Parkersburg Homecoming a shadow of its former self
I’m writing about the Parkersburg Homecoming 2019. I’m glad they did it in Red White and Blue for Veterans.
They said they were doing a laser light show instead of the fireworks because of the veterans that suffer with PTSD.
What they don’t know is that the laser light show is just as bad as the fireworks, because the veterans will think it is tracer rounds going and set them in a flash back.
I’m a Gulf War veteran suffering with PTSD and I don’t like fireworks or laser light shows.
I know there are several other veterans that doesn’t like them either.
It is so sad that 20 years ago you go to the Homecoming and there was a waiting list to set up for selling crafts.
The whole parking lot beside the flood wall was covered with crafts and a big tent down beside the flood wall and the Market Place was full of crafts, several food vendors up and down the street and flea market sellers under the bridge.
They had big name singers coming in like George Jones, Ronnie McDowell, Billy Ray Cyrus, Restless Heart and many others.
Now the Parkersburg Homecoming gets people off the street to play at the Homecoming.
Where is all the money going from the food vendors fee they pay to set up.
It’s ridiculous the fees that the vendors have to pay to set up there to sell their products.
If the food vendors didn’t set up at the Homecoming there wouldn’t be anything at the Homecoming.
Didn’t have rides for the kids. Yes they had blow-ups but kids like riding rides.
No fireworks and that’s what a lot of people go to see.
Marietta has boat races and has a wonderful turnout.
Marietta has a Sternwheeler Festival with a great turnout.
Parkersburg can’t even have a Homecoming and turn out decent.
People called me and messaged me about the laser show and said it was so pathetic that it was just so sad Parkersburg would even do something like that.
I think they need to get their heads together and their hands out of their pockets and let’s get the Parkersburg Homecoming back to the way it used to be.
Let’s get boat races and a Sternwheel Festival here in Parkersburg.
We have the same Ohio River as Marietta does, so wake up Parkersburg and let’s start spending money in our town instead of another town.
John D. McIntyre
Parkersburg