Considering the broader question: Are Emerald City Events "going to the 'dogs?'"
This morning's Standard-Examiner has a chirpy Bryan Saxton write-up today, reporting on yesterday's Emerald City Pioneer Days parade. The article strangely dwells on the world-famous Oscar Mayer Weinermobile for far too long, and mentions that the event itself ran for some two hours. All-in-all the article is quite positive however; and from a detached reader's point of view (we didn't make it to the parade ourselves - sorry,) we got the impression from our reading of this article early this morning that this locally-important annual state holiday event, a long-held tradition in Emerald City, designed to honor our pioneer forefathers - who dragged their families and possessions across the plains in handcarts and covered wagons -- went off without a hitch.
Within the last hour however we have received a dissenting opinion from one of our regular readers, an Ogden native, who's been attending this event on and off for some fifty years or more. We accordingly link the hot-off-the-press comments of gentle Ozboy, who, in his inimitable style asks the probing question, "Does any one hereabouts know who was in charge of the yesterday's parade?"
We invite our gentle readers who attended yesterday's parade to read and compare these two articles. Gentle Ozboy sets forth some troubling observations and raises some interesting questions, we think. Ozboy also offers a plausible explanation for why the parade ran on so long on a sizzling summer morning in late July.
So how about it, gentle readers? Among those of you who attended this event, who wants to throw in their own 2¢?
If you'd like to broaden the discussion to include Emerald City's Pioneer Day Rodeo, or other traditional Emerald City events -- what the heck? We invite you to chime in with your comments, good or bad.
It's a s-l-o-o-o-w news day, after all.
32 comments:
I want my street fest!
Please tell me where the Descent Building is and what it is.
I quit going to the parades several mayors back when the persons in charge decided that there should be no contact with spectators by persons in the parade and stopped the Exchange Club from handing out the little American flags to every spectator which had long been the Club's tradition for the parade.
Handing out flags was construed as having personal contact with spectators.
A few people that were in the Exchange Club have never gone back either and actually have left the Exchange Club over it.
I'm with you about bringing back the Street Fest.
I never missed it with the kids. The chili cooking competition was great, too.
We lost a good thing all because Ogden Big Wigs don't believe in beer.
The person in charge of the parade was Councilman Stephens, although I think is put together by the rodeo committee.
I too would like to see the street fest, but godfrey has killed all the commerce in downtown so what is there to celebrate.
Another parade, whoopee. I know kids love them. I think the high school cheerleaders and bands like them...because they showed up. Just how do they get to close down a U.S. highway for several hours. An acquaintance was an event coordinator for Tempe, AZ and closing U.S. 60/89(Mill Ave) would have taken an act of Congress...literally, from what I understand.
I made the mistake of attempting to reach Washington at 9:30 for some auto parts and to reach the flowrider event at 11. Closed from 16th to 34th???? What a fiasco. Why not hold this on a less vital arterial. Another example of event obsession in the empty lives of so many. What is it that makes one day SO much more significant than another anyway. I treasure them all. Why should I shoot fireworks, piss away a ton of fuel, and sit in the hot sun for every such hoopty-do. I celebrate every single day as though it were my last.
Don't get me wrong, I'll enjoy a good party, as long as there is something else to it than sitting on my ass watching other participants.
I recall the June 15 firework spectacular at WSU and watching as many thousands took to every lawn within a mile of the U....at 6 friggin' P.M. Traffic jams commenced, 4hours till bangtime. Great show at 10 while watching thousands clamor for their vehicles BEFORE the finale. Imagine sitting around for this pyromaniac wet dream for hours and viewing the best from behind your car window as you attempt to beat the crowd to the next closest fast swill joint.
I fell asleep at 11:30 while their were still a thousand cars trapped in crawl mode exiting onto Harrison.
America drinks and goes home.
Not having attended the parade... having been to more Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans than I can recall, just can't get used to the idea of parades where they don't throw beads, dubloons, coconuts and such like to the crowds... I don't have any comment on how this one worked or didn't.
But I'm afraid I disagree with Tec about cities holding parades on main thoroughfares. May not be your cup of tea, Tec, but it's about as typical a part of Americana as there is. Main drags in NYC shut down for Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Nearly every city I've been in shuts down usually the main drag for the 4th of July parade. If you have to drive way 'round to get from here to there one day a year or even two... well, that's life in the big city.
Rodeos are absolutly not part of my family's traditions. [Didn't rope a lot of calves in Brooklyn in the fifties... at least not on my block.] They they are a big part of Ogden's tradition, and though I don't take part, it wouldn't occur to me to suggest that because I don't take part, the city should cancel the rodeo parade or the event itself because the traffic inconvenienced me.
I say chac'un a son gout, to each his own, diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks or --- more in keeping with a town named after mountain man David Skene Ogden [even though he did trap for the Brit Hudson's Bay Company]--- whatever floats your stick.
Where Ogden drops the ball, as the Mayor did when he killed the Ogden Summer Fest, is when it forgets that tastes, likes, habits, traditions and preferences differ greatly --- yes, even in Utah --- and that it is not necessary that every public sponsored event necessarily appeal equally to all residents, that every one be equally family friendly.
One of the interesting things about living in cosmopolitan places is the diversity, variety, of peoples, events and cultures on tap. Trying to pare that down in the name of civic homogenization, as Hizzonah did with the Festival, is not a good idea. On many levels.
I may have been a little curmudgeonly in my post so I'll clarify a bit. If we had a streetcar they could close these streets anytime they darn well please. A streetcar could have reduced the traffic clustermuck at the 6/15 fireworks and enhanced a Pioneer parade.
"I may have been a little curmudgeonly in my post so I'll clarify a bit.'
Imagine mayor of a city which magines that a gym and a dayglow bowling Alley will suddenly bring prosperity to Ogden
Keep im mind the 'rec center" is fixed to go "bust"
Come to Harvest Moon September 29th.
It has replaced the Street Fest as H25's premier event. If you haven't gone, it is a good time for the whole family.
Well I just luvs it to pieces on those very rare occasions when I get to correct good old Curmudgeon!
GOTCHA CURM!!!!
It was Peter Skene Ogden, not David Skene Ogden who our fair town is named after! Incidently Peter never did see this side of the mountain where Ogden is, but was in "Ogden's hole", now Ogden Valley, where PineView Dam is.
Perhaps when he left Brooklyn he found "David" too Jewish for his western sojourn and changed his name to Peter? That of course would make you correctomundo - if true, which it aint!
If this were a Nauvoo Legion trick password question kind of thing on those cold and lonely mountain passes which protect us'n from the likes of youze eastern raskals, like the American's did in the Battle of the Bulge with English speaking German infiltrators, you would be one dead history perfesser my man!
It would be xacly like them askin you "who's Mickey Mouse's girl friend" and you a answerin "Mary Mouse"
Your honorary Utahnian status is pretty shaky these days over this one, and those two former WSU history prof's Roberts & Sadler might just be gettin out the rope as you read this!!
Just another story about how the The Right Reverend Self-righteous Matthew Godfrey is KILLING THE SOUL OF OGDEN 6/99/02.
Budweiser distributors tell Blessed Boss Godfrey: "Take a hike":
Budweiser leaves Ogden Street Fest
This is just a flash from the past, merely to illustrate what a financial numbskull Boss Godfrey really is.
Oz:
You're right. Thanks for the correction. [Not being a Godfreyista or Gondolista, I welcome corrections when I get something wrong, as I did this time. However infrequently that may be....]
One of the first introductions I had to the "new west" was when I arrived in these parts and realized that the "Ogden's Hole" of the trapper journals had become the "Upper Ogden Valley" of the real estate hawkers. Not, in my view, progress. Westerners [native Americans, Hispanics, Canucks and "Anglos" all inclusive] did great things when they put names upon the land... think of "Jackson's Hole" or "the Grand Tetons" or "the Greasy Grass" [aka Little Big Horn] or "Sierra del Cabello Muerto" and "Sangre de Christo" for example. Sad to see them ground down and homogenized into tepid marketeese.
Thanks again, Oz.
Can somebody explain to me why people in the parade shouldn't interact with "spectators?"
Somebody please explain why the people driving the "weinermobile" couldn't actually throw out "weiner whistles" to the kids on the street.
It's not as if Jon Greiner's crack homeland security force couldn't sweep the "weiner whistles" with newly-obtained hi-tek security devices.
Sounds like something the current neoCONS Hillary or George (and MAtt) would fret about.
Marko:
I don't know, by my guess would be liability issues... that the bean counters who write the liability insurance for the parade have decreed "no interaction" for fear of, by way of example, a tot running into the street to get a "throw" and ending up under the wheels of a tractor, truck or float. [This happens periodically in New Orleans where it is practically a violation of the state constitution to have a parade without a great deal of "interaction" between paraders and spectators.] That would be my guess. Anyone know for sure?
Farmington's recent parade was chuch full of "interaction" between the marchers and the viewers.
There was literally tons of candy thrown by the marchers to, and at, the sideliners. So much in fact that I thought perhaps the parade sponsors were Dentists!
There was also quite a bit of "interaction" candy throwing etc, in the Ogden parade yesterday, inspite of any dumb assed restrictions against it.
Kids under tractor tires? Don't ever in 50 years remember anything like that in Emerald City's parade.
As slow as yesterday's parade went they would have to be pretty lame kids to have that happen. A horrible thought, however if we could get the Godfreyites scrambling for candy and getting caught under those big ol tires, now that would be real progress!
Free candy Matt? Here ya go pal, whoops, sorry about that. Such a delicious fantasy...
Just a short post as I'm sorta preoccupied at the moment.
The Harvest Moon don't even come close to "THE STREET FESTIVAL",let's see climbing wall (BS) bike races, WHOOPPEEE, face painting, WHAT? All for you and more Howie, including an electric cooled pony harness, with fiel injection.
Tec, nice call "America drinks and goes home". Allow me to reccommend one of my all time favorite instrumentals, I assume you can get your hands on. "The Orange County Lumbertruck" Weasels ripped my flesh.
Shame on you Curm, who's South Ogden named after?
Curmudgeon said...
"One of the first introductions I had to the "new west" was when I arrived in these parts and realized that the "Ogden's Hole" of the trapper journals had become the "Upper Ogden Valley" of the real estate hawkers."
We in Ogden's hole could use your reader's support in signing two petitions at www.ogden-valley.blogspot.com
Powder Mountain has quietly requested a major rezone prior to the new "Recreation Resort Zone" being created, while a contractor wants to build a rock crushing/cement batch plant adjacent to the Eden Commercial center and Snowcrest Jr. High.
No offense, but we don't want to take away from Staker's gold mine (gravel mine).
I forgot to include a link on the previous post about "Ogden's Hole." Ogden Valley Forum.
Did I see right? tonight when I was driving the blvd. I saw a sign on the municipal lawn on 25th and washington. that promoted the ogden community foundation mile run. if this is a private foundation why are they still flaunting the use of taxpayer property to promote their stuff?
what is next the mayor using the muni building for his re-election headquarters.
One of the frontier virtues is supposed to be pitching in to help out when trouble hits a neighbor. Found this item on the Standard Examiner "midday update" on line:
Ben Lomond Reading Council helps young fire victims be prepared for school
OGDEN -- Peggy Clelland doesn't want young victims of the recent fires in the Top of Utah to be unprepared for school this fall, so she put together a service project she hopes will help.
Clelland is the president of the Ben Lomond Reading Council. She said losing a home and personal belongings to a fire must be bad enough, but when children suffer those losses it's equally as devastating.
"They lose their toys and school supplies and oftentimes those things get overlooked," she said. "We started doing a service project last year where we collected 19 backpacks and filled each one of them with school supplies and a new book and we donated them to the Red Cross."
The Red Cross of Northern Utah distributed the items within two months, Clelland said. This year, the council has decided to continue its plight to help the little victims of a fire and is asking the public to contribute.
"We have a drop-off site arranged for July 28 at Staples on Riverdale Road and a Red Cross representative will be there with us," Clelland said. "We are hoping that people will buy a few extra items while they are out shopping and they will bring it to our table and donate."
Donations can be made at Staples, 4043 Riverdale Road. They can also be sent to the Ben Lomond Reading council in care of Joan Draper, 6118 S. 2175 E. Ogden, 84403 or the Weber Credit Union, 5320 Adams Avenue Parkway, Ogden, 84403.
-- Standard-Examiner staff and wire services
Valley:
Nice website you have there. But the petitions are for Ogden's Hole residents only, it seems. Out of valley signatures don't seem likely to resonate much with your boards and commissions.
I agree that the parade was very poorly organized and had too many commercial entries. Pick up trucks, trailers, boats, etc.
From my viewing point in front of the Egytian Theatre I could not see a rest room in any direction. There were also numerous and long stretches when there was no parade entrants in sight. As a result, the parade was much too long in time and entrants.
The rodeo also seems to have lost its greatness and is only a shadow of its former glory.
I don't know if this is a result of the Mayor and his administration or is just a coincidence, but the decline has happened on his watch.
No beer???
I was just about to buy a house on The Bench.
Maybe I will stay in LA ... and what about our cast party for the mini series OGDEN ... "City in Turmoil".
The petitions are for the Weber County Commission (along with the OV Planning commission), so I would guess that would apply to all of Weber County. Especially since Boss Godfrey touts Ogden's hole as Ogden's playground.
We don't discriminate against our lower valley friends and would love your support!
Ogden Valley Forum.
Mr. Producer
We do not have beer at gatherings of decent folks here in Ogden, but we do have plenty of green jello. Sometimes if you really want to live big and wide you can even put shredded carrots in it! With special permission, but only on very special occasions, you also can add those small marshmallows. You just don't know how to party if you haven't done it with jello.
Try it, I think you will like it. Heck you might even want to join our church if you eat enough of it. But if you just can't do without your sinfull ways and suds, you will be able to buy some Mormon Beer in certain state owned stores. I think they call it O'Douls in California.
And once you move here, and gain our trust, we will turn you onto our funeral potatoes. Your life will never be the same.
The parade delay.
The 100 million dollar debt.
The selling of the golf course.
The illegal immigrants.
The firing of Officer Matt Jones.
The tax breaks for the rich.
These were not problems in Ogden, until the Republicans took over.
Wake up!
By the way. That's what Republicans mean, when they say less government. Arn't ya glad we have less government?
That Republican governance has been a disaster for the nation and a problem for the City of Ogden and the State of Utah are propositions that no longer can be reasonably challenged on the evidence. [We have a Republican president, for example, who thinks the poor don't need health insurance because they "can go to emergency rooms." Case closed.]
However, being a card-carrying Democrat, I also am committed [as Republican leadership in nation, state and Ogden City is not] to keeping to the facts when discussing public policy. And to suggest that illegal immigration was not a serious problem until "the Republicans took over" is just plain wrong.
And tagging the mayor with a late running parade.... Aw, c'mon. Give the guy a break. If he was into micro-management to the point of working the street, keeping the floats closed up, he'd almost certainly not be doing the job The People are paying him to do.
I'm all for tossing [rhetorical] brick-bats at Ogden's Republican mayor when he screws up [and lord knows he has given us lots of opportunities to do that... politically speaking as a Democrat, Matt Godfrey is the gift that keeps on giving]. But tagging him with excessive gaps between floats in a parade? Well, that seems just a tad on the petty side to me. Cut the guy some slack. Yes, even him.
Curm,
It's hard to not see MG's face on so many things in Ogden when he clearly has left his mark or "dropped a steamer" on MOGC, the Junction, River walk, Malan's Basin, hiking trails, etc.
I didn't think the parade was any great shakes, but I enjoyed being there. (My vantage point was across from the Egyptian Theatre.) When Mayor Godfrey and family rode by, the crowd response was tepid at best. Then when Neil Hansen rode by, I couldn't restrain myself from hollering, "MAYOR Hansen!" I was very pleased that people around me starting cheering and clapping.
Curmudgeon the Godfrey apologist! Is nothing sacred?
Actually I do think it is fair to tag the mayor with the poorly run parade - if in fact one of his functionaries or sycophants was in charge at the start. The same goes for the Rodeo which has suffered a very big drop in quality in the last several years. The mayor is ultimately responsible if he appoints incompetent people to important posts and the results is poor quality. The man has a rather long history of appointing incompetent friends to these positions and the quality of the product certainly bears that out.
I watched the parade from the east side (in the shade) near the County offices, 23rd Street? Maybe I am getting old, but the parade just didn't seem like the great ones of past years. Also noticed a big positive reactions from the crowd for Hansen, Jeske, Stephens and the very large guy on the Sherriff truck. (who was that giant?) Perhaps the SPCA was in fact there being that the guy wasn't on a horse!
The crowd was completely silent (and sullen?) when the mayor came by. Don't know if that means anything or not.
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