Boats should be focus of event, not free food

Normally, I'm a happy, upbeat person, but this letter will not be. I will, however, start with something positive. The boats at the 2011 Boat Parade of Lights in Carrabelle were fantastic. That's what I went to see. I did not come for free food or fireworks like a lot of people did. 

I thought the event was a fiasco. It started with me heading to the south end of Marine Street where I have gone in the past to stand along the river to watch the boats. I was met by a "patrol person" who informed me I couldn't be there because of the fireworks. So I headed north and was met by a roped-off area, and I was told that it was for people using the restroom.

I continued north, ducking under more roped-off areas, heading for the pavilion because in the past that was a great place to watch the boats. That was closed because of the free food. So I had to dodge people standing in free food lines as I continued to head north to try to find a place to watch the boats. I ended up on a condo dock where the viewing was obstructed by the pilings, and the photo opportunities were limited.

In the future this is what I would recommend: Do not block any part of the area along the river. The boats should be the focus of the event, not the free food or fireworks. The food could go back to the area in front of the old City Hall, or could be along the east side of Marine Street, with the lines parallel to the street.

I have no idea what was in the Styrofoam boxes, but it looked like a "meal.” The Styrofoam boxes are not environmentally friendly, and create a cleanup nightmare. Is a "meal" really necessary? What's wrong with a hot dog wrapped in a napkin? As a Franklin County taxpayer, I assume I paid for that "meal.”

And the fireworks - never saw them or heard them. Everyone was heading back to their cars after the last boat went by. Fireworks could be a part of a different event, or moved to another location so as not to interfere with standing along the river to watch the boats that the owners so beautifully decorated. Hopefully this will be a more boat-viewing- friendly event in the future, or I will probably not be there. 

Sincerely,

P. Tollefson

St. James