Community events integral to creating community
Spring has sprung.
Though in Western Pennsylvania it makes less of a spring into the open than a cautious creep forward only to repeatedly retreat back into winter until it gains confidence, much like a wild rabbit.
Regardless of how it arrived, weather is sure to continue to get more consistently welcoming to outdoor events and that means it’s festival season.
In coming months, communities and organizations will gather to finally be able to comfortably get outdoors and enjoy the weather, take in some free entertainment and indulge in that guiltiest of pleasures — food stands.
These events do far more than providing a few hours fun for attendees though. They provide sense of place and community, and an opportunity for personal interaction between neighbors, often absent in our increasingly digital society.
For better or worse, gone are the days when neighborhood porches would be occupied through warm weather with people simply sitting out and socializing in person. Gone are the days when most neighborhood children could be seen all summer long simply playing with each other without video games and social media. Gone are the days of their parents sitting on the patio playing cards regularly or holding barbecues together.
Today’s interactions often happen through social media rather than in person.
Public community events offer one of the last planned opportunities for the face-to-face interactions that create a community.
We suggest making the most of them and we applaud the organizations, communities and dedicated volunteers still making sure they happen.
—JP
