Let there be light...and a Curve Ball
Last night, we had high hopes of presenting the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra in Deerfield Township. Nature had another plan. She decided to put on her own show. She was flashy and showed off her brightest lights. She nudged us with her not so gentle hint that she was calling all the shots.
She might have thought she held all the cards, but as we watched her and waited, something pretty magical was happening right here on the grassy side.
This event was a collage of collaborators. It was this mix of a municipality, an arts anchor with an impressive history and a small arts organization with a lofty dream.
As the lightening worsened, we encouraged our hundreds of guests to take some cover. Without one disgruntled word, they picked up their picnics and headed to our waiting shuttle buses, tents, cars and the Snider House. The Pops musicians sat in wait in their bus with hopes of performing. A Fire chief kept a keen eye on his radar.
A kind of cool vibe started to emerge. Those waiting in their respective places began having their own little community gathering. This storm found strangers talking and finding common ground. Volunteers rallied. Trustees helped. Parks and Recreation workers went over and above.
As the sky flashed and huge cracks of lightening landed on awaiting targets, these troopers waited it out. They laughed, they talked, they came together. There was something kind of gratifying about the community closeness that was surrounding us.
In the world of arts event planning, we hope for magical results. Fingers crossed for a perfect day and a happy community. In the end, that’s exactly what we got.
Not a note was played. But through that disappointment, we came to find the true meaning of partnership. It’s a puzzle of many pieces that in the end come together through, compromise, understanding, agreement and best of all, new found friendships.
Be open to the unexpected. Never expect things to go as planned. You never know what gifts are waiting for you in a lightning storm.
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