No politicians' booths at City Lights Festival

Politicians of all stripes are welcome to attend the festival, hand out campaign materials and shake hands in an attempt to garner votes. They can walk through the festival area, work the crowds in the park, on the sidewalks and at the car show. That’s their right for which they cannot be charged. But the DDA has worked hard over the years to focus the festival on music, food and crafts. It has always screened booth applications and rejected those that did not appear to match what the DDA wanted. Opening the door to politicians in 2010 would ultimately force the DDA to accept booths as well from political parties, special interest groups or groups advocating for or against public policy, and in an election year it is not difficult to imagine politics dominating the festival.

That shouldn’t be allowed to happen.

The Tumbling Waters Society, which puts on Art in the Park at Hurricane Shoals, used to allow politicians to have booths. It learned from that mistake and has returned to the arts and crafts theme. The DDA could learn from TWS and avoid making the same mistake.

The best way to kill the City Lights Festival is to abandon what has, thus far, made it successful. By all means, politicians should feel welcome to attend, but as guests, not as participants. Let’s keep the focus of the City Lights Festival on food, music and crafts.