The Superior Express -

After it was learned last week that more volunteers are needed to help with this year’s Lady Vestey Victorian Festival, The Express found a copy of a letter written July 14, 2008 on behalf of the Superior Development Corporation which included a discussion of the reason for the festival. A portion of that letter follows.

As part of an on-going effort to improve local economic conditions, the enhancement of our community’s tourism potential was given a high priority. The festival is a cornerstone of our community’s efforts to enhance tourism. An effort which included having the community designated the Victorian Capital of Nebraska, designation of places of historic significance, development of walking and driving tours, preservation of our historic architecture, designation of a historic district, etc.

As we looked for ways to offset the loss of several employers, including the cheese and cement plants, the community turned to specialists for advice. The Nebraska Department of Economic Development tourism specialists advised we should develop a community theme and a festival. They suggested an identity for Superior unlike that of other communities. Our community has a history of holding celebrations on or near July 4 and several organizations were then cooperating to hold an annual July 4 celebration. The tourism specialists advised the July 4th Festival was an excellent activity for our local community--a time for the younger people of the community to get together, have a good time and continue friendships-- but it was not a festival that would appeal to the residents of a multi-state area. (Seward is Nebraska’s July 4th City and has an effective celebration based on that theme.) The consultants’ advice was to devise a festival and theme that would draw people in from outside the immediate area, build upon what we had, give Superior an identity and show the community in its best light.

As we explored and searched for what was unique to Superior, it was obvious the answer was Lady Vestey. It was decided to hold a festival honoring her and the community’s Victorian roots.

After the idea was selected, we needed a time. Several possible dates were considered and rejected. By selecting Memorial Weekend, we were building on a solid foundation. A time when visitors were naturally in the area. And the time of the year when our community’s appearance is at its best.

While many communities hold July 4th celebrations, we have little competition for Memorial Weekend, the first of summer’s holidays. School is out for most youngsters in the area, families are ready to do something different. It is the biggest weekend of the year for nearby Lovewell State Park. The park has more than 20,000 visitors and for the first festival traffic counters on the roads leading into Superior indicated 12,000 visitors. Not all, but many of those people came from or were going to the state park.

As we look to bring people back to live and establish businesses in Superior, we have been told we need to focus on former residents and graduates of our school system. Those people return to Superior in large numbers on the two summer holidays of Memorial weekend and July 4. It is important we provide activities on both of those holidays.

The activities show our community to an alive, busy place filled with people glad to be living here and optimistic about the future. We want our visitors to leave feeling good about the community. Some may decide to retire here, leave gifts to the community or, better yet, decide to locate a business here.

Both the July 4th and Lady Vestey Festivals need to be community efforts involving a broader spectrum of the community than just the chamber of commerce. We are sorry the July 4th festival has lost some momentum but we are encouraged some groups have not given up. The Superior Joggers, FFA Chapter and firemen have refused to give up. We believe an expanded July 4th festival with more family activities and activities for the younger children will be good for Superior. Many of those activities are constrained by the historical theme of the Vestey celebration and will serve a different segment of the population and people of di ferent interests.

An expanded July 4th celebration will compliment not replace the Lady Vestey Festival. As we once heard it described, the July 4th Celebration is a time for the people of Superior to play together. The Vestey Celebration is a time for the people of Superior to work together to entertain the community’s guests.

For the Vestey Festival, Memorial Weekend is a perfect fit. People interested in history are coming to Superior because of Memorial Day and their desire to honor departed friends and family, and for the alumni activities. While here they enjoy the opportunity to meet and mingle with old friends at the Vestey celebration. Many classes are now planning years in advance to hold reunions on Memorial weekend and be part of the Vestey festivities. These are the people we may interest in returning here to live in their retirement years, donate money for our local projects, establish businesses or encourage family members to return to “their roots” and relocate to Superior. We want to show Superior’s best face that weekend and the festival helps do that. Many area alumni groups recognize the draw of the holiday and schedule their annual reunions that weekend. Memorial Day is a date when our older residents return to honor their deceased loved ones.

The Vestey Festival is a big undertaking. One person or one group can not pull it off. It needs to be a joint effort of many groups and individuals. We should not expect a committee of one or two to be responsible for making it happen.

We need to involve the entire community. Perhaps it is time we review with the people of Superior the reason for the festival and the thinking behind many of the plans. We need to make sure the entire community has a share in the festival ownership. The festival committee needs a broader membership than just the Superior Chamber of Commerce tourism committee and manager.

The Vestey Festival and Victorian Capital identity have brought many benefits to Superior and they can bring more.