Portola Festival 2024: The Portola Music Festival is making its return to Pier 80 in San Francisco this weekend, drawing tens of thousands of excited attendees. However, not everyone is thrilled about the event; some residents in Alameda are preparing for a weekend of noise disturbances. In 2023, the festival led to more than 200 noise complaint calls from the area.

“I say tone it down,” said Dianna Wyman, a real estate agent in Alameda. Although she lives in central Alameda and doesn’t personally hear the music, many of her clients do. “I’ve heard it’s really unbearable,” Wyman added. “The water conducts the sound, making it really noisy.”

Alameda officials have noted that the powerful bass frequencies easily travel across the water, reaching residents' homes. The San Francisco Entertainment Commission received reports of windows rattling in Alameda, along with hundreds of noise complaints.

Pat Marshall, who lives just four blocks from the water, experienced the festival noise firsthand last year. “Oh, I literally thought it was two blocks away,” Marshall recalled, surprised to learn the next day that the event was actually in San Francisco. “I think it would be one thing if I could be there and enjoy it live, but it was disturbing.”

The noise was so disruptive that the City of Alameda posted a formal request on their Facebook page, asking the organizers to either discontinue the event or consider moving it to another venue. However, neither Marshall nor Wyman wants the festival to end.

“I would hate to deprive someone else of their entertainment or enjoyment,” Marshall said.

Wyman echoed her sentiment, saying, “I’m not saying cancel. I prefer better solutions. Is there a way to tone it down? Can barriers be constructed to deflect the noise?”

In response to the concerns, festival organizers have made efforts to mitigate the impact on nearby residents. These measures include lowering the bass levels, adjusting the stage orientation, and installing two sound monitors in Alameda. These monitors will track noise levels, and if they exceed a certain threshold, engineers will be alerted to adjust the sound.

Despite the noise issues, Wyman doesn’t believe the festival will have any long-term effects on the community. “It’s not big enough to impact it,” she said. “Alameda is a wonderful community with all kinds of people living here. It’s lovely and quiet most of the time.”

To address any immediate noise complaints during the event, the city has set up a community hotline at 877-324-8151, where sound adjustments will be made in real time.

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