When people come together for a festival
Last weekend, Monticello's downtown streets were packed with vendors, visitors and locals as the 69th Annual Watermelon Festival took place in full swing.
There were booths staffed by church groups, non-profits, street vendors, local civic organizations, volunteer groups, local artisans and visiting craftsmen.
A festival is a lively way to wake up a small town, revive communities and bring people together.
Throughout history, festivals have been significant to people throughout various cultures and time eras.
In past centuries, celebrations were held around agriculturally crucial times, such as times of harvest or times of planting.
Military victories, the crowning of a new royal, death of a harsh ruler (legend has it that Italy's The Battle of the Oranges festival begun after a serf's daughter defended herself against a brutal lord and beheaded him) or marriage of nobility were also cause for festival celebrations.
One of the world's most famous – and often reproduced – festivals, Oktoberfest in Germany, began as a celebration of Crown Prince Ludwig's marriage to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen.
While festivals are always full of street vendors hoping to sell their wares, such as hand-carved toys, glass ornaments, beaded jewelry or handmade clothing and accessories, a festival also gives a lift to local shop owners.
Throughout the Watermelon Festival, visitors and locals browsed the street vendors, but local businesses stayed open as well, their shop doors wide and inviting.
During a festival, people can learn more about the local businesses in their community and give the downtown row of boutiques and antique warehouses a browse.
Whether it's buying an item from a local shop or eating a meal at a locally-owned restaurant, visitors to festivals give local people an economic boost during a festival weekend.
Festivals are also meaningful to civic or activist groups and volunteer organizations.
At a festival, these important (and often under-appreciated) gatherings of people can set up booths and pass out information about their cause or organization.
Churches can share the news about their body of believers, a local civic group can extend an invitation for citizens to get to know their group better, activists can inspire others to take up their rallying cause and volunteer organizations can reach out to others with similar passions.
Without a festival, which gathers people from all walks of life into one place, it might be hard for these groups to make contact with others outside of their usual social circles.
Festivals serve as an opportunity for people of all religions, ethnicities and social demographics to get together and enjoy one singular excitement.
The sense of community grows stronger when Jefferson County residents crowd together around the courthouse to watch the parade or pack into the Monticello Opera House to enjoy the annual children's performance.
During a festival, everyone belongs.
During a festival, it doesn't matter which church your neighbor goes to, who they love or what they do for a living – during a festival, everyone is there to have fun and that single purpose binds people together, whether that is listening to music, running from bulls, enjoying art, watching fireworks or eating sweet, juicy watermelons.
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