short answer: Karma
opinionated answer: greed.
Tomorrow is the first weekend in August. For the last three or four years, this has meant Summerfest for Brown County; for Mt. Orab.
Big name (once upon a time) entertainers, as the culmination of a summer's worth of free "Music in the Park" concerts.
A celebration of selling and crafts and community. Many of our local businesses were proud to be sponsors and do their part in creating this wonderful time.
A gathering of friends and neighbors meeting greeting and enjoying one last big thing before cool weather and school schedules and the slo-mo rush into the holidays.
The owners of Georgetown Rent-2-Own even moved their traditional back-to-school bash to the Mt Orab park, because they would be able to reach more of their neighbors, friends, and customer base. For many years they have been doing this giving back, and they did it in a big way. (Because that's how we do things here in the country.)
The weather was good, the friendliness was fun, and , hey, we would all run into old friends or maybe make some new ones.
The second year of the Bash being in the park, the Powers-That-Be decided that after a certain time, the bounce houses and other attractions would need to be paid for. Those collecting giveaway school supplies could eat and play until noon, which was the somewhat liquid cutoff for collecting the supplies.
Okay, this was a little different, but maybe it was fair enough. Parents and families do realize that bounce houses cost, the electric to run the fans cost, etc. Once the supplies have been picked up, and the kids have played a while, if one doesn't have the money, one can leave, or at least look around elsewhere.
It was kind of a drag, but the children who were dragged out at 8 or 9 am to go get notebooks and a hot dog were usually readily coaxed onto new and other interests.
Last year, a new "player" enetered the field. Mt. Orab Auto Mall declared itself to be THE sponsor of Summerfest, with a little help from those nice little humdrum everyday neighborhood businesses.
And the first thing we, the humble but poor citizens knew, a decision had been made to CHARGE ADMISSION to our super great summer fantastic wonderful free community event.
Huh? This humongous "SuperBusiness" which considered itself the great savior of commerce in Mt. Orab signed up to provide an influx of cash -- and the first thing we hear is that our free party will now have a fee!
EVEN THE FREE GIVEAWAY had to pay admission fees.
(Some of us held out a hope that it would be as the year before; fees after a certain time, but No. To enter the free public neighborhood park where the giveaway was being held, one had to pay admission.)
To Get into a FREE public park.
To collect FREE school supplies.
Now, if youre a parent struggling to buy notebooks and folders -- and at back-to-school prices! -- it seems reasonable that IF you have the money you may as well go buy the stuff, doesn't it? Especially if you have many children. You could even do so without the carnival atmosphere and prices and being out in the heat all day long. Shop in air conditioned storesc, maybe even without the whiny, hungry, thirsty, bored children along.
Is it any surprise that this year has seen fewer (if any) commercial sponsors?
Is it any surprise that out local businesses, who together made other Summerfests happen, don't want to have their efforts minimized?
Is it any surprise that they don't want to be shoved aside by Outsiders with more money? (And fewer local ties?)
Is it any surprise that no one arranged entertainment such as we have become used to?
Is it any surprise that this year's "Summerfest" has become "Buy local Brown County Day?
Is it any surprise that the evening before the "Big Day" there is one booth set up in the park, and one flatbed by the bandstand?
No rows of booths, tents, campers.
No food trucks.
No coolers.
No bounce houses awaiting inflation.
Is it ANY surprise?
opinionated answer: greed.
Tomorrow is the first weekend in August. For the last three or four years, this has meant Summerfest for Brown County; for Mt. Orab.
Big name (once upon a time) entertainers, as the culmination of a summer's worth of free "Music in the Park" concerts.
A celebration of selling and crafts and community. Many of our local businesses were proud to be sponsors and do their part in creating this wonderful time.
A gathering of friends and neighbors meeting greeting and enjoying one last big thing before cool weather and school schedules and the slo-mo rush into the holidays.
The owners of Georgetown Rent-2-Own even moved their traditional back-to-school bash to the Mt Orab park, because they would be able to reach more of their neighbors, friends, and customer base. For many years they have been doing this giving back, and they did it in a big way. (Because that's how we do things here in the country.)
 |
| in 2013 |
 |
| last Georgetown bash |
The weather was good, the friendliness was fun, and , hey, we would all run into old friends or maybe make some new ones.
The second year of the Bash being in the park, the Powers-That-Be decided that after a certain time, the bounce houses and other attractions would need to be paid for. Those collecting giveaway school supplies could eat and play until noon, which was the somewhat liquid cutoff for collecting the supplies.
Okay, this was a little different, but maybe it was fair enough. Parents and families do realize that bounce houses cost, the electric to run the fans cost, etc. Once the supplies have been picked up, and the kids have played a while, if one doesn't have the money, one can leave, or at least look around elsewhere.
It was kind of a drag, but the children who were dragged out at 8 or 9 am to go get notebooks and a hot dog were usually readily coaxed onto new and other interests.
Last year, a new "player" enetered the field. Mt. Orab Auto Mall declared itself to be THE sponsor of Summerfest, with a little help from those nice little humdrum everyday neighborhood businesses.
And the first thing we, the humble but poor citizens knew, a decision had been made to CHARGE ADMISSION to our super great summer fantastic wonderful free community event.
Huh? This humongous "SuperBusiness" which considered itself the great savior of commerce in Mt. Orab signed up to provide an influx of cash -- and the first thing we hear is that our free party will now have a fee!
EVEN THE FREE GIVEAWAY had to pay admission fees.
(Some of us held out a hope that it would be as the year before; fees after a certain time, but No. To enter the free public neighborhood park where the giveaway was being held, one had to pay admission.)
To Get into a FREE public park.
To collect FREE school supplies.
Now, if youre a parent struggling to buy notebooks and folders -- and at back-to-school prices! -- it seems reasonable that IF you have the money you may as well go buy the stuff, doesn't it? Especially if you have many children. You could even do so without the carnival atmosphere and prices and being out in the heat all day long. Shop in air conditioned storesc, maybe even without the whiny, hungry, thirsty, bored children along.
Is it any surprise that this year has seen fewer (if any) commercial sponsors?
Is it any surprise that out local businesses, who together made other Summerfests happen, don't want to have their efforts minimized?
Is it any surprise that they don't want to be shoved aside by Outsiders with more money? (And fewer local ties?)
Is it any surprise that no one arranged entertainment such as we have become used to?
Is it any surprise that this year's "Summerfest" has become "Buy local Brown County Day?
Is it any surprise that the evening before the "Big Day" there is one booth set up in the park, and one flatbed by the bandstand?
No rows of booths, tents, campers.
No food trucks.
No coolers.
No bounce houses awaiting inflation.
Is it ANY surprise?
