We had a third Christmas parade in our town!!! There was still light when it started and ran through the evening. I guess everybody had to be accommodated, LOL. By the third parade, I think all organizations were represented.
Why do I go out of my way to attend events such as this (when it is so cold outside, LOL)?
Getting together in person and in a collective setting matter. Having the chance to go through anything as a community has great symbolic meaning. Through the concentration of cultural events into a limited period of time and location, festivals and parades provide just that. This implies that in order for all to create important, frequently life-changing shared memories, we must be there, present, and participate in culture concurrently with others.
The Holiday Festival and Parade also provide an opportunity for this kind of shared experience! It occurs between individuals who might not ordinarily cross paths with or think we have anything in common.
With the rise of individual, virtual, and "on demand" cultural consumption, these shared experiences have become even more significant. One reason for this is because, until recently, people took for granted the chance to engage in collective encounters.
If anything, the pandemic has highlighted how critical it is to broaden our concepts of what is valuable and how we assess culture and cultural events.
These concerns have come to light in the over a year-long lockdowns and pandemic-related fear, as well as the rising prevalence of mental health disorders. Efforts must be made to observe festivals and cultural events as unique social experiences.
In this regard, I think our town is on the right track.
All photos were taken by me with my iPhone.
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