Cincinnati officials and event organizers hoped Sunday's Vine Street Festival would be another step in revitalizing Over-the-Rhine. But several local residents and business owners say it will take much more publicity and neighborhood involvement to rejuvenate a street still recovering from the April 2001 riots.

        “They had horrible publicity,” said Berta Lambert, a 60-year-old Over-the-Rhine resident and community activist wearing a sign that read, “No Yuppieville in Over-the-Rhine.” “The neighborhood didn't even know (the festival) was happening.”

        The sparsely attended festival, which ran from noon to 8 p.m., spanned four blocks from Central Parkway to 14th Street.

        More than a dozen vendors sold food and novelties. Others distributed free community and health information and offered health screenings.

        Throughout the day, music blared from a stage on the corner of Vine and Central Parkway. Several city dignitaries kicked off the festivities by planting flowers along the sidewalk.

        “The street looks great,” said Mayor Charlie Luken, who at his State of the City speech in January called Vine the most important street in the city and announced a major revitalization program for it. “We've made some progress, but there's still work to do.”

        The city already has planted window boxes, trees and hedges along the street. About $400,000 is being spent on the facades of about a dozen Vine Street buildings.

        The improvements start next month and should be complete in November.

        Business owner William Edwards said lasting improvement will encourage people to come to the neighborhood.

        “I'm all for any event that increases traffic to the area 1/2ndash 3/4 but this ain't it,” said the 35-year-old owner of The Next Millennium, a music and car audio store on Vine Street. “No one came from Northern Kentucky or Mount Adams. It's the same people who live here.”

        Booths were mostly empty during the early afternoon hours.

        By 2 p.m. the Crossroad Health Center booth at 13th street had given out free allergy medicine, cough drops and information to 15 or 20 people.

        “I don't think the community was aware that we were doing this today,” said Desiree Garcia, who was helping run the booth. “Most of the people just happened to be walking by and saw (the festival).”

        Organizers said event advertising included contacting local businesses and handing out more than 5,000 fliers to neighborhood residents.

        Enquirer reporter Cindy Kranz contributed to this story.

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