Specifically, the walkways around the venue, because those are our emergency pathways. So if we have a medical emergency and need to get into the venue with an ambulance or a firetruck, that's the way those vehicles come in,” Wininger said.
When CBS 8 got to Jacobs Park at 5:30 p.m. Friday, people were already on all 19 benches that line the Promenade.
You can still sit at a bench, but once inside a gate, you cannot take your chair, a table, or a cooler.
Outside that gate, still along the Promenade area, people had picnics going around a bench with their own chairs, coolers, wagons, etc.
The San Diego Symphony and The Port want people to enjoy the shows, yes for free, they just need to be safe when doing so.
“We have a beautiful park right across from the venue as well that you can hear really so people are welcome to put down blankets and listen there,” Wininger said.
The people CBS 8 spoke with did not mind the stricter access.
“Still fun out here, just got to get out here early,” Franklin said.
“I spend a lot of money on concerts and shows and theater. If you can come and watch it and not spend money, it’s great,” Kevin Cotta said.
“I understand why they did what they did but I'm still glad I get to enjoy the music,” Buckley agreed.
Earth Wind & Fire will perform at The Shell Sunday night, June 18th, starting at 7:30 p.m.
For more upcoming concerts, visit their website.