Recent rule changes at a summer festival on Vancouver Island involving where children can play are ruffling feathers.
The 39 Days of July runs until Aug. 5 in downtown Duncan, featuring live music from around the world, as well as student exhibits, a talent show, and a parade.
A two-page spread on festival etiquette in the eventsa国际传媒檚 brochure explains why changes were made to where children can play during concerts at Charles Hoey Park.
At issue is the space between the spectators and the stage where children sometimes play.
sa国际传媒淪ome will say they are only dancing to the music and that is cute, but when the thunder is being shared with the cuteness, the poor performer must suffer,sa国际传媒� the brochure reads.
Organizers are putting together a childrensa国际传媒檚 area this year, it continues, so kids are occupied and parents can enjoy the music.
Parents are also asked to keep their kids from playing behind the stage and from climbing on a cenotaph, and to teach their children to respect public performances in general.
sa国际传媒淧eople donsa国际传媒檛 like having their children disciplined by someone else, that is a given,sa国际传媒� the brochure said. sa国际传媒淪o please save us and yourself the embarrassment by dealing with this before we have to.sa国际传媒�
What appears to be the same statement is published on the eventsa国际传媒檚 website .
Morgan Newington to the Cowichan Valley Citizen, saying the rules sa国际传媒渕arginalizesa国际传媒� children and families.
sa国际传媒淭he fact that the 39 days of July has decided to put a partial moratorium on this form of expression is saddening considering the organizerssa国际传媒� strong advocation for the arts,sa国际传媒� he wrote. sa国际传媒淭he children in our community should not be sidelined for their playfulness or enjoyment in the form of dance and they should not be compared to rotten vegetables.sa国际传媒�
Newington acknowledged that parents do need to watch over their kids, but said the brochure sa国际传媒渕arginalizessa国际传媒� them by singling them out and sa国际传媒渟hufflingsa国际传媒� the kids to a tent away from the venue.
sa国际传媒淎 festival that takes place in a public space and is free for all (children included) to enjoy. Personal prerogatives for how the organizers would like to enjoy music should not be pushed onto the public.sa国际传媒�
Among the comments on the Citizensa国际传媒檚 website, readers both support and oppose the need to contain loud children.
Thank goodness someone said something about this. We were very upset last year when our children were told not to dance, during a dance band,sa国际传媒� wrote Jennifer Hotner. sa国际传媒淚f a musical act can not perform to ALL types of people dancing because it is sa国际传媒榯oo distracting,sa国际传媒� they should reconsider live performances and stick to recording.sa国际传媒�
Others disagreed. Wrote June M. Barber: sa国际传媒淲e want to see and hear performers and not have to put up with children bouncing around in front of stage. [Ninety per cent] are not dancing to music they are just playing and I think having an area where they can jump and holler away from stage is excellent idea.sa国际传媒�
lexi.bainas@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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