I’m a little hesitant to raise the subject of the Autumn Leaves Festival, given the can of worms that opened up when I asked about Mayberry Days. I’ve heard some people say that a lot of merchants don’t like Autumn Leaves, but it’s hard to argue with an event that brings in thousands of folks from out of town, hopefully spending their dollars here. What say you? Will you be going, or leaving, so to speak?
And now . . . Autumn Leaves Festival
October 8, 2007 by rebelgood
Posted in Rebel's Blog | 24 Comments
24 Responses
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Interesting subject… I do enjoy the Autumn Leaves Festival, but considering the I live on Main Street, I don’t have much of a choice. It is either find a way to enjoy it, or leave town that weekend, I suppose.
I have many friends who have businesses on Main Street, and they DO have valid complaints. For some of them, the Festival is a business boon, for some it is a complete bust. It is impossible for some businesses to function because of their entrances being blocked by booths.
One would think that increased foot traffic would bring business in, but sometimes it just plain does not work that way. Not sure why, but there it is.
It has a long history with Mount Airy, and maybe things are the way they should be regarding the situation. Lots of food, music, crafts and people watching to enjoy.
Have to make a choice this year, though? Do I have my annual indulgence in kettle corn, or do I go for a funnel cake? Humm…
It’s called a blog. Blogs are supposed to be where healthy debate takes place, which is what you’ve touched on here. All sides are being heard, which makes it NOT a can of worms. Community journalism at its finest…..something you newspaper folk need to catch onto. BTW, I have always felt like Mayberry Days could move to another time of year so we can spread out these festivals a little more. The 2 biggest ones are too close together.
If memory serves, the largest beneficiary by far of Autumn Leaves is the Chamber of Commerce. It gets a generous cut from each vender spot on Main St.
Since this event brings a lot of money to the chamber that chambers in other towns do not get, it would be interesting to see if our chamber dues are lower than those of similar towns. If not, what is the money used for?
Okay, I like the Autumn Leaves Festival. I have only left here 3 times while it was on. My complaint is the Chamber of Commerence making a killing on the booths. They should be ashamed. Their hands in the pot is a killer for the little man. Shame on YOU!!!!
I actually agree with Ben that the two events could be spread out more. Autumn Leaves is not so bad and we usually go. I think mainly for the fair style food because we refuse to go to the so called fair. What a sight it is at the fair to annual family reunions comparing how many teeth they lost in a year. Never again!
This year was the first time we attended Mayberry Days in the 8 years we have lived here. Only because we had friends in town that wanted to go. We got the “this is it?” reaction from them, too, and spent more time in shops that we frequent. I do hope that our downtown businesses did ok.
When these hot button issues come up they will always spark comments both good and bad. The bad comments lead back to the issue of horrible city leadership. Horrible national leadership for that matter. On the other hand, good and some bad comments are usually from folks that are just wondering through life as if it’s one big box of chocolates and unaware of the big picture. Usually the ones that actually believe the main stream media and only learned to do one thing like work in a mill and complain when they all go away!
“Bring me jobs!” Good grief, get your own job!
Back to the local leadership and I’ll expand on it when I have more time. It really is all about pandering to a particular few and that’s a fact! We need some leaders with a set of $@!!%. This bunch seems to have been blindsided by everything that has happend in this town over the last several years. Brookshire doesn’t even have the guts to stand up and enforce ordinances when it come to the witch of the north (he’ll know who it is). This witch has harrased my friends (me too for that matter, and I don’t live on that private road) for 3 years now. They won’t clean up their property and have female mannequins performing lesbian acts on each other on the front porch. There are children living in the neighborhood, but the Mayor and City Manager are afraid of her.
Autumn Fleas – ugh!
The only quality thing it has is some decent food. I used to enjoy it some 20 + years ago, and it actually had some really nice arts and crafts but now most of it is imported junk. Might as well grab a hot dog from Sonic and go shopping at WalMart.
Personally – I leave town every year to avoid the entire bloody mess the Chamber has made out it.
Another ‘good thing’ ruined by terrible leadership and missing the mark.
EXACTLY………Another ‘good thing’ ruined by terrible leadership and missing the mark.
I used to, as a child, love to go to the Autumn Leaves Festival….and see all the demos they did. All that stopped…and now it is all selling!!! And then on top of that, as I worked the booths, I now know that the Chamber makes a killing on those organizations who bust their tails to make a dollar for their groups. It is shameful. They take a percentage off the top. Like I said, “SHAME ON YOU” Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce!!!!
Several Questions come to mind as I read throught these blogs:
I am wondering why the Surry Arts Council is involved in tourism at all? At whose expense is all that time, talent, energy and money (taxpayer, grant, etc) being spent on projects that do not promote the “arts”? How about expanding the programs for children? How about programs for retirees? How about some programs for all the tourists who flock here every day?
Why would the Surry Arts Council even allow a building to crowd into their site? The location for the “exhibit hall” was packed with people enjoying Mayberry Days? Where would they be if not for one of the only green spaces left downtown?
And I know that it isn’t a new question, but I am always amazed at the number of tourists wandering around downtown on Sunday. Some of these people who are determined to make Mount Airy a tourist attraction should realize that a tourist town is open 24/7/365. Everyone tries to state opinions without being willing to sacrifice to back it up.
Maybe The Messenger should go back to all the candidates for city council and ask tough questions and get real answers. Where do they stand on tourism? The Visitor Center/Exhibit Hall? What are their plans? What do they see as the role of a City Commissioner?
The reason Mayberry days is scheduled so close to autumn leaves is because Mayberry days takes place around the anniversary of The Andy Griffith Show’s first airing. It would be nice if they were further apart, but at least there’s some logic to that decision.
As far as I can tell Observer, SAC picked up the tourism torch when no one else wanted to carry it. I don’t know if they should continue the work or not but it seems a fair question. However, from what I’ve seen they aren’t neglecting their responsibility in bringing arts into the community. All of the festivals they support bring in artists and musicians to showcase their work. I’m sure they’d like to expand their programs, but those rely heavily on volunteers – I think they only have 3 people on staff.
I’m not 100% sure, but I think the city owns the property around the playhouse, not SAC, and the city made it available to the TDA for a visitor’s center. The only reason I can see for that site being used (and the whole mess with the new building) is that the Mayberry collection has so many strings attached that none of the existing facilities can house the collection are willing to satisfy the conditions. I don’t think anyone is supporting the existing “plan” anyways, not after those initial bids. Hopefully they’ll go back to square one and find a better place for a visitor’s center, and let the Mayberry collection become a separate problem.
You’re absolutely right about downtown needing to be open for longer hours, 7 days a week. There are some people downtown that understand this, but the worst offenders are the ones that are trying to capitalize the most on Mayberry.
You’re welcome to ask those tough questions, but I doubt you would get any “real” answers from the candidates for city council. At the candidate’s forum last week most of the candidates didn’t seem to know the limits of city government, what different organizations in the area like SCEDP and the TDA do, and how the city plays into those efforts. They’re talking about recruiting businesses when all they can really do (if elected) is make sure there’s a place to put them.
If you’re going to ask tough questions, make them useful then directed to the right people. What’s the city doing with the Westside development study, or the area economic study that was done about the same time. Those were commissioned a few years ago, and I’m pretty sure they both touched on the idea of visitor’s centers and tourism. What does the Chamber of commerce do with the money from Autumn leaves? Why isn’t Mayberry days scheduled earlier in the year? There’s a whole list of good questions that come out of these “can of worms” posts, we just need someone to flesh out the good ones and find some answers.
Mark W
1st – Let me state that other organizations that were in place and formed on the State, County and regional areas were working on the “tourism” issue long before SAC. SAC – or rather Ms. Jones – wants control of everything and did her best to interfer with the professionals paid to develop this area. She has constantly pushed her agenda on the area and not cared one bit about the total long term effect it will have. To the point that Mt. Airy is well known state wide as a misdirected and misguided town. Especially in the arts and tourism areas. SAC is a joke in Raleigh. Hahahahahaha!
2nd – Please look at the NC legislation that directs what local arts councils are supposed to be doing and why they are here. They are NOT tourism development offices.
3rd – The SAC is a 501c3 non-profit organization with a mission statement that directs it to provide arts programming – NOT tourism development. The programming it provides to this community is extremely lopsided and biased. And by the way – just what does the SAC actually do for artists in this community. I have spoken to many of them and SAC does ZIP to help them or their causes. Many of them have no desire to participate in anything – this is the sad state things are in here.
4th – The studies done here for development tried to direct tourism away from Mayberry – so that is why nothing is happening with them. That should be an ‘Ah Ha’ moment.
I could write all night about this. Bottom line – we are screwed.
Better git yer overalls out an’ yer greasey gun. Life is aheadn thata way…
Yes, the SAC picked up the tourism torch–but then burned anyone who dared get near, especially the Chamber. SAC has done the same for anyone in the arts outside the limited sphere of Old Time and Blue Grass music, but have kept their pay to those performers low.
Oh, but they have brought in plenty of stale tribute acts in the beach music and Elvis fields. That’s the type of stuff that should be booked by a Chamber or Merchant Association. SAC puts less money into promoting diversity in the arts than councils across this state who operate on one third or less of SAV’s budget. Those councils routinely comission work by sculptors, professional dancers and choreographers, jazz musicians, painters, poets, writers of fiction and drama, theater companies, weavers and carvers, just to hit the tip of the big ol’ scarey iceberg of art. They present those performances for free or low cost, and often buy the works to put in libraries, schools, public squares and public buildings.
Newsflash! Those arts councils will gladly hand out their budgets or put them on their web sites! They even show salaries too. They want citizens to see how the money is being spent and how someone can also invest a little money to match the government funding. Imagine that, having a conversation with an arts council manager without being personally insulted or hearing them trash the local population! But it really does happen.
I appreciate the question about the Westside development study and the regional economic study paid for by tax payers. The only project Mt. Airy hasn’t openly snubbed was the project to connect Willow, Dixie and Graves streets. Now city council is falling all over themselves to mess it up when a little work by a drop out from City Planning 101 could have solved that and made it look like a big success. Ready Fire Aim almost always ends up with people being shot in the feet or backs.
Now Mt. Airy is not alone in paying for big studies and running from their findings. Other towns have their crazies who get in the way of real work and progress, sad people everyone just tries to outlive. I’ll spare you my late father’s joke about 40 fast funerals, but I know folks who have much shorter lists.
But I’m not bitter! . . . Honest!
They could change Mayberry Days to the first weekend in April or last weekend in March, since the last show aired on April 1, 1968 … or they could change it to Andy Griffith’s birthday, which is June 1st.
So Mark W
No comments back on mine or Greyhound74?
hummmmm
Excuse me for having a life away from my computer eureka. I have better things to do than argue with self-righteous pseudonyms all weekend long.
Yes, there are state and regional organizations focusing on tourism development. That doesn’t mean that local organizations can’t promote tourism, and the way SAC has organized their involvement in Mayberry Days supports tourism as well as provides arts programming. Yes its a little gray, but it’s not completely outside their scope. Show me exactly where SAC steps outside of their focus and we’ll have a different argument, but the fact is SAC supports the arts in this area.
I’m not saying SAC can’t improve, it can and should, but you’re attacking them with just about everything except actual facts. You certainly haven’t proposed anything that would improve the situation. Similarly, don’t blame SAC for not involving every local artist you can find. There are a lot of them, and the impression I’ve had is that many are apathetic when it comes to organizations of any type. If you can do a better job at organizing artists and bringing culture into the area, do it.
As for the studies, it wasn’t an empty question. The studies as I remember them didn’t just “direct tourism away from Mayberry”, and I don’t think that they’ve just been swept under the rug.
If you really think we’re screwed, go away, or at least do something other than indignantly attack people trying to make a difference.
Greyhound, I wanted to respond to your comments separately from Eureka’s since you make some really good points. The Surry Arts Council could do a lot more to promote diversity. I’ve heard people like the beach music and Elvis stuff they’ve brought in in the last year or so, but it would be nice if they kept expanding. The same is true of other art forms. There are many arts councils that would kill for buildings and finances SAC has access to, but SAC wastes them to some extent. Not to the point of being a joke, but there are some easy steps they could take easily. The downtown cinema comes to mind first – they could be doing a lot more than showing sub-run movies and old family films, but there are other examples.
I think the city is probably doing more with the studies than we realize, and from what I remember they didn’t exactly snub any of the recommendations. A few suggestions, like two-way traffic on mainstreet, drew a lot of heat from the community, but I don’t think the city filed the reports in the trash can. There’s enough misinformation out there (which should be clear to everyone reading these comment threads) that the newspapers should skip some fluff pieces and the easy rants on the visitor center and get to some solid journalism by following up on some of those reports.
BTW, I’ve had plenty of conversations with people from SAC without attacks directed towards me or the local population.
Ben, as logical that argument is, it’s hard to reschedule events that have become as popular and well publicized as Mayberry Days has.
Sandman said: “Usually the ones that actually believe the mainstream media and only learned to do one thing like work in a mill and complain when they all go away!”
“Bring me jobs!” Good grief, get your own job!”
Actually it’s not just the mainstream media that Mayberrians believe but some of us have inside connections with info and what’s going on. I myself am educated and have never worked in a mill but have friends and relatives who did. I guess that’s why your comments on the issue didn’t really bother me considering you’re fairly new to the area and have absolutely no idea on the history of this poorly run town.
packrulz said: “I guess that’s why your comments on the issue didn’t really bother me considering you’re fairly new to the area and have absolutely no idea on the history of this poorly run town.”
Sorry I didn’t offend you, but I gave it my best shot! I was trying so hard to offend everyone, but I’ll do better next time. Just for future reference, unless you know someone personally, I’d refrain from telling them what they don’t know. You would be surprised what I know considering I have my connections that grew up here and have been here for 50+ years.
So you have never worked in a mill, but it didn’t stop the foot in mouth disease? Are you related to the witch on the north end of town that I talked about?
“some of us have inside connections with info and what’s going on”
If indeed you had those connections, you would know I’m one of the one’s pulling the leaders’ strings! I think they get off on the mannequins cause they won’t help me out on that one. 😉
I hardly think mannequins in an obscene position is of upmost concern to the city. Wait a minute, they’ve blown money and time on a lot less important things. Maybe that will be at the top of their agenda next time: Stopping an evil lady from placing mannequins in compromising positions. I guess they could declare it a national historic site and put it on the Mayberry tour. I’m not the one who has foot in mouth disease. Living somewhere your entire life vs. having people tell you things who have lived here for years are two entirely different things…
Hey, having the mannequins on the Mayberry tour! What a fantastic idea, thanks….. 🙂 And yes, they have blown money and time on less important things. See, we agree on something…………
packrulz,
I have lived in many towns, and countries for that matter over the years, and have yet to find a town that wasn’t poorly run. This country is poorly run, and has been for years.
Power corrupts..bottom line….it won’t change until we change it. In fact, it’s our fault that we have allowed our Government to have so much control. We all should be ashamed of ourselves. Our founding fathers would be disgusted with us!
Just called Mayberry Squad Car Tours and they’re adding my friends’ street to the tours. 😉
Sandman, I think you need to get better binoculars or update the zoom on your video camera. You’ll find much more interesting things over with the Greenhill mob, and not with mannequins either. Yes power corrupts, and it’s something we all need to examine in ourselves. But don’t invoke the founding fathers to justify your peeping and mischaracterization.
#22, Won’t use your log in name since your reponse was lacking in intelligence. I don’t live anywhere near the mannequins or the Greenhill mob. My point has been used simply as an analogy to point out how ineffective our leadership is.
“But don’t invoke the founding fathers to justify your peeping and mischaracterization.”
This statement just screams supidity!
As much as I miss living in Mount Airy and Pilot Mountain, I’m glad I don’t have to put up with the spiteful people that are the result of the awful economy they may or may not have a choice living in.
Mt. Airy was such a great place. Pilot Mountain was even better in my opinion. It’s so sad to see these wonderful towns reduced to tourist attractions where people can, at best, only get by.