Nothing like a festival in May to kick off summer.
Crowds strolling Main Avenue, rather than winter’s hurry-up-and-get-there dashing through town. Freed from hibernation, we’re wearing our summer hats, seeing neighbors and celebrating the promise of a new season. Fragrant foods are grilling, steaming, chilling and stewing, competing for our attention. Beer, artisan cocktails, desserts, music and dancing. A seemingly perfect day.
That was Taste of Durango. Emphasis on “was” – at least this year – as it’s been cancelled. Another vague post-pandemic hangover. Not only have businesses adapted and changed, we’ve all reevaluated what we want in any of our experiences – work, school, fun festival times.
We get it. Last year’s Taste couldn’t rise to what it had been previously. No one’s fault. A colossal amount of planning, expenses, heavy lifting, and rallying of staffers and volunteers went into it. A big hit was that shortage of servers, cooks and workers who couldn’t be cannibalized from their restaurants to haul food and equipment, and staff an event that mostly showcases favorite menu items, raises money for nonprofits and delivers a memorable experience.
Even in good years, restaurants don’t make much money at Taste of Durango, if any. Losing money is intolerable.
The service industry is always tough – dealing with the public a royal pain. Add to this customers who refused to wear masks, didn’t bend to public health orders or tip well. A perfect storm of aggravation. Hence, the thin workforce.
Wristbands – preloaded with festival-goers’ money – meant to make transactions more secure, but didn’t progress the experience as hoped. People didn’t know what was going on.
And it’s one thing to wait in long lines on a pretty day, connecting with people over food and drink standouts. It’s quite another to wait in long lines, then find out the food’s run out.
Taste of Durango has to break even for restaurants and businesses. For festival-goers, it has to be worth the money and time spent. Our post-pandemic standards must be met.
The Taste isn’t alone in event struggles. We were disappointed when the community Thanksgiving dinner at the Fairgrounds, a decadeslong effort by Durango-area churches, was cancelled in 2022. Apparently, those involved – many of them seniors – didn’t have the bandwidth for a full-scale, serving style event. We get this, too.
And the Durango Motor Expo, normally scheduled on Father’s Day weekend, is also canceled this year. Depending on whether younger folks take an interest, this car show is at risk of sunsetting. Antique car lovers tend to be older. Pandemic concerns didn’t help. Gas prices made it expensive for exhibitors from as far away as Arizona and Oklahoma to drive to the Sky Ute Casino Resort in Ignacio, where the event was held. Getting sponsors on board, adhering to municipalities’ guidelines and all the behind-the-scenes work make the car show – in existence for at least 25 years – untenable this year. We’re sorry to hear this.
Tim Walsworth, executive director at the Durango Business Improvement District, assured us, though, “the event scene isn’t dying,” with at least 20 local events on the books for 2023.
Business owners and participants alike will be more discerning about what event to put on, what to attend.
We’re holding out hope for a reenergized Taste of Durango after time off. New ideas are swirling about to include restaurant weeks with entrees, appetizers and drinks highlighted. It won’t be the same, but we support whatever local eating and drinking establishments want to do.
Too bad, though, we probably won’t be wearing those summer hats.
