What do you think? Was it a success? Or, as those who attended have said, "It was a farce," or similar words.
I saw the cars and they were interesting. Otherwise, there wasn't much happening. Defend the CBIA here. Or join the smackdown in progress.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
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21 comments:
Was it the location or was it the fact that it was the third "FESTIVAL" in the greater town of Fort Erie in four weeks. Maybe they should start to spread it out a little more. Being the third one I would think that it is getting to be a rehash of the first two.
Could be. But the same night as the very successful Ridgeway Festival was a Rib Fest in Crescent Park that was also very successful. Other than the car show, there was nothing of interest at the Crystal Beach Festival - or so I've heard. If the festival is to continue, it must re brand itself or return to its roots. Preferably, I would like to see it put to rest and the End of Summer Parade become a festival (like the original) replete with a "Wake" and a proper Viking Burial (OK, may not, but fireworks would be nice.) The original Burial of Old Man (and Lady) Summer went on for three days. The parade was the grand finale. In the original parties, people dressed up as mourners and there was a guy who "officiated" and gave a eulogy to the summer. In today's techno-age, a multi-media retrospective of the summer could be presented at the Wake or after the parade. There are so many possibilities and, as far as I know, no one else makes a big deal over the end of summer. The original was all done by a bunch of people who just wanted to have a good time. And it was.
So the question is, are these festivals for the local people or are they to bring in tourists to visit for a day or a weekend. The Rib-Fest in Cresent Park was not a major affair like the one in St Catherines, it was a local money raiser for the FEFD Station 3.
Mabe its time that these fastival organizers sat down together and started to come up with something new. All we see are rehashes of the old festivals or in the case of the Friendship Carnival and Small Flea Market less than the old thing.
Since you "heard" that there was nothing of interest at the festival, I must assume that you did not support it by attending.
FYI: This is a town. Again, there is no such thing as a non-confidence vote.
I did not attend. Have not attended the Crystal Beach Festival since it moved to the Waterfront Park. (Good points, the great oz.) BTW, I must correct something. There was a poster whose remarks I edited due to spelling and grammar. My g-mail has red lines under misspelled words, I copied and pasted it here, but forget to change it to "anonymous." I have no idea what TKA means, but since that posting, it has occurred to me that it might mean The Ass Kissers.)
Anonymous:
During the Ridgeway Summer Festival thousands of dollars are raised and are dealt out to various needy causes throughout the town.
Hi Sharon:
Perhaps a result of all the emotion swirling around the Bay Beach “issue”, The Strand seems to be the most popular blog that “no one” reads.
“Nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded”
While I share your optimism in regards to the potential offered by the “end of summer” parade & festival, the event, at its inception was, and remains, an event “in addition to” any and all activities offered in and around Crystal Beach.
Being “selected” as chairmen for the event was the result of “shooting my mouth off” at an FOCB meeting a couple of years back. Before I knew it, a motion was made, then seconded and “yours truly” was drafted. Some guys never learn!
Acting in this capacity is a bit like being “a Cat Herder”.
Being “chairmen” is only a matter of coordinating the participants and getting the word out. It’s the latter that I address here.
The emphasis is on encouraging folks to participate and to be creative when making their parade floats. All we ask is that everyone remember that this is a FAMILY FRIENDLY event and SAFETY FIRST !
The parade will begin at 2:00PM at Erie & Ridgeway Rds. RAIN OR SHINE ! Saturday, August 30th.
Registration will begin at 12:30 PM. Assuming good weather, I would like to expand the registration process in anticipation of increased participation. Remember this is still an automobile/horses only parade.
Following the parade will be the “burial of old man summer” ceremony. Food & drink will be offered (for sale as a fund raiser) by the Crystal Beach Public School.
At 6:00PM a FREE concert featuring Steve Burnside & The Marquee’s will take the stage in The Crystal Chandelier.
In conclusion, a few notes.
-This is the 3rd year using the “vehicle only” format. Plenty of folks would like to see a real marching parade. While possible, that would necessitate MANY MORE volunteers. The rules change as soon as you get pedestrians walking on public roads.
-Can anyone help me with getting some musicians (Dixieland perhaps) to “volunteer” and play while riding on a float ? Those I’ve talked to will perform for a fee only. Our budget is tight to say the least.
-To offset expenses we charge a $10 per vehicle registration fee. REMEMBER, non- profit groups are exempt.
Regards,
John McCarthy
jmccarthy@buffnews.com
I love how these groups are always forming to take legal and civic action against someone. Then, of course, we never hear of them again.
end of summer parade sounds like a lot more fun than the crysstal beach festival, but remember this is fort erie do you need a parade permit, i am sure the town has its hand out for something
FOCB is aware of all that. Yes, a parade permit is needed as well as insurance through the town. All that has to be arranged in advance, that is why John McCarthy said the parade has to be "vehicle and horses" only. Years ago, during the original End of Summer festivities, we all just jumped into our cars and paraded through Crystal Beach. As far as I know, no one got a permit. Different times, though.
The sad thing is that we the community HAVE to form "action" groups because the joke called town council and staff and"agencies" do NOT do their JOB- oh of course unless you;
a) give campgian donation to the certain members of council
b) give contracts to friends
c) give $2 million in tax dollars to a billionaire
d) give out cigars and booze and "other" stuff to staff.
( anyone getting nervous yet?)
e) a whole lot of other things that WHEN brought forward will not only open the eyes of the community but will cause a backlash and a cleanning of the cancer such as this community has never seen. I'm certain the main stream media will evetually pick up on this corruption and then we also will have nationl media attention.
Your fear is eviedent for your patheic ridicule of anyone who attempts to expose the cancer of this town.
The "actions" and groups will happen,what you fear and are attempting to find out is when?
i will give you a answer.
When it happens. It may happen tommorow, next week, next month,next year or right in the middle of the next municipal election.
One thing TKA that you can be certain of is THAT IT WILL HAPPEN.
Yada, Yada, Yada...
You have been telling us all the legal things, cancer cleaning things that are going to happen since Christ was in his cradle and then you and your doomsday prophets do nothing.
"Full of sound and fury and signifying nothing".
When can we all expect to see "Fort Erie Corruption Unveiled" on the front page of the Globe and Mail? Or will it be broadcast on The Fifth Estate? Just curious.
let history judge
The posters who continue to defend the myth that the Town of Fort Erie is not rife with corruption will continue to live in denial - right until the last miscreant is charged.
well it's safe to say it WON"T be the Peace Bridge Herald ha ha ha !
"what went wrong with the Crystal Beach Festival" ... how 'bout cuz there is no Crystal Beach as an entity. Ridgeway Days work cuz there is a Ridgeway.
May I digress? The article on t Strand re the Tim Hortons - if this truly is the situation, then it is to the Head office of Tim Hortons that one must go. All owners are franchise owners and must abide by the rules that the head office sets. Hopefully, this owner does not own any other TH in the area.
And why haven't the police done anything to curtail the "activities" at said TH?
HMMM
Not sure what you mean by "there is no Crystal Beach as an entity." I can tell you that the owner of the franchise in Crystal Beach also owns several others in Fort Erie and, has acknowledged that there is a problem at the franchise in CB. The whole problem goes back several years when the former so-called "Ted Horton's" was rebuilt on its present spot. Originally, it had been a fried chicken + coffee place, one of the original Tim Horton franchises. Town officials granted a zoning variation (either in error or deliberately) giving the new Tim Horton's the Drive-thru even though there was not enough space between it and its neighbours. The neighbours protested and went to council, but their concerns were ignored. Then, to add insult to injury, Tim Horton's was granted 24 hour service and life got very difficult for people living in the area as they had to put up with noise and fumes all night and day. When smoking was fully banned in Tim Horton's, smokers took it to the streets and started hanging around the outside in all locations of Tim Horton's. They have, in any other location I've seen, been dissuaded from gathering around the doors and walkways. The CB Timmie's has lawn chairs and motorcycles arranged around its signpost and a regular group of people gathered who seem to be there all night - especially on weekends. To a person driving through town of an evening, it gives the appearance of some kind of gang gathering and certainly dissuades a single person from venturing into Timmie's past the gauntlet of hangers-on. Since the incident on Sunday morning, there has been a noticeable change in the area. The police are sticking around more and not just getting a coffee and leaving; Booger is MIA (he'll return though; he always does;) and people are not setting up their lawn chairs anymore. I still think that the drive thru has to be closed down and that franchise, because it's in a residential neighbourhood, should close at midnight. Now that the Stevensville location is open in a noticeably non-residential area, people can go there if they can't wait until morning - or the one in Crescent Park - again, located in a non-residential area. I feel sorry for the senior citizen who lives just past the fence on Ridgeway Road who has lived in that house for decades and has experienced property devaluation, noise and safety concerns. Other neighbours have to listen to loud conversations and motors revving all hours of the night and early morning car radios blaring as they pass through the drive-thru. If this is not dealt with, the situation will only get worse and something tragic will happen.
Hey Editor ......
I know you posted a lymric about Martha on another thread, but also know that my posting it there, it won't show up 'cause to archive discussions when they don't go your way.
So, here is my lymric ......
There once was a bitch from Ridgeway,
Who never had anything positive to say,
She put up a site,
Invited others to write,
As long as they saw things HER way.
Good one! To which I'll edit (since I am the editor:)
There once was a sage from Ridgeway
Who saw the sale by the way
Of the lands by the beach many hold dear,
And warns those who read The Strand of her fear,
Despite the few who want her to shut up and go away.
To the bozo who sent in the "lymric" and the self-congratulatory comment about the "lymric," learn the term, you dolt. It's Limerick. It originally thought to have originated in Limerick, Ireland, but that particular verse form was first used by an English writer named Edward Lear. It was later called a Limerick because the phrase "we'll all come up, come up to Limerick" was interjected between verses when it became a popular drinking game.
There once was a knave from the press,
Who printed a rag to express
His hatred for those who would dare
To seek office in Fort Erie fair,
While he drank and did drugs to excess.
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