mannabouttown

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Festival is Past

I survived the Heritage Festival. The walking tour of Michigan Ave. was successful, as I had small, but interested groups each tour. I think it went well.

I enjoyed the festival as well, in part by staying away from the arts and crafts booth where venders waited to take money from whose willing to pay. The crafts appear to be about the same every year, and somehow never fits in with the heritage theme of the festival. Some years there was a man with an old fashion camera, that made photographs that appears like the old glass plat ones. He has not been around for some time.

The Living History Encampment is only a faint shadow of the early years, in part because there are some other reenactor events taking place at the same time. There is also the problem, of reenactors willing to come only to events that are only reenactments. They want the whole festival to be one reenactor program. A pity, as the Living History Encampment was such a special part of the early festivals.

Those of you who wish to see the festival change, take heart. Planning for the next festival will start soon. Volunteers needed.

5 Comments:

At 6:12 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The Living History Encampment was an ignored appendix to the churning commerce of crap. The Heritage Festival wasn't about Ypsi heritage. Just a gaudy carnival of cheap gewgaws. The organizers could do better in attracting reenactors; they just don't bother, because it isn't a money-maker. Disappointing. --river-rower

 
At 7:30 AM, Blogger Xenlighten said...

Your tour was a fascinating delight. You wove architecture, history and anecdotes together to create a strong Ypsilanti contribution to the Mich Ave of yesteryear.

I also appreciate you researching and offering the origins of the road/byway for the state.

I hope you will extend this further for a larger stretch. The teeming hordes crowding into the Water Street (re?)development will surely be chomping at the bit for a taste of history in their new environs.

 
At 11:24 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear River Rower,

You are right aboutt he Living History Encampment being an appendix to churning commerce of crap. The Heritage of Ypsilanti is now only a very small part of the festival. I am wondering about how to change this. Should the community form its ownreenactor groups to fill the Living History Encampment? There are, I am sure, many people in the local area, who are interested in the subject. Ssurly some will be willing to dress and live like fur traders and Indians for a weekend. How about a Civil War camp of people from the Ypsilanti area to stage a battle or demostration of drill? Would that be a first step in the right direction?

 
At 11:26 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Teaspout,

You are clearly a person of intelligence and tast. Doing the tour was a pleasure, made all the better by people like you. Thank you.

 
At 6:32 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I disagree. I think the living history was a sucess.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home