My village holds a Summer Show every year on the Saturday before the bank holiday mid august, around the 20th/21st. This years show (today) was the 80th one that has been put on since it began. The event itself was fairly popular, despite a heavy rain shower around the time that the procession arrived. The weather cleared up, and we had a lot of fun wandering around stalls and watching various events, like dancing dogs and the tug-of-war. But something is bothering me.
Each year, there is a procession through the village, starting at the pub halfway up the High Street and going all through the village to the show ground at the top of the hill. Usually it is a very popular event, with quite a few floats and several groups of walkers, led by the carnival prince and princess (both younger pupils form the village school, chosen at the school fete in July) and a rather crazy clown named Kooky who has become synonymous with the entire event. However, this year we had only three floats and about five groups of walkers. Several local organisations who usually put in entries did not do so this year, including the village bowls club. The issue is getting enough people from any one group together to organise a float in the middle of the holidays. Playgroup always have a great turnout, but people like the school and the scouts have more problems getting numbers; it's not necessarily that the kids aren't enthusiastic, it's that there aren't enough adults around willing to help do the work to get everything set up, and the teachers and leaders can't do it on their own.
I think local traditions like the show and the procession are really important, not only for local businesses and clubs, but also for charitable organisations like the NSPCC. They also help to encourage a feeling of community within the village, and are a great opportunity to catch up with people you may not see often during the rest of the year.
It would be a real shame if these kind of events disappeared, and I for one don't want to see that happen.
Does anyone else think that?
Until tomorrow,
Glitterb
Read a story that mentioned in A/N about your blog. I've noticed similar things happening with local traditions becoming less attended and less supported. The economy has something to do with it currently, but also there is so much more for people to be involved in. Priorities are made as to which activities one wants to actively support.
ReplyDeleteLocally the Scottish associations have had a real bad down turn in people attending events, joining the organizations, willing/able to actively support. Also the local science fiction organizations have lost support to put on fan run conventions. I've support both and after years have gotten burned out. Sad.