Dear Editor:
I have been a vendor in the Warren House Antiques and Collectibles since 1987. Over the years I have watched the festivals dwindle down to nothing.
This website brought to you in part by the following sponsor:
Why? From my observation the answer is simple. Too many people trying to be chief and no one is willing to be Indians.
I have observed, as an out- sider, the last few years that the Community Association and the Chamber of Commerce do noth- ing but fight with each other.
For instance, our current May Festival. People were very angry and wanting to know where were the flea market and the craft show that were ad- vertised on one of your websites? One lady stated they had driven two hours to come to the craft show because they always enjoyed it so much.
When I first came to James- port the festival weekends were so big you had to take baby steps down the sidewalks, it was so crowded. Also the flea market was on the side streets where people could shop both the shops and the flea market. Then in your great wisdom you spread everything out to where people refused to walk the stores and then walk the flea market or visa-versa. Flea market vendors stopped coming because even I witnessed many times vendor’s booths in water puddles, or straw thrown down in font of their booths so you wouldn’t sink in the mud.
Now today when I arrived expecting a good experience at the festival there were plant stands all over the streets with no consideration to the store owners. Numerous people were angry because there was nothing there that had been in the advertisement. What’s wrong with this picture? Looking at the history of your festivals alone should give you the answer. They at one time were very successful for everyone and now they are duds. Maybe that is saying what you are doing today isn’t working.
Why, people ask, don’t both organizations work together to produce the kind of festival Jamesport is know for? Why waste energy killing your festi- val by blaming each other? Work together on your festivals. It will take some time now to prove to the pubic you mean what you advertise, but if you would work together it could be done. Maybe you could form a committee made up of people from both organizations to plan and activate the festivals on behalf of both organizations.
Those of us who do not live here, but have chosen Jamesport for our businesses have tried to make suggestions before but it was not appreciated coming from “an outsider” and fell on deaf ears.
Please grow up and take responsibility for the respon- sibilities you have been given before Jamesport becomes just a small country town in Missouri that no one knows about.
Larry Rice
Rice’s Antiques, Gladstone