Column: Community awareness matters, what people do to help

Without jumping high up on a soap box and getting called all levels of hypocritical, it's disheartening getting on social media to read those comments by people complaining about this or that trivial thing about a three day festival that they didn't like. 

​One that draws over 100,000 people to experience it's downtown to choose from a dozen varieties of cheesy fries, perhaps buy a big wooden sign to decorate the house or an equally big bag of kettle popcorn to chomp on for days, eat a free apple, listen to some music to get away from the hustle bustle for a breather, play on bouncy houses, see old friends, get up close to a Packard in mint condition, pet a mini-goat or just get off our fat behinds and walk around a bit outside.

This is Franklin, Pennsylvania for three days in October. The rest of the time it's your quaint little downtown that many brag about.

So why take the time to get all Kareny on social media to complain about the crowd size or any number of weird things that bother you about a festival you decided to go to?

The annual Applefest gets its fair share of curmudgeony sorts that find a need to express their opinions that no one asked for on social media, which is their right.

I admit I don't like crowds or taking twice as long to walk from point a to point b, but you know what... I don't have to go. I could decide not to cover the festival. 

But I do go to cover it, I do find moments to get out of the crowd for a breather, and there are plenty of places to get away. 

I choose to go because it is important for the area and it is filled with people and businesses that I care about. It is just three days.

And I do have fun than more 10 times over than those things that bother me. And if I have a complaint, that's on me. No need to get on social media and show everyone what jerk I am.

​Applefest is perhaps the one event that really puts Franklin on the map. And not just those three days, people come back to experience the town the other 362 days.

It is also an event that brings tens of thousands of dollars to the area... that puts some farmer's market folks into the black for the year and frankly, is just a fun time for 94.37% of the people who go and 100% of the people who don't have to listen to idiots bitching about nothing. (Just a an educated guesstimate.)

There are always ways to improve things. I know personally that the people who put so much time into Applefest welcome constructive ideas.

They understand there is no event that can't be improved upon and that others can have good ideas that lead to positive advancements of an already successful festival.

They welcome input properly delivered. Usually Facebook post complaints are not the best avenue.

​Some of the things overheard or read this weekend astound and truly make me understand how little people actually know about how things work. 

This year a small group of folks who feel a need to spread their brand of Christian beliefs took advantage of the huge number of people in Franklin to stand on very public ground in front of the courthouse to spread their ideas.
​
They had the right to be there as long as they did not disrupt visitors to the festival from passing by from one park to the other.

​I never felt they were disruptive physically and when I personally found myself disrupted mentally I knew that was on me. 

I did laugh out loud passing by at one point because of something that was not directed at me at all that I found ironically amusing. I thought, "I can choose to let it bother me, as one social media commentator most certainly did, or not let it bother me and go about my business."

The usual complaints about how difficult it can be getting through town or finding parking close to downtown..

Yet there are several alternative parking venues that are free and the Applefest organizers use their budget to pay for free shuttle services. Several area businesses turn their lots into pay lots, often donating that money to a non-profit organization or group.  And in the 10-ish years of covering this festival I've always found a spot. Yes I have to walk a little sometimes, but again, my big belly could use more of that.

And as far as getting through town, the committee ensures traffic control officers are available and ..... and I can't emphasize this enough... it is just three or four days and it is only during the day when it is the busiest.

​Now-a-days GPS will help you find alternative routes if you just want to get through town.

It is also a common misconception that this is a money maker for the City of Franklin. It is not, nor is it a profit margin windfall for the non-profit Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce. The vendor fees. etc. go to putting on the festival, paying for security, bathrooms, trash pickup, advertising (which they don't even need to do much of anymore because of its historical success draws people regardless) and general operating costs. 

Most services are paid either in part or in full by the chamber and they also rely a great deal on volunteers. It costs a fair amount to put on a festival, especially a successful that routinely makes the list of top festivals in the country.

One laughable comment I heard this weekend was that the festival has gotten too big and there are now too many people.

Let that one marinate for a few minutes in your brain.

​So some folks don't want the festival to be successful? How would the committee attract new vendors if they took this kind of comment seriously? Ask any other festival organizer who struggles to draw huge crowds if they would trade with Applefest and I'm pretty sure their answer would be yes.

The purpose of this festival is to showcase the little town of Franklin, bring awareness to what the area offers, highlight some of the truly great things we have like the Black Knights Marching Band and top notch restaurants and shops while also giving residents and visitors a chance to support small businesses and crafters.

But most all it is to provide this area with something fun.

So what is there to complain about in a world where our day-to-day is so filled with negativity in the news? And to be fair, reading Applefest related comments underneath posts by friends and local organizations, 95% are indeed positive with people appreciative of this historically impressive event.

Here is a town, with a local chamber that for three days each October offers a small oasis ​to truly see what is great about this country and it's people.

​The naysaying Nellies can't ruin that.

The Applefest committee is already planning ahead for next year.

Below are more photos from this year's Applefest from Eight & 322

Applefest 42 by the Numbers:
75 apple dapple cakes
100 bushels of apples handed out
175 apple pies
300+ vendors
400+ vehicles in the car show
500+ runners/walkers in the 5K
700+ pancake meals
3,000 apple dumplings
1 million views on Facebook
TOO MANY VISITORS TO COUNT
The 3 Best Days of the Year.