Coconut Grove Arts Festival weekend
Don't forget this weekend is the big Coconut Grove Arts Festival.
Yes, they still insist on charging us to walk on our own taxpayer paid streets, so if you want to go, prepare to shell out. If you want to avoid the fee, try the St. Stephens Arts and Crafts Show. You can enter there from Main Highway and you can actually see some better arts and crafts, it isn't all the over-hyped crap that the Grove Festival pushes. It is more raw and real at St. Stephens. Plus my favorite Italian Ice guy is at St. Stephens.
When I had emailed the main lady at the Grove Festival a year or so ago, complaining about the fee, her reply to me was that she was glad the plan was working, it was keeping rif-raf like me out. This actually came from the head of the festival. I'll have to dig up the email some time and post it. My point was that it was keeping large families out, who cannot afford the fee. But alas, it is not about the art or the culture, it is about the almighty buck and only allowing those in who can afford it and who may be inclined to purchase some of the over-priced, over-rated crap.
Sure St. Stephens is piggy backing off the main Grove show, but they are actually what the Grove show used to be all about: local artists, new artists and unpretentious artists in a funky, fun atmosphere.
Either way, the Grove will be a lot of fun this weekend. We'll take lots of pictures and share them.
posted by Tom Falco at 9:59 AM
YOU MAY NOT LIFT THE PHOTOS & TEXT. IT'S COPYRIGHTED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. YOU CAN HOWEVER SHARE A STORY ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY USING THE LINKS HERE.
For linking to this one story, just click on the time it was posted & just this story will open for sharing - only through social media. Not copying and pasting.
2 Comments:
Another f-ing fantastic weekend of nightmarish traffic, getting nearly run down by Miami drivers on our quiet little streets, boorish people blocking our driveways and trampling our swales, and being told that we have to pay to visit our property at the Sailing Club, etc., etc.
Why don't you post that nice lady's email address so that we can all give her a piece of our minds?
A little harsh SWLIP but my sentiments exactly.
And you CGG, you are getting a little edge yourself! But in agood way.
I have always loved St.Stephens'(where I occasionally attend)little to-do as much and now much more than the larger show. You know some of your money is going to a great institution in our community and there are more local artists and vendors. And these days the people are not only less pretentious but as a whole just (forgive the judgemental tinge) better- more considerate, more discerning and more friendly. So there! The art and crafts sold are certainly better at St. Stephen's(and don't forget to go around the block to the thrift if you are from another neighborhood). The smaller event IS as you described, what the Grove is about and hopefully that will be maintained.
Post a Comment
<< Home