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'Herencia' (Maree) or 'Independencia' (Garcia), the dueling Festivals appear to have been great successes. |
Plainfield was jammed wall-to-wall Saturday and Sunday for the dueling Festivals celebrating -- take your choice -- Hispanic Heritage or the Independence of Central America (and Mexico).
For Edison Garcia, proprietor of Los Faraones nightclub, it was his fourth annual outing celebrating Central American Independence.
Rodney Maree, owner of Chez Maree, had pitched a 'multicultural event' to the Council earlier this summer that contained not a hint that it would take direct aim at Garcia's theme and constituency.
In the days leading up to the festivals, as carnival rides began to go up and signs and banners were posted, it looked as if it were going to be Heinekens (Garcia) vs. Corona (Maree). That turned out not to be the case -- beer of several brands flowed freely at both events.
But the banners surrounding Maree's sound stage gave a clue to the broader dynamic. Where Garcia has organized and run his festival by himself, Maree's festival seemed to pull together many of the bars and restaurants competing with Garcia's Los Faraones as sponsors of the musical offerings.
Whether or not Maree and his compadres had been a little sly in just what was being planned and executed, the throngs testified that Plainfield certainly was up to handling two competing festivals (and carnivals) at the same time.
The open areas in front of the sound stages of both festivals were mobbed with swaying, occasionally shouting, music fans. Long lines with parents and little ones queued for the rides and vendors happily hawked everything from grilled corn to highly ornate cowboy boots.
On-street parking took over the area for blocks and blocks, including North Plainfield, and attendees happily trudged great distances to the Festivals. (I was fortunate both days to happen on a space near the YWCA, reducing my walk on my peg leg, but I still put probably two miles on the pedometer between the two days.)
For those trying to use Watchung Avenue to get out to Route 22, it was a challenge (blocked off at Front Street). For those who live in Plainfield but never venture or visit the downtown, it will all remain a mystery. But for those who are paying attention, we witnessed one more sign of great changes taking place in Plainfield.
Money was made and that's not a bad thing in tough economic times.
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6 comments:
Let's hope that the clean up was a smooth as the festivals. Hopefully there were no signs on public light polls or waste baskets, and if there were, they were taken down.
It would be nice if Edison Garcia would take care of his other property in Plainfield on Watchung Ave. and if he took a little more care in how his current bar looked.
Glad to have the revenue. Glad to have people enjoy, but there are others who also live in Plainfield whose expect a higher standard than, it appears, those who have lived here.
Sounds cranky, maybe. But I am tired of Plainfield having pockets of people. We need to operate as a whole, not parts.
They did not bring any new business to downtown Plainfield. They also broke the noise rules and used a bull horn for hours,so loud you could hear them all the way down by the high school. Businesses downtown also complained about the loud noise,but it did not stop them.
I agree, what good did it do for Plainfield aa a whole? It most likly cost more in clean up then the new business it brought.
Plainfield the city of cry babies
noise is noise, it is nice to know and see people out and about!
...My name is gasface49. My complaint: 8/9/2013 thru 8/11/2013, the East front Street Latino music was too loud. It reached a mile away. Over the 3 days the weather was comfortable to leave your windows open. A cut-down on your electric bill. But the Latino's were not cooperating. Plainfield police took a hand-off to complaints. The decimal readings were off the charts. Plainfield New Jersey as again displayed cowardice to this disorder of a few, taking on the city to have it all. TOO LOUD LATINO ON THE STREET MUSIC. I THINK THE PLAINFIELD POLICE SHOULD STAND A POLICE PERSONEEL TO MONITOR AND TURN THE MISIC DOWN WHEN THE LATINO'S TURN IT UP. THEN< THEY SHOULD BE FINDED WITH CONTEMPT OF A COURT ACTION< AND RUN OUT OF THE CITY OF PLAINFIELD...
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