What our hometown parades tell us about public spirit

Comment by Patric Hedlund

Is it just me, or has it seemed to others of you that the Mountain
Communities are starting to get their mojo back?

The wonderful festivals for which this area is known began to make a fun, and
often valiant, return in 2012, complete with charming hometown parades.

Okay, the Holiday Faire parade in Frazier Park squished through puddles, with
waves and smiles through a steady drizzle December 1. Camera lenses fogged over
with rain splatters, but the mood was jolly.

Committees of the Mountain Communities Chamber of Commerce have stepped up in
2012 to be creative problemsolvers in town. That is exciting. And they are not
alone.

Over in Pine Mountain Village, the Merchants Association is working happily
with the new board of the PMC Commercial Property Owners to bring the village
alive with fun events.

After the old board eliminated the Lilac Festival parade in May this year,
that board was voted out of office.

The new board worked to bring Oktoberfest to Pine Mountain Village-complete
with a parade, which hadn’t happened before-to revive the public spirit. That
parade was like a sweet-spirited exorcism, replacing discord with friendly
celebration in a gorgeous setting.

Then, on December 15, producers of North Pole Experience (Diana Chase, Allie
Jo Thomas and Mike Mizrahi, graphic artist and computer wizard) created a
lovely, elfish procession through Pine Mountain Village.

A charming Christmas pageant filled all the ‘North Pole’ village with fun and
celebration. Mojo magic.

Sales are up for merchants. Holiday cheer is up in the community. Our towns
are looking as if they are awakening from a long, tough trudge through hard
economic times. Because they are.

Mojo is self-confidence, selfassuredness, a belief in oneself in a
challenge. It is also a sense of humor, kindness and magical creativity. Yes…I
think it’s coming back.

This is part of the January 04, 2013 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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