Festival

Intended or not, there were some wounded feelings on the part of some Festival Committee members about the Editorial in today's Gazette. Organizing and making the Festival happen every year is a BIG job and members donate hundreds of hours in some cases. Its a LOT of work and members may not be feeling fully appreciated by the community and a little sensitive to any possible criticism. I have always seen the Festival as a community service, a time to get together with your friends and neighbors and socialize, catch up with whats happening in their lives, and vice versa. The fact that they may donate small sums of money to deserving local charities is a bonus for our community. Those who want to return to the River theme with rides, etc, had better be ready to pay 5k for insurance upfront, and also pay for the two waterborne police officers to be present the entire time the events are being held. In the past it was just too expensive, but, if there are those in the community who want it AND are willing to pay for that, go for it! There are spirited debates about different issues but nothing that you wouldn't expect with a group of strong personalities that care about the Festival and the community strongly. There are some that are very protective of the Festival and don't want somebody on the outside, who doesn't know all the issues involved, telling them what should be done, but NOT pitching in to help get it done. Walk the walk. We hope that the Festival Forum is successful and that lots of volunteers show up and donate their services, and ideas, especially the younger people who are the future of the Festival, and the world. We are open to the discussion of new ideas and the absorption of new energies, but we are VERY careful about those changes from experience, as we are interested in making the Festival as fun, safe, and satisfying as possible for EVERYONE. We are united, and committed, to wanting it to be the best Festival possible. We just need some like-minded help making that happen.