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PrintAugust 2012: Letter from the editor
One of the reasons city regional magazines exist is to provide convincing rebuttals to the statement, “There’s nothing to do.” And we’ve gotten really good at it. From the table of contents to the back page essay, every issue of a city magazine is loaded with information that helps readers discover their communities and take advantage of all there is to do and see. And I include the advertisements.
The only thing we can’t give you is the extra time you’d need to do everything that looks good in a given month. Sometimes, so many great choices can be frustrating, especially in the summer. For a few years now, I have been chipping away at Spree’s festival calendar. Leaving out the biggies like Allen, Elmwood, Taste, and the Italian, so far I’ve managed to attend (for the first time) the Wildlife and Renaissance festival, the Eden Corn Festival, the Canal Festival, and the Lebanese Festival. On my to-do list (among others) are the Irish Festival, Angelica’s Lavender Festival, Cheektowaga’s Polish-American Festival, and the Scottish Festival.
And then there are the outdoor concerts. These present an impossibly diverse and far-flung array of great acts and great locations to go with them. I’ve heard great things about the canal series in Lockport, but have never managed to attend, while Artpark is always a beautiful place for music of every kind—and they do program every kind.
This is the reason we always have separate calendars for music and festivals in all three summer issues of Spree. Even leaving those offerings out, this month’s “great date” itineraries offer other interesting answers to the “what to do” question, whether one is on a date or not. Ever hiked Hunter’s Creek, eaten at Sun International, seen a great movie alone, or tried acupuncture? Now might be the time. And if you have never toured Rome or Geneva, New York, Spree writer Nancy J. Parisi provides convincing reasons to visit either of those small cities this year.
Admittedly, there are a few activities written about here that I’ll probably forego. Like golf. But I hope that, like me, you will take the contents of this issue as a challenge. Or as a convincing retort the next time a friend or family member complains that there’s nothing to do.
Wishing you an active and entertaining summer,
Elizabeth Licata
