Liberty
Not Detecting a Change in Energy
Another huge news item is the absence of Bele Chere. Moogfest is only going to run every other year, or so its brilliant marketing team is telling us. What do…
Bele Chere
Liberty
Just >Hiccough!
The City of Asheville surprised at least a couple folks when it decided to close its big tourist draw, Bele Chere. The event had been billed for many years as…
Liberty
I Vote for Moogfest in July
Asheville Citizen-Times writer Mark Barrett reported Vice Mayor Marc Hunt announced nobody was interested in taking over Bele Chere. That was an interesting choice of words. The city-run festival was…
Liberty
Bread & Circuses
One big item on Asheville City Council’s agenda last night was modification of the city’s agricultural policies. Concerns about sprawl don’t apply if one compartmentalizes one’s thinking. The other big…
Liberty
Rather You Leave the Corporate Welfare Business
Bele Chere was expensive. It was characterized by huge budget overruns, and local merchants hated it. Even so, I think it was a fear of lawsuits over the annual battles…
Liberty
Time for the Next Generation to Repeat History
One continues to hear disenchantment with the tourism industry. Back when our master planners had all wisdom, they waved their batons and directed the various elements, telling them when to…
Liberty
At Least It Wasn’t the Other Alternative
We are told entertainment runs cyclical to the economy, and Asheville’s news has been characterized by a string of festival cancelations. Bele Chere ran its last year, two smaller Lexington…
Liberty
A Justifiable Public Purpose?
A couple days ago, I mentioned the self-selected support for Bele Chere that had been shared. Following the festivities, the local daily sort of bid the festival good riddance. As…
Liberty
Festival-Goers Want to Pay
I’ve been volunteering as a roving informationist at Bele Chere the last two days. Normally, I keep data acquired while volunteering out of blogging to respect personal confidentialities. I’m blabber-mouthing…
Liberty
Not Even Entertainment
Is it a good or bad economic indicator when countercyclical activities dry up? The Lexington Avenue Arts & Fun Festival (LAAFF) will not run this year. Funding fell short of…
Liberty
Bele Chere Fairwell Tour
At Asheville City Council’s work session, they discussed pros and cons of getting out of the festival business. The city could save $200,000 if they proceed with this year’s commitment…
Liberty
Buncombe County Commissioners’ Agenda for Tuesday
The Buncombe County Commissioners have announced their intent to launch a reval, which will go into effect in 2013. Now, even I have an inkling about what has happened to…