It was an unseasonably warm, dry October Friday night and downtown Salem was alive. Music poured out of restaurants, wine bars, and sidewalk cafes. Bands expressed their excitement to be playing and thanked the fans. Everyone from toddlers to senior citizens were out enjoying the first installation of Mix n' Mash, a two-day fundraiser for the Mid-Valley Video Festival, which involved 14 venues, 50 local bands, visual artists, music videos, fashion, and more.

Copperjohns: Packed.
Grand Vines: Packed.
Coffeehouse Café: twice the number of customers. Young's Teriyaki: rockin'.

Mix and Mash organizer Ross Schwartzendruber said the event exceeded his expectations in every way.

"People saw there is an alternate potential for downtown that has never been shown in that light. There was something different happening downtown that had never happened before.

Hopefully greater things will come other than just this event -- more concerts, more venues, bigger shows. Bands are already booking in other venues. People are taking initiative, and people can continue that."

Schwartzendruber got a lot of positive feedback.  

He said the artists loved it and they are asking to participate again next year.

Florence Avenue band members said they appreciated the chance to play outside of their garage.

"Restaurant owners were ecstatic," Schwartzendruber said. "New customers were coming through their door: some of them have returned already. Venues are getting more business. Some had their biggest nights of the month."

Paul Reiter, owner of Young's Teriyaki, knew nothing about the event initially, but agreed to participate simply because he was asked.  

After the weekend, he is ready to participate again next year. He estimates that they had 25 percent more customers than usual.

"I think it went very well. We had a good turnout on Saturday."

His customers were a mix of the usual crowd as well as younger people and Reiter said,

"That's good, we like that."

Coffeehouse Café owner Lari DeLapp agreed.

"I felt it went great. There was a wide variety of people that came down, different than usual patrons and a broader variety of customers. It was a better turnout than what I expected."

Kurt Kindle, President of Mid-Valley Video Festival, said the first year's goal was to finish in the black, a goal they met with the $4000 the event raised. While the purpose of Mix n' Mash was to fund-raise and remind people to get their films in for the festival, the hope was also for local artists and filmmakers to get together,network and get their names out there.

The Mid-VVF is accepting entries on DVD or mini DV.  Mail entries to  335 Grove Street NE, Salem, 97301. For more information, check out Mvvfest.org