The Gadfly is a series of letters offering commentary on local issues and published in the Warrensburg Gazette.

Well, those who attended the 2nd Annual Blind Boone Music & Culture Festival last Saturday had an enjoyable time. Lots of good music, good food, and great activities, and all the money stays right here in town. In addition to some fine home-grown musicians, we had major touring rag-time artists and some excellent groups from Kansas City. While the day was hot, the constant breeze kept it pretty comfortable. For those of us who worked the festival, it was a long and tiring day, yet quite rewarding.

One of the great things I noted was the expanded participation by volunteers from various groups around town. The Blind Boone Park renovation group has always been a grass-roots effort, blessed by the city but with limited direct support; given the Parks Department’s budget situation, limited support is all that we expected. On the other hand, I was disappointed by the absence of many of Warrensburg’s “cultural & political elites.” While many of them have contributed in other ways in the past two years, one would think that an opportunity to showcase our history would have drawn those entrusted with the leadership of our community. The festival lasted virtually all day!

During the park’s evolution from a weed patch, it’s a tribute to see citizens who have been heretofore uninvolved in community activities stepping forward to create a cultural high point, one weed at a time. If you want to help make the park a reality and a venue for cultural events, visit the renovation group’s website and see what’s going on; you can even sign up for the email group there.