Published Thursday, April 03, 2008 1:52 PM
Updated Thursday, April 03, 2008 1:53 PM
Inklings
Festival fanI love the Flowertown Festival. It’s a Summerville product that benefits Summervillians. What’s not to like?
It’s true that it takes a great deal of support from Town departments – Street, Parks & Playgrounds, Police, Fire, Admin, Planning – all of them, really. And it can discombobulate nearby businesses and residents. But it’s only for one weekend a year and what an opportunity to show off our town’s hospitality, history and beauty. And maybe visitors will enjoy the festival so much, they’ll come back to sample more of our wares in more of our regular venues.
The festival also takes an incredible amount of terrific volunteers, many of them working all year, to help make the weekend a success. I’ve attended nearly every festival since 1980, sometimes working in booths. My husband has yet to actually “attend.” In the past he has worked in a food booth all three days. Now I go as a consumer. I usually don’t like huge crowds. But this one’s on my turf. It’s always been a warm and friendly experience. The atmosphere is comfortable and familiar, the food scrumptious, the entertainment enticing and of course, the shopping, unique. There is even a delightful, adjoining festival for the kids. From our grandchildren’s (age five to 14) critiques, there is definitely something for everyone here too.
Arts and crafts are my favorites. I admire this kind of talent, ability and dedication to expression. My mother was a quilter and I saw first hand the hundreds of hours she put into design and batting stitches, each and every singe one done by hand. How do you put a proper premium on that? Some of our own gifted artisans are featured as well as those from far flung places, all brought to us in one space at one time. Being a self-admitted, inveterate punter, I’ve brought home some special things that I treasure more each year – partially because they’ve come from the festival.
These include a life sized, heart pine pelican, skillfully carved with a chain saw, which guards our hearth; a ruby stained glass console lamp to brighten our entry hall; a beveled glass sun catcher angel that floats in front of a family room window, and a silk sun flower arrangement that still looks fresh and real after eight years. I’ve also gotten lush plants and one of the simplest and least expensive items, I use every day, a brightly colored plastic bag holder. I probably would not have gotten any of these things if they hadn’t come to me. This year I’m looking for a wine rack and another outdoor angel for our rose garden. Some years I get nothing from the festival except the experience of seeing Summerville shine and the enjoyment of the reflected glow of pride I feel in all the people who’ve worked so hard. That’s as fulfilling as any memento. Aside from the aura, the practical results of this three-day fete are the wonderful and still developing YMCA facilities and booth profit money that goes back into the community in supporting.