Gentlemen, start your instruments

Is there enough sidewalk to go around in downtown Santa Rosa for a couple dozen street performers? We may soon find out. At least 21 musicians and performers recently received free permits to perform for tips on city streets. A new law went into effect to lighten up on the restrictive noise ordinance.

There are conditions, of course. The sound they make can't be heard 50 feet away, they must be at least five feet from the door of an open business, and performance times are limited to 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays, slightly later on weekend nights.

For number and variety of street performers, Santa Rosa is no San Francisco. But it's a step in the right direction to coax more people downtown to shop, dine and enjoy a bit of free street entertainment too.