St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Amanda St. Amand wandered over to the informal gathering this past weekend near the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle (it’s actually a water tower) in Collinsville, Ill., after the namesake’s annual festival was canceled several weeks ago.
In essence, the festival got the ax during a dispute between the nonprofit Downtown Collinsville group and the Catsup Bottle Fan Club.
Based on what I’ve heard from various sources, it sounds like both sides share at least a little blame for the festival’s cancellation. Egos trumped the common good to keep the festival going.
Paul Mann, Collinsville’s director of community development, said this to St. Amand about whether the festival will be revived in 2008:
“Who knows? It’s going to be up to the various entities. […] It’s going to be based upon everyone managing to play nice.”
Hiya Ron,
I appreciate your coverage on our event troubles. I’ve tried to take the high road for the most part on this, not wanting to whine about all the little details and bore everyone with the year-long back story. Most of what the public read focused on “what” happened and not “why” it happened.
I was on the inside, I lived this mess. I can say that Downtown Collinsville, Inc. and the City of Collinsville made the decisions that caused the festival to be canceled. Paul Mann was the top dog who chose to not “play nice.”
Basically, it was just like an bad divorce. It only takes one side to be ugly and make things worse for everyone, including the kids.
As for my part of the blame… I’ll take credit (I guarantee you won’t hear that from the city or DCI), and I’m not at all afraid to admit it. You should know, one’s got to have an ego and believe in themselves to ever get anything accomplished. We fought the Collinsville administration EVERY YEAR to do this event. What we accomplished was simply amazing considering what we had to go through. They (meaning the City, DCI, and other catsup bottle haters) finally had the political power to shut us down this year, and the influence to make it look like they didn’t do it. Unless the political climate changes in our screwy little town, the Catsup Bottle Summerfest won’t be back… and honestly, I’m so burned out and discouraged, I couldn’t care less.
Oh, and one other thing… the state is widening Route 159 through Collinsville. It looks like the Catsup Bottle is in the way, so this situation of canceling the fest is most likely the first step to eventually razing it. We’re tired enough of fighting the City, we’re sure as heck not gonna fight the state! Again, right now, they CAN tear the thing down for all I care.