Resident says successful festivals are dependent upon community investment

With all of the attention and discussion surrounding the Carry Nation Festival recently, it's easy to understand visions of packed streets, hustling merchants, beer tents and bands. The drive and enthusiasm of the festival planners are obvious, building optimism and anticipation that the festival will again become a shining jewel of our community.

In her column last week, Janet Leslie wrote that the greater goal of the festival should be to attract investment in the community, citing the story of the Jablonskis as an example. In speaking with numerous people, I have also heard similar anecdotes, the couple from Sterling Heights who discovered Holly and are now regular visitors; the family from Birmingham who meets the challenge of the current economic conditions by vacationing "up north in Oakland County."

Encouraging outside investment in Holly is critical for the success of our community. But I take a different view as to what role our community festivals should play in that investment. I believe that the festival's greater goal should be to encourage greater investment in ourselves.

It's true that local merchants and businesses get a shot in the arm from the thick crowds and promotional opportunities.  Visitors get the best image Holly can offer of itself, and it often leaves a positive and lasting impression. But community festivals don't have as much of a lasting economic impact as the anecdotes portray or people believe.

Very few permanent jobs are created through community festivals, maybe a temporary part-time person or extended wage-hours. Relying on volunteer manpower and donated goods and services actually reduce business receipts, while festival costs may be paid to out-of-town vendors for goods and services not available locally.  Festivals are enhanced by the involvement of civic organizations, though funds raised by these groups aren't often reinvested into the local economy. And most importantly, if the bulk of the attendees are locals, the money spent with businesses and festival vendors would likely just be spent elsewhere, resulting in little or no net gain.

Of course, you could easily point to the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, or Frankenmuth's "festival of the week", as examples of festivals that are economic drivers. There are key distinctions, though: the Cherry Festival began as an exposition to promote a local industry (cherries) and blossomed into a multi-million dollar entertainment business that supports permanent jobs and businesses, as well as being a major component of the tourism industry.  Frankenmuth's entire economic base is tourism, so to have a regular events to give different outside market segments a reason to visit and revisit is just good business.

The real impact of local festivals comes from the investment of the community, both businesses and residents. As seen this year with the Dickens Festival, downtown merchants are using both the festival and the holiday season as reasons to have regular business hours.  Local residents come out and celebrate their community, demonstrating their pride and engagement. Everyone comes together to work to make the festival a success and show off the best of the Holly community. What has the greater overall impact-roasted chestnuts or stable business and patronage, demonstrated by large crowds?

I have a feeling that it was the spirit and sense of community that the Dickens festival fostered, that attracted the Jablonskis to invest in Holly. They saw the white tie and tails and fell in love with it, and more importantly wanted to be a part of it. But that impact is minimized if the white ties and tails are put back in storage at the close of the festival, only to be dusted off a year later, just a little less glamorous than they previously were.

Janet is spot on that the Holly community desperately needs to find success, but that doesn't come from the Carry Nation festival itself.  The festival should not only position itself to be a community celebration with economic byproducts, or a magnet for incidental investment, but as the example and role model that creates a culture of growth and success. Holly needs emulate that example perpetually-promoting growth sectors, revitalizing our neighborhoods, encouraging civic participation, and creating a climate that drives real economic indicators-jobs, goods and services.

When the community invests in its own success, it inspires confidence and investment from others, and everyone benefits in the long run.

Ryan Bladzik

Holly Township Resident