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Comfest 2010 Cancellation Rumors

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Started 1 year ago by Walker
Latest reply from thefiercelime
poll: Should Comfest be Canceled in 2010?
Yes : (23 votes)

19 %

No : (100 votes)

81 %

123 votes

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Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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There's been some rumors circulating about ComFest being canceled this year.

I did a little digging, and it sounds like there's been a little drama with planning, as there is a bit of just about every year.

From my understanding, the police department has reworked the way they oversee security at all public festivals held on public property this year, and the differences are clashing with some of the ComFest organizers.

It sounds like the idea of cancellation was made behind closed doors as a remake made out of frustration during planning, but from what I've heard it sounds 99% unlikely that it's going to actually be canceled.

This is just just what I've heard from the 3 or 4 people I've talked to who are pretty close to the source and traditionally vary reliable for rumor confirmation for me.

Anyone else heard differently?

Posted 1 year ago #
Mercurius
First Avenue
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I am helping to plan the Earth Day festival and The Columbus Parks and Rec Department (especially Jason) has been incredibly helpful in making sure we have everything done correctly. For security, so far it's been the same as what it's been in years past, you just have to hire off duty police.

If they are talking about the police not looking the other way when drugs and other illegal activities are present, then I think that is a good thing. If you aren't celebrating the Columbus community, then you shouldn't be at Comfest -- "civic pride is the new black." I think if the police were arresting people for drunk and disorderly/public intoxication and illegal drugs, that message would travel pretty fast.

Posted 1 year ago #
byJody
Rural NW Columbus
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I attended a couple of the planning and post event meetings last year and I was surprised how contentious the conversations were. There has been resistance to letting 'new blood' help with the leadership, so it does not surprise me that some would choose to cancel versus evolve.

I guess I thought the love and peace attitude would transcend the b.s. and mean they have a collaborative, community feel, but no...this bunch could have been any school board or city council meeting, with infighting and short-sightedness.

I hope they can work things out, it's a great festival.

Posted 1 year ago #
JedThorp
Merion Village
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Someone should tell the Comfest organizers to "never trust anyone over 30."

Posted 1 year ago #
lizless
Columbus/Hocking Hills
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Walker, I have heard similar things related to clashes between security and organizers. I wonder what effect last year's unfortunate suicide had on planning/security this year. Though little could have been done on Comfest security's side to prevent such a tragedy, I'm sure the tragedy weighs heavily on future planning.

Posted 1 year ago #
armyoflarry
Columbus, Ohio
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They better hope it is really canceled. With all the talk about it being too big and trying to scale things down, all this cancellation rumor stuff will shine even more light on the festival. I have a feeling this rumor mill is going to churn BIG TIME.

Posted 1 year ago #
byJody
Rural NW Columbus
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armyoflarry wrote >>
They better hope it is really canceled. With all the talk about it being too big and trying to scale things down, all this cancellation rumor stuff will shine even more light on the festival. I have a feeling this rumor mill is going to churn BIG TIME.

Maybe it is time to charge a gate fee? That's the best way to scale it back...sorry to say.

Posted 1 year ago #
armyoflarry
Columbus, Ohio
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byJody wrote >>

armyoflarry wrote >>
They better hope it is really canceled. With all the talk about it being too big and trying to scale things down, all this cancellation rumor stuff will shine even more light on the festival. I have a feeling this rumor mill is going to churn BIG TIME.

Maybe it is time to charge a gate fee? That's the best way to scale it back...sorry to say.

If they do that, the festival is over anyway. Might as well cancel it.

Posted 1 year ago #
Mercurius
First Avenue
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byJody wrote >>

armyoflarry wrote >>
They better hope it is really canceled. With all the talk about it being too big and trying to scale things down, all this cancellation rumor stuff will shine even more light on the festival. I have a feeling this rumor mill is going to churn BIG TIME.

Maybe it is time to charge a gate fee? That's the best way to scale it back...sorry to say.

I wouldn't be opposed to that especially knowing what the money went to.

Posted 1 year ago #
Snarf
How Do I Delete My Account
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What if everyone promises not to have a bad trip and stab anyone?

Posted 1 year ago #
somertimeoh
Harrison West
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armyoflarry wrote >>

byJody wrote >>

armyoflarry wrote >>
They better hope it is really canceled. With all the talk about it being too big and trying to scale things down, all this cancellation rumor stuff will shine even more light on the festival. I have a feeling this rumor mill is going to churn BIG TIME.

Maybe it is time to charge a gate fee? That's the best way to scale it back...sorry to say.

If they do that, the festival is over anyway. Might as well cancel it.

Why do you say that? Why would a small fee keep you from having a great time? If you can't afford $5 or so - volunteer.

Posted 1 year ago #
michaelcoyote
!seabus
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I'm saddened, but not surprised to hear about resistance to "new blood". I know that a lot of people have put much time and energy into making Comfest (and Victorian Village) successful, and I can understand why they'd be reluctant to give up control.

If they did cancel, I'd not be surprised to see some enterprising "young people" organizing something to take it's place.

I don't know that adding a gate charge is necessarily the best way to scale back. A gate charge is also unlikely to be a) acceptable b) enforceable
Perhaps shutting down earlier and working with different venues to host a variety of acts could dissipate the crowds earlier.

Posted 1 year ago #
Talcott
Clintonville
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byJody wrote >>

armyoflarry wrote >>
They better hope it is really canceled. With all the talk about it being too big and trying to scale things down, all this cancellation rumor stuff will shine even more light on the festival. I have a feeling this rumor mill is going to churn BIG TIME.

Maybe it is time to charge a gate fee? That's the best way to scale it back...sorry to say.

I'm not necessarily opposed to the idea, although I'm a bit wary about it. The one form of a gate fee that I could see working would be something small ($5 for the weekend) that also gave you a similar or equal coupon for food, merch and/or beer. It would generally come down to people spending money they would otherwise, and might even help drive sales for local venders. I'm still not thrilled with the idea of charging a fee (although I'd rather that than no Comfest if it came to it) but if that were considered, it would have to be done it a highly transparent unobtrusive fashion.

Regardless, I'm not sure how/if that fee could be enforced. Closing off Goodale would be difficult and would severely restrict the flow of people entering and leaving. Badges would be nearly impossible to check in a crowd that size.

Posted 1 year ago #
Cookie
Flyntonville
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Snarf wrote >>
What if everyone promises not to have a bad trip and stab anyone?

Sorry. Can't.

Posted 1 year ago #
armyoflarry
Columbus, Ohio
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somertimeoh wrote >>

armyoflarry wrote >>

byJody wrote >>

armyoflarry wrote >>
They better hope it is really canceled. With all the talk about it being too big and trying to scale things down, all this cancellation rumor stuff will shine even more light on the festival. I have a feeling this rumor mill is going to churn BIG TIME.

Maybe it is time to charge a gate fee? That's the best way to scale it back...sorry to say.

If they do that, the festival is over anyway. Might as well cancel it.

Why do you say that? Why would a small fee keep you from having a great time? If you can't afford $5 or so - volunteer.

Did I say a fee would keep me from having a good time? I'm just saying it goes against the whole principle of Comfest. It won't be Comfest anymore imho. And if another person asks me to volunteer(and wrongly assumes I don't already) I will start taking babies hostage in protest. Don't assume...

Anyway, like I said on the donewaiting board: I will believe none of this talk until Mark Fisher tells us via interpretive hippie dance.

Posted 1 year ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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lizless wrote >>
I wonder what effect last year's unfortunate suicide had on planning/security this year.

From what I've heard, it doesn't sound like that has anything to do with it.

It sounds more to do with having a new police chief and him wanting to change the way that security is handled at all Columbus Festivals, whether it's Red White and Boom, Comfest, Jazz & Ribs or Latino Fest.

Perhaps some of the organizers of other festivals are going through similar conflicts with new security planning, but I think the ComFest folks just sound easy to upset and perhaps too quick to play the cancellation bluff.

Anyway... if I were a betting man, I'd say that ComFest will still go on as planned.

Posted 1 year ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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byJody wrote >>
Maybe it is time to charge a gate fee? That's the best way to scale it back...sorry to say.

From what I've heard, it sounds extremely difficult and expensive to fence off a public space such as a park. Or at least the Oktoberfest folks have made it sound extremely impossible to do such with Schiller Park.

If they're going to do a gate fee for Comfest, they might as well move it to an area with the infrastructure for it... like the Fairgrounds. ;)

Posted 1 year ago #
Yeti22
Village
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First, I am not opposed to donating.
gate fee? no way. If you add a gate fee you have to change the name.
I would rather have nothing than gate fee-fest.

Posted 1 year ago #
michaelcoyote
!seabus
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Walker wrote >>

byJody wrote >>
Maybe it is time to charge a gate fee? That's the best way to scale it back...sorry to say.

From what I've heard, it sounds extremely difficult and expensive to fence off a public space such as a park. Or at least the Oktoberfest folks have made it sound extremely impossible to do such with Schiller Park.
If they're going to do a gate fee for Comfest, they might as well move it to an area with the infrastructure for it... like the Fairgrounds. ;)

Yep, fencing off Goodale Park would be impossible from a logistical standpoint and there would be lots of resistance to the idea from the community it's supposed to serve and from many within the organization. A move to someplace like the fairgrounds (ugh) would probably kill it within a few years.

I'm with you Walker. I'm betting that Comfest will continue on as if nothing happened.

Posted 1 year ago #
osulew
My house...in the middle of my street
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armyoflarry wrote >>

somertimeoh wrote >>

armyoflarry wrote >>

byJody wrote >>

armyoflarry wrote >>
They better hope it is really canceled. With all the talk about it being too big and trying to scale things down, all this cancellation rumor stuff will shine even more light on the festival. I have a feeling this rumor mill is going to churn BIG TIME.

Maybe it is time to charge a gate fee? That's the best way to scale it back...sorry to say.

If they do that, the festival is over anyway. Might as well cancel it.

Why do you say that? Why would a small fee keep you from having a great time? If you can't afford $5 or so - volunteer.

Did I say a fee would keep me from having a good time? I'm just saying it goes against the whole principle of Comfest. It won't be Comfest anymore imho. And if another person asks me to volunteer(and wrongly assumes I don't already) I will start taking babies hostage in protest. Don't assume...
Anyway, like I said on the donewaiting board: I will believe none of this talk until Mark Fisher tells us via interpretive hippie dance.

I'm sure the hippie mafia is going to show up and drown me in granola while I sleep, but that guy gives me the biggest case of the creeps ever.
There. I said it.

Posted 1 year ago #