It’s a wrap. Indiana Black Expo’s Summer Celebration is officially over and many of us can get back to the normalcy of our lives.
But not without a quick wrap-up.
Leading up to the big weekend, Expo’s staff was hard at work trying to finalize everything. There seemed to be a calm spirit amongst the staff that I encountered prior to the big weekend, which was refreshing. As a sponsor, the Recorder was exposed to a few of Expo’s hiccups, which although it was a bit irritating at times, things eventually worked out.
The corporate luncheon has become my all-time favorite event. I always enjoy the award recipients and this year was no different. With truly deserving honorees like Reggie Wayne; Tim and Tanya Harris; Gary, Ind. Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson; Bishop T. Garrott Benjamin; Pam Grier; and the legendary Harry Belafonte, this year’s luncheon hit the mark. It was a great success.
The thing that wasn’t so great about the luncheon was the attendance. While there were just over 2,500 people there, that number is dramatically lower than previous years.
The corporate luncheon’s attendance decline was echoed at the exhibit halls where there were fewer venders and patrons.
It was sad to see. The ecomony may have also played a factor in low attendance.
As I walked through Expo-affiliated areas, I was reminded of a couple of things:
1. The tremendous amount of work needed to plan and execute such an event.
2. The wonderful resources Summer Celebration provides to the community.
Certainly I’ve always realized the aforementioned, but it was reinforced to me last weekend. Things in general seemed calmer to me. Perhaps this calm tone allowed me to reflect on things a bit more during the actual event than I’ve done in the past.
My analyses told me a couple of things. While Expo obviously has some internal and external components it must improve upon, the organization is still a good institution that needs to be around for another 42 years and beyond. However, in order for it to be around for another 42 years, there has to be some sort of reassessment.
At Recorder press time, IBE office had not released official attendance numbers but it was apparent numbers were down – perhaps the worst ever. Based off my unofficial calculation, as well as those who have a long history either with the organization or supporting the organization, attendance was low across the board. My sources were shocked to see the low turnout inside the exhibition halls. That shock increased as the day progressed to evening and the crowd that milled around downtown was sparse. I and several of my counterparts even noticed how “relaxed” the police appeared.
I fear that the calmness I referenced earlier in this editorial may be a disconnect many in the community feel about Summer Celebration. People simply aren’t interested in attending the festivities.
I’m a journalist by trade, so my interviewing skills are never too far. During Expo’s last Sunday and the subsequent days, I made it a point to ask a variety of people their thoughts on this year’s event. I asked personal friends, business associates, and even strangers at restaurants or gas stations. I was curious to see what was on the minds of the community at large.
I received some positive remarks on aspects of Summer Celebration like the Kids Zone. I also heard that people actually enjoyed fewer attendees because they didn’t have “to rub up against other people” as they walked. However, when I learned that a person didn’t attend Summer Celebration and I inquired as to why not, most people said they “weren’t feeling it.”
As I walked the exhibition halls and attended the various events, I was constantly reminded of how beneficial Summer Celebration is to the community. It’s a great way to provide attendees with much-needed resources that not only educates the public, but can also improve their quality of life.
I’m tired of people shaking their heads from left to right and murmuring “umm umm” in an “It’s a lost cause” type-of manner when the subject of Expo arises. We say that IBE is a community entity so restoring Indiana Black Expo is something that we all should take part in. But the ground work has to begin with the staff and board of directors. They have to be receptive to other perspectives and really consider what those outside entities have to say – then IBE must be fully committed to the implementation process. After members of the community see change internally, they will eventually jump on board.
On a side note it was great to see that the weekend concluded with no violence that traditional media could falsely link to Summer Celebration.