Community Corner

Cancelled Firebird Festival May be On Again

Groundswell of support has the organizer calling for help to find a way to stage the festival after all.

The organizer who last week announced he was cancelling the annual Phoenixville Firebird Festival is apparently having second thoughts.

On Thursday A Facebook page started to urge that the Festival be preserved posted the following statement from Henrik Stubbe Teglbjaerg:

"It is quite overwhelming how many "oh-no" responses there have been voiced, so right now I don't know what to do about our Firebird festival. I am open to rethink the no to the festival. To me it is important that there is a connection to the business district and the Firebird site. One of the many suggestions was to have the festivities downtown, and then by dusk time have a parade up to friendship field, our fun funky parade ( just met with the organizer of the Christmas parade today, and they want it to be more traditional, so our firebird presence there is off the idea table).

My worries in the past, when I contemplated that idea were, that it is a parade route all uphill, 4000 feet of it. How does other feel about it? Shall we pursue those ideas? One thought is to contact local Farmers, and if they came with their hay wagons, they could transport people back and forth for $ 2-5 (as an incentive for them).

As of now it is only me organizing the event, yes I know I have the whole community behind me, willing to help, but I need people willing to take on tasks, and run with them, if we are to move forward with the festival. We will have a meeting at The Village Art Center (207 Bridge street) on Sunday September the 15th from 4 -5, to brain storm how to move forward. If you want to help, please come."

The Festival has had a difficult time finding a home for 2013. Insurance concerns apparently have eliminated the originally planned location along the water on Bridge Street. An alternative suggestion to use Friendship field has also raised serious concerns among neighbors and township officials about fire safety and flying embers from the burning wooden bird.

Supporters of the Festival are urging people to attend next week's Burough Council meeting when the question may be brought up in the public comments portion of the meeting even if it is not on the formal agenda. 


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