One of my family’s favorite Kansas City events is the Ethnic Enrichment Festival. Representatives of so many different cultures and ethnicities set up tables and tents and sell the food and drink of their countries to the general public. Its value is not just the cultural presentations on hand, but the mixing of attendees in Swope Park. This coming weekend I’ll be volunteering at the Kansas City Irish Fest, another event hosted in the city, albeit focusing more on one particular ethnicity. Slainte!
But regardless of what is being celebrated, events like these point to a vibrant city.
Sadly, this may not be the case on the other side of the state in St. Louis.
On July 25, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones was on hand to help hype the “Q in the Lou” barbecue festival, scheduled to be held on the grounds of the Gateway Arch in early September. Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, a non-profit dedicated to revitalizing the city, was triumphal in saying that bringing this “signature national festival back to downtown St Louis is showing how this community is answering that call taking action and making us stronger.”
Apparently not.
Q in the Lou has been canceled. According the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Sean Hadley, one of the organizers of the event, confirmed the cancellation Monday afternoon, citing trouble garnering corporate sponsorship and VIP ticket sales — and public safety concerns disputed by the mayor’s office.
“We’re seeing a lack of support,” Hadley said. “It’s not there.”
This truly is a shame. St. Louis has a real problem with public safety and the public perception. Subsidized events and buildings won’t change that. It can only be solved by the slow and difficult work of public policy, including increasing public safety, keeping the city clean and orderly, maintaining infrastructure, and doing all of this in a cost-efficient manner.
There is no shortcut, no matter how good the ribs are.
