Last weekend the City of St. Joseph held its annual art festival on the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. And, to my knowledge, it was the first year where the festival committee made a conscious, serious, and public decision not to allow dogs to attend.
The fair is held in a grassy area. The booths are close together, and the hoards of people make for an elbow-jostling event. When they bring their dogs, regardless of how well behaved both owner and animal are, it adds a level of chaos that detracts from the real reason for being there. I must admit, small children in strollers can also do the same thing; but I doubt that festival organizers will issue a similar ban next year. After all, children are human while dogs are not.
Following the art fair, a disgruntled gentleman wrote a letter to the editor of the local newspaper noting that he and a group of friends had driven some distance and brought their dogs to attend the fair. He was angry that he was asked to leave, not only once but twice. Finally he and his group did leave and drove up the way to Saugatuck where, he said, they spent thousands of dollars on art. By implication, that money could have been spent in St. Joe.
I imagine this gentleman wasn’t aware of the dog ban, although the organizers published their decision in a variety of ways. I also imagine he had looked forward to a wonderful day with friends and might have been embarrassed at the unexpected reception they received. At the same time, as someone who has been tripped by dogs on leashes and had to watch where I step at this particular event, I applauded the organizers’ decision.
And, who knows, it might have encouraged others who feel as I do to come and spend their own thousands of dollars.
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