Happy spring!

[Tino3]

Watch for crocus and daffodil bulbs! Enjoy the season!

[Dkorman]

I planted my first pansy's on sunday

[stagehog01]

I love spring :) I hate cutting the grass :mad: and I don't do gardening. I don't celibrate flowers either. Oh wow...the dafidils have blossomed...lets have a big party and waist the tax payers dollars, and mess up traffic on the west side of Meriden.
Will even get has been musical groups, and singers to come.....BORING!!!

[gene36]

You miss the point of the daffidel festival.
Its like the roman arena. If we throw a big party no one will notice the cut backs in service and dollars we throw at the school board to pay the high salaries(and im not talking teachers), and adding more admin.people.
Just look at some of the job titles in the education system and try to figure out what they do.
We can easily Remove a couple of layers of admin. people and hire more teachers and still save money.
We need some one on the town council and the board of ed. To start asking the right questions and not just accept what ever budget is dropped on the table.

[ErnestT]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Both of the previous posters miss the point of the Daffodil Festival. It is produced by volunteers and is not a City of Meriden function as such. While the City provides ancillary support with Parks Department personnel helping with set up and a modest monetary contribution from the City - there is certainly no political agenda associated with the Festival.
No one on the committee is planning to 'pull the wool' over any one's eyes to shield them from tax increases or whatever.
As for 'has been' musical groups - did you catch The Buckingham's show - talk about entertaining - music you can relate to; none of that RAP nonsense which in my opinion is not music - it's chanting.
So, if you feel the Daffodil Festival is not for you, that's your right - but believe me it is not produced to cover up anything.

[gene36]

I voluntered one year and ended up on Bus duty in the rain and cold. I found that most of the people running the show were city employees.(Thank god for them). I was asked on the second day what kind of community service I was on??? I was never invited to any thank you event and so never voluntered again as I had taken a lot of notes on how to improve the event but was never asked.
PS. I was nearly stranded at the closing as every one left while I was helping the last few handicaped on the bus. When I realized everyone had left I had to chase down the last bus to get a ride to my car, or I would have been out on west main hitch hiking.

[Ben]

The Daffodil Festival volunteers are very dedicated people indeed. It's not always easy being a volunteer at an event that big so they definitely deserve our appreciation for giving Meriden another successful Daffodil Festival.

[moms2cents]

Ben and gene36 bring up good points. The volunteers do work very hard and deserve thanks. However, I do see city employees including the poice, I'm sure most of them are paid for their time.

There are many improvements that need to be made. Parking, of course, is the biggest. To me parking this year was the worst ever. I stopped by the information booth to make a complaint about the parking and I got "I'm sorry, we're just volunteers". If the committee actually cared I would have been directed as to who I should contact. I noticed in 2006 they were surveying some people, but the only noticeable improvement this year was hay over all the mud in the craft area.

Overall it's a nice festival, it's just agrevating that it could be a great festival.

[janerose]

As a long time Daffodil Festival Volunteer and Committee member I have read all you ideas and thoughts with much interest. Our volunteers are so very important to the full function of what we do; we appreciate their time; their efforts and constructive ideas. Yes, we have also been out in the rain and mud and yes, once in a while, snow. We have a party to celebrate their time spend doing whatever is required of them during the weekend. If the gentlemen did not get an invitation; it is an oversight; nothing more.

The Daffodil Festival Committee members are committed to making this a special event for Meriden; we bring in great entertainment; great food; great arts & crafts. We have been recognized by the State as Connecticut Tourism Department this event.

Please feel free to contact us at Meriden Daffodil Festival PO Box 40 Meriden, CT 06450 with any suggestions; I will make certain they are reviewed by our committee.

[Happy]

Okay, change the subject. Now is the time to get outdoors and enjoy the POSITIVE aspects of being alive. High gas prices? Walk or try a bus or train. Try putting negative energy or attitude into helping others or the environment. Griping is okay but it is also important to DO things. From my point of view, I loved the Daffodil Festival and look forward to the summer concerts. Happy day!

[Eastside Bill]

I missed it this year, but am I correct that there was no downtown parking for the shuttle buses? I always used that lot to avoid the traffic jams around Platt & Lincoln and it looked as though the buses didn't venture into downtown this year. If that is true, too bad.