[Indydealmaker]

Eliminate free seating for special events. Rope off the square. Have a vendor employing some of our residents rent chairs for $5 each starting one hour prior to event. People are less likely to fork over the moolah for their friends who have not yet arrived. Those that currently and quite reasonably feel arriving around an hour prior to an event is practical can then have increased chances of attending. For those horrified by the prospect of actually paying for entertainment, the funds can go to charity. I have found that if you want to induce people to start acting reasonably, money is an effective inducement.