The Finance, Festivals and Fundraising Committee (FFF) works with the board and the board treasurer on annual budgets which are proposed and voted on by the general membership. FFF works with our events coordinator for oversight of our two neighborhood festivals, the Waterfront Festival and Orton Park Festival. The committee meets quarterly and as needed.

Two neighborhood festivals are held each year in the neighborhood to promote community building and culture. The Waterfront Festival is held 2 days in May and the Orton Park Festival is held 3 days in August of each year. Both festivals are open to the public, free of charge, and draw both neighbors and visitors. The festivals raise funds through corporate sponsorship, donations and concession. They provide the funds that enable the association to achieve our goals and mission.

Each festival is held in a park that is within the geographical area of the neighborhood. Local community businesses - particularly from the Williamson Street business district - and local non-profit organizations providing services that are of benefit to community residents have booths at the festivals. The festivals keep neighborhood residents connected to community services and expose community residents to services that are available in their neighborhood.

The festivals are also an opportunity for neighborhood residents to network with each other and enjoy multi-cultural music and food. The festivals create a sense of community fabric that is important for the continued stability of the neighborhood at large. Outside of these events, there are no other activities that bring neighborhood residents together as a whole. The festivals are important to the Marquette neighborhood in keeping residents informed of issues and trends that face their community.