Over the weekend my husband and I decided to take Lennon down town to the Powder Keg Festival. It is suppose to be the "new" local winter festival. I was pretty excited. The idea reminded me of when I was a kid growing up in Saranac Lake, NY. Every February the town would put on a winter festival complete with parades, games, crafts, and an ice castle with fireworks! I remember looking forward to it every year. I was thrilled that Lennon might have a chance to be a part of a similar tradition in his home town. Unfortunately we were greatly disappointed.
My Issues with the festival:
1. Total lack of organization. It just felt like complete chaos! People not knowing where to go or what to do.
2. Lack of visual stimulation. The organizers of this event had a huge opportunity to make Buffalo a winter wonder land! Parades with costumes, impressive ice sculptures and street performers could have all played a part in this. Maybe even some reindeer? Or Sleigh rides? Any thing to make it a little more "magical". They did have Ice sculpture presentations, but compared to other winter fests I have been to they were not impressive. There was an Ice labyrinth... that is a good idea, but it could have been better. Put sculptures in the labyrinth! Maybe add an ice slide?
3. The organizers seemed to steer clear of the water front. All the money and effort put into making a beautiful waterfront, and no one ever seems to use it! The whole festival doesn't have to be there, but set something up... use it for something!!!!
What they should do again next year:
1. Closing an off ramp and turning it into a tubing hill was a really cool idea! The line to use it was kind of insane, but that was because it was the only thing really worth doing at the festival.
2. The beer tent with band (this is never a bad idea)
3. The boy scouts demonstration of building an igloo. Good job boy scouts! My only suggestion would be to maybe have multiple troops involved. Like a boy scout igloo making contest.
4. The ice labyrinth. Good idea, but like I said before it could have been a lot better.
5. Summer sports in the snow... neat! They should play this up next year and add more sports.
I hope they make another attempt at this next year, and I hope they learn from their mistakes. I think this could have the potential to be a lot of fun.
Some good observations and suggestions. Winter festivals can be so much fun. In a City with the reputation of Buffalo and its snow a winter festival should be a must do and could be great! Just because it is cold and/or snowing doesn't mean folks have to hibernate inside. Let's hope this idea blossoms and grows each year.
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