This comment was posted yesterday on my blog about how much I like Frankie burgers, one of my personal Festival International treats.
written by Not Amused , April 22, 2010 I know everyone likes to have a lot of food and drink options at Festival, but remember that regular downtown restaurants and bars that keep their doors open during Festival are benefiting but not contributing financially to the unique, wonderful, FREE event we have here. Please buy your food and drink from Festival vendors using Festival tickets, so that a portion of what you’re spending goes to help Festival cover its expenses!
Frankie’s, which is a downtown restaurant, only opens late in the evening, so folks like me who work during the day and are in bed about the time Frankie starts grilling don’t get the opportunity to eat Frankie burgers, and my personal fave, his bbq sausage poboys, but a few times a year, when we happen to be standing on Jefferson Street at midnight.
"Not Amused" is not connecting is the dots between the downtown merchants, the Downtown Development Authority, and Festival International, which takes place in the streets and parks of downtown. Every business downtown pays a special tax to DDA, which directs and supports continued improvements for festival’s downtown home: Streetscape, Parc Internationl, Parc Sans Souci, Parc Putnam, as well as providing space on DDA property for Festival events and a cash infusion of $7500 to festival.
Had the DDA not been conceived in 1983, had the taxing district not come into being in 1994, had Streetscape not happened in 1995, had entrepreneurs not invested in downtown and taken a risk opening businesses, Festival International, which was conceived in 1987 by the city of Lafayette, DDA, Downtown Lafayette Unlimited, the Acadiana Arts Council and Le Centre International, would not have had this beautiful, vital urban cityscape in which to celebrate our Francophone heritage and global fraternity.
We love Festival International. I proudly wear my new pin every year. I buy alligator on a stick and way too much beer from vendors and come home with a new piece of African art every April. I also dive into our local restaurants for a mango marguerita or a taste of sushi or a taco or a bite of kibbe or a pull of local Hwy. 31 beer.
The environment of downtown has developed and matured hand in hand with the festival which was born in the depths of the oil crash both as a economic engine for tourism and a celebration of who we are. You can’t love one without the other. This is a time to come together and enjoy all of what festival and downtown has to offer. We’re all connected.
... written by Joe Politico , April 24, 2010 - 08:32 am
I totally agree with Tutwiler's assertions on the connection between FIL and the Downtown Merchants. They are and should be considered not only connected but possibly one in the same. They have been attached at the hip since day one back in 1983. If I have one complaint about FIL it is the constant Poor Mouthing done on its behalf when it comes to Festival Finances. Your Pin is your ticket, buy only beer from FIL vendors, donate, donate, donate, keep the festival free. The event also considers itself to be the financial savior of the community during the few days in April it operates each year touting the tax revenue windfall to the city coffers. However there are many restaurants on the south side of town where there is no waiting to get a burger during the 4 days of the festival. Listen FIL is a beautiful thing...I'll be standing front and center stage during some of the performances with my blinking pin getting my groove on like thousands of others. And this may be the year I have my first late night Frankie Burger thanks to Tuwiler's recommendation but it sounds like "Not Amused" has drunk the kool-aid on Festival Finances...I wonder if he used festival tickets to make that purchase.
... written by Unempirical Observer , April 26, 2010 - 08:14 pm
Quoi? To what end Politico? What is the end problem resulting from your one qualm here? Is it that FIL is flush in cash every year and then therefore doesn't need any donations from the city to make this happen?
Am I missing your point at the end? What kool-aid? I would venture that a large number of this community never attends festival, they're just not into it.
As a non-profit operating agency, aren't FIL's books publicly available through some source? Their numbers are usually reported every year.
But last I checked the only kool-aid out there is the lemonade and the sno-balls. Kool-Aid would probably have to sponsor and rename the Scene des Jeunes before they get official recognition.
... written by MollyBloom , April 27, 2010 - 01:25 pm
I love Fest! However, one thing that I'm not amused about is the confusing ticket situation. I went to Fest on Saturday with a big hunger, eager to find vendor food, and bought a large number of tickets. However, when I whipped out my tickets to buy a really dynamite-looking shrimp po-boy, the vendor told me I needed cash! He said that the tickets were only good for beverages! (I should add here that I do not drink beer or soda, only water.) Say what? No sign at the ticket booth proclaimed that fact. And the person who sold me the tickets never offered the information either. So, with almost all of my cash wrapped up in tickets, I didn't get to do the shopping I would have done. Can somebody please, please, please suggest to the board that they figure out a way to make the ticket issue more transparent? Perhaps a little signage? Thanks!
... written by Hardhat , May 24, 2010 - 01:12 pm
Really, its all "VANILLA.......not worth the ink! But, Joe Politco, you are so right...if the festival is not self supportive then the festival officials should have their salary and perks cut-back...........As UNEMPIRICAL OBSERVER noticed and noted, not everyone is into festival intl., for the mere reason that they haven't any thing to celebrate or the money to spent on luxurys........
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If I have one complaint about FIL it is the constant Poor Mouthing done on its behalf when it comes to Festival Finances. Your Pin is your ticket, buy only beer from FIL vendors, donate, donate, donate, keep the festival free. The event also considers itself to be the financial savior of the community during the few days in April it operates each year touting the tax revenue windfall to the city coffers. However there are many restaurants on the south side of town where there is no waiting to get a burger during the 4 days of the festival.
Listen FIL is a beautiful thing...I'll be standing front and center stage during some of the performances with my blinking pin getting my groove on like thousands of others. And this may be the year I have my first late night Frankie Burger thanks to Tuwiler's recommendation but it sounds like "Not Amused" has drunk the kool-aid on Festival Finances...I wonder if he used festival tickets to make that purchase.