Editorial: Concert land grab gives Bristol a bad look

Posted 6/29/18

One of the more obnoxious Bristol Fourth of July traditions is the daily turf war that wages quietly on the green grass of Independence Park on Thames Street. Home to the two-week concert series that …

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Editorial: Concert land grab gives Bristol a bad look

Posted

One of the more obnoxious Bristol Fourth of July traditions is the daily turf war that wages quietly on the green grass of Independence Park on Thames Street. Home to the two-week concert series that precedes the nation’s oldest Fourth of July celebration, Independence Park is overrun daily by spectators “claiming” their slice of real estate for that evening’s performance.

By lunchtime each day, rows of empty chairs and blankets begin consuming the areas closest to the stage. On a weekday, the turf takeover is mild. On a weekend, with a popular band on the schedule, the entire viewing area is often consumed by empty chairs and blankets hours before the first band even begins warming up.

It’s an ugly look, creating a negative impression of Bristol. Most folks accept the concert stage, trucks and trailer obscuring that majestic harbor vista — those can be forgiven as a short-term interruption for the sake of Fourth fun.

It’s another thing to clutter and obliterate an entire waterfront park on beautiful summer days, blocking access to any visitor, family or couple who might like to, literally, take a walk in the park, throw a Frisbee, or sit in the grass and eat an ice cream cone.

It’s also daunting to anyone not a concert ‘insider,’ or familiar with the series. They might find their way to Bristol to check out this great concert series they’ve heard about, only to find the entire area essentially closed to outsiders.

As stated previously, it’s not a good look.

We encourage Fourth of July and town officials to create rules that would prevent this practice. We’d start with an ordinance forbidding any “turf claims” prior to one hour before concerts, and enforce it by sweeping through daily to remove any materials in violation.

With mild enforcement, they could give the park back to the people.

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Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.