Monday, June 30, 2008

Movin' on

The Town of Weaverville is gearing up for its annual Fourth of July celebration this Friday. In hopes of alleviating crowd control concerns, the town announced in April that it was moving its celebration to Lake Louise Park from Main Street.

Weaverville Town Manager Mike Morgan told the Tribune, "We have come increasingly nervous and concerned about the number of individuals we have on Main Street in such a tight area."

The celebration at Lake Louise will stretch along the shore of the popular lake. Booths will open at 4 pm, opening ceremonies will begin at 6:30 pm and the fireworks will conclude the evening at 10 pm. Shuttle buses will transport guests from area parking lots to the lake.

Leaving Main Street upset at least one downtown business owner. Blue Mountain Pizza owner Matt Danford told the Tribune in April, "I don't see the reason for moving it. But it doesn't surprise me." Danford said the festival grew up on Main Street and was a celebration of, what is considered by most to be, the heart of the town.

Lake Louise is an attractive alternative, and the notion of watching the fireworks explode over the rippled waters is appealing. It will be interesting to see if the layout of the festival stretches beyond the proposed arrangements on Lakeshore Drive. Lake Louise has more room, but it will need to be utilized effectively in order to maximize space. Another question will be the amount of foot traffic the new venue generates.

Weaverville prides itself on its Fourth of July celebration. Let's hope this move pays off.

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