Lexington, KY - By Robbie Clark | editor
Like a horse being stubborn about drinking once it's been shown water, I've often thought you can lead the people of Lexington to a party, but you can't make them have a good time.
Though the trait is far from unique to Lexington, it seems that, more oft than not, the majority of people in our town is more enthused about the groundswell of negativity and criticism at the onset of any event, initiative or new idea than they are about sharing words of support, let alone being active participants. A cynic's position has appeal, of course - it's much easier, and often safer, to disparage than to take stock - but it's not very constructive.
There's a big party coming to Lexington: 16 days worth of a party (even more, depending on what calendar you are looking at), and everybody in town is invited, as well as a horde of out-of-town guests. Of course, I'm referring to the World Equestrian Games and all of the bells and whistles (like the Spotlight Lexington and Alltech Fortnight Festivals) that have evolved to complement the occasion.
Instead of putting on their party hats, stocking the bar and making sure their yard looks good, I've seen more and more people acting like the frosty neighbors to a real barnburner – party poopers more concerned with revelers blocking their driveway and how they'll look to the rest of the neighborhood than they are with cutting loose and getting in on the action.
For a lot of people, it seems that if organizers and hosts aren't throwing the party the way they think it should be thrown, they will politely, or in this case emphatically, decline to attend.
For nearly five years we've heard the monotonous drone of suggestions and denunciations, some with merit and some outright clueless, from a chorus of people about what needs to transpire with the World Equestrian Games to make it a success. On many occasions, we all became impromptu festival planners, traffic coordinators, hospitality managers and international taste gurus. In unison, our refrains all began with the same words: "They should."
They should do this. They should build that. They should put that here. They should move this over there. They should have more of this. They should have less of that. They should turn this into that, while making sure that that doesn't become this. They should.
It's been both entertaining and frustrating, to see our valuable insights and observations enacted, encouraged, manipulated, dismissed and even ridiculed, in public forums or in private company. Right up until the opening ceremonies, and long after the closing ceremonies, I'm sure we'll all hear the same smug retrospect: They should have listened to me.
Maybe they should have, but the time for passing judgment from a position of hindsight is gone. Maybe we will sit in traffic a little longer than we had hoped. Maybe we will have some trouble finding a parking spot. Maybe attendance will be lighter than projected.
Maybe the whole thing will be a bust.
Regardless, they have done what they are going to do to try to make sure none of that happens, and now it's our turn.
We should be excited. We should be gracious hosts. We should roll with the punches. We should come out.
We should have a good time.