Bitter Dregs of Panoply

I try to be supportive of local events even when I can see a lot of room for improvement. For the most part people are doing their best, and most of our Huntsville festivals are really just in their infancy. Many of them, like the Mardi Gras parade are not well supported by the city. I went to Panoply this weekend. It is older than me and the city dumps tons of resources into it. This should be a great event, right? Well...

Drew Richter performing

If you work at Panoply and aren't open to some serious criticism or want to think only good things of it, you should probably stop reading here. I'm about to open up.

If you want to listen to some great music, Panoply's got it. If you want to see highschool dance groups that will knock your socks off, Panoply's got it. Beyond that, not so much. I have to say not a lot of art at the art festival. Where were the community art projects? Where were the street performers? Why the entire street of fried crap vendors instead of spacing out the stages more? Two of the music stages were so close to each other that the bands were able to speak to each other. True story.

Dancer silhouetted with the church steeple

Those of you who know me personally and are on my Facebook page got to hear my bitter diatribe of Panoply after I got home, including this one liner: "Panoply...it's not the festival of the arts, its the festival of music, money-grubbing, and fried flesh on a stick." But before I complain too much, I did buy some lovely things from some great artists selling their work and listened to some talented bands so it was an enjoyable day. I did not regret going, however I have not been to Panoply in over ten years and it will likely be another ten before I go again. 

We began our day with being searched...for food! I dutifully put my camera bag up to be searched by the security guard, expecting just a brief look for weapons, or perhaps alcohol. As he opened the bag the guy said no outside food and drink was allowed. They were searching for a terrible contraband: the sandwich. My family looked at each other amazed. We said we had food allergies and there was nothing we could eat there (very true). They let us in, looking very confused, but we almost walked away at the gate. The anarchistic in me hates to be searched, and I couldn't stand it for that silly of a reason. Please think about this Arts Council. Are you really so money hungry that someone bringing a sack lunch is worth hiring security to search people's property like they're criminals?

I love watching the artists making their pieces in front of an audience, that was the whole idea behind the formation of Lowe Mill. The arts in action is a great way to connect. There were several artists at work here, which I was thrilled to see but I didn't feel like I got to see much, despite being there from 10:30am to 5:00pm. It seems like scheduled times would have been better. For example I kept walking past the blacksmith, hoping to get a good photo, but never managed to see him at work. It was a hot day and he certainly needed to take breaks. But when should I come back? Perhaps next year we could consider scheduled performances, just like the music. Might have made this more successful and also made these artists more prominent. 

Watching this little guy rock out made it all worth it

There seems to be an expectation that Panoply is for kids. I don't think it has to be that way, but fine, if it is for kids why are they're not more art activities? I saw some cool masks they got to make, and a few places provided paper and paint. For the most part I saw kids playing with hula hoops (fun but not artsy), fiddling with the free things advertisers had given them, and loading up on overpriced bundles of lard and sugar. When I was small at Panoply we worked on large scale projects, each child at the festival making a small part of the whole. As the days progressed the creations got bigger and neater. You felt part of the community and got to participate in an art activity not possible in most settings. Granted, I did not have a small one with me, but I didn't readily see any art projects like that.

Yes, this may bitter and critical. You did read the title, right? I love the arts and I would love to see this festival actual celebrate it.

Panoply, where is the art?

On the plus side, dance schools in the TN Valley rock!