Changes to Luminaries

[Adam White]

This is a shame. The event was tons of fun in years past.
Last year I played Christmas tunes from a trailer with a full band being towed by a truck with a fake snow machine.
I didn't see any "barnyardesque ass bearing" but, I guess that's what you get from a neighborhood that once believed Mellow Mushroom was the bringer of the apocalypse.

A lot of this sounds like the dicks in RAP trying to keep "their" neighborhood "exclusive" or whatever. They are trying to keep the wrong kind of people out of Avondale. I've heard similar things from snobs I'm friends with on Facebook.

That's not to say there might not be issues - but it seems like RAP is overstepping, once again.

Luminary used to be a lot of fun for the neighborhood (frankly, last year was the first year we did not even bother putting out luminaries as we were sick of supporting it).  I am sure there are many folks in the neighborhood that still enjoy it but many I talk with hate what it has become.  It's a mess.  We end up with trash throughout the neighborhood.  And, eventually, someone (probably a kid) will be seriously injured.  I am glad they are cracking down.

Fair enough. It's weird to think it has become so big. I remember the first time I went (I think it was 1990) and it was quite restrained. Even the last time I did it - I was living on St Johns near Publix and put out luminaries - it was still pretty low-key. That was 2002, I think.

Publix wasn't there in 2002.

I think you'll find it was:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=1574

http://jacksonville.com/reason/call-box/2014-05-23/story/call-box-publix-occupies-old-riverside-hospital-site

https://www.questia.com/newspaper/1G1-87171024/a-store-comes-to-life-riverside-publix-makes-eagerly

However, I was only trying to clarify what part of St Johns I was living on - this short bit near 5 points as opposed to the long bit past St Vincent's Hospital.

[JeffreyS]

The candy and liter are terrible but the trailers are great. 

[BridgeTroll]

Has anyone been to both the Luminaries and Porchfest?  I do not recall Springfield having the issues with litter and such... not that there wasn't... I just do not recall any pushback from it...

[Lucasjj]

I have been to both. Porchfest does not have the "parade" element. Porchfest is limited to a set numbers of blocks and does not allow vehicular traffic.

[Adam White]

I have been to both. Porchfest does not have the "parade" element. Porchfest is limited to a set numbers of blocks and does not allow vehicular traffic.

Maybe it lacks the dirty westsiders invading the neighborhood.

[Lucasjj]

The cops should just do rubber bullet guns and anyone throwing hard candy from trucks or trailers are fair game to be shot. Then we can keep the trucks and trailers and eliminate the idiots who think throwing hard candy is an acceptable action.

[Dog Walker]

It went from "lets go look at the pretty lights in the pretty old neighborhood" to the worst of a Mardi Gras Parade.  Past time to get some control before someone gets serious hurt.

[JeffreyS]

It is a clear over correction.

[Dog Walker]

It is a clear over correction.

You won't know that until you see how it works out.

[Sentient]

It went from "lets go look at the pretty lights in the pretty old neighborhood" to the worst of a Mardi Gras Parade.  Past time to get some control before someone gets serious hurt.

Yes I've seen people breaking bottles and pissing on lawns early in the night.  The reason RAP is even mentioning anything is they fear liability from the event and they are not an official sponsor of the "parade".  same reason Open Road dropped out of the bike tour.

And this is the crux of the issue, it has become a large parade, without any permitting or any additional paid for by the parade organizer JSO details, bathrooms etc.  Which is why you saw only a couple of cops roaming about in years past and not every street blocked off etc like when there are races or permitted parades on SJA.

[mtraininjax]

to the worst of a Mardi Gras Parade.

Its way past that now. Unofficially, the JSO is going to come down hard in Avondale. I guarantee you that you will see a lot more police and with Rutherford gone, we have a new Sheriff in Williams and his Zone 4 commander is not going to allow people to "break the law". ASSISTANT CHIEF LARRY GAYLE is the new Zone 4 commander and he is not going to take any crap from people breaking the law.

If you want to ride around in the back of an un-permitted trailer, do it somewhere else on Dec 20. Cause JSO is gonna find you and ticket you and then what do you tell all the people riding the in the back? Hey get off, I'll send Uber back to get you, LOL! Heck, JSO may make people leave the trailers in the shoppes of Avondale or on a side street. Maybe they won't be there when people return....

go over to San Marco.

Please, its the size of a postage stamp and there are only a couple of decent streets and they have no traffic to worry about. If San Marco was the place to be, maybe the Bestsiders will invade you and you guys get to inherit this problem!

Yes I've seen people breaking bottles and pissing on lawns early in the night.  The reason RAP is even mentioning anything is they fear liability from the event and they are not an official sponsor of the "parade".  same reason Open Road dropped out of the bike tour.

And this is the crux of the issue, it has become a large parade, without any permitting or any additional paid for by the parade organizer JSO details, bathrooms etc.  Which is why you saw only a couple of cops roaming about in years past and not every street blocked off etc like when there are races or permitted parades on SJA.

You miss the point of it all, there is no sponsor, no one in charge of the Neighborhood event. The PRIDE parade through Riverside and Avondale had police that were paid $30 an hour to block streets and help with the traffic flow. There is none of that in the Luminaria, there is no sponsor. RAP is not a sponsor. RAP is not a sponsor for Christmas in Avondale, but the merchants association of Avondale is, even though RAP has the event listed on their site and discuss it, as it is an event in the neighborhood. The merchants are paying to have police there and to close st. johns from 5-9 pm this Saturday. It is a small stretch and easy to block, its done every year, without a parade or trailers.

Luminaria is an event in the neighborhood, churches make money with nativity scenes, they sell their own white bags and candles and they have their own events, but do they sponsor Luminaria, nope, just an excuse to have a party and sling their own stuff.

Open Road made their own business decision, but people still bike the event and there are still a large posse of bikers. Ask them how they enjoy being pelted with hard candy? Who enjoys it when you are seeing the best that the neighborhood has to offer from its residents.

Luminaria is all for the residents of Riverside and Avondale, as far as most are concerned, the westside trailer-trash can stay home, go elsewhere, or come and get a ticket and a smile from JSO's finest Dec 20. Avondale and Riverside will do  just fine with any of the 3 choices.

[Adam White]

Luminaria is all for the residents of Riverside and Avondale, as far as most are concerned, the westside trailer-trash can stay home, go elsewhere, or come and get a ticket and a smile from JSO's finest Dec 20. Avondale and Riverside will do  just fine with any of the 3 choices.

I'd rather hang out with "westside trailer trash" than with elitist snobs any day of the week.

[Know Growth]

Semi-interesting hysterical historical; first witnessed RAP Luminary quite by surprise. Some time ago,the year Biscottis opened. I had an apartment at Riverside & Aberdeen........went out to the balcony at dusk...........surprise!!   Enchanting

Once again,we now experience 'Too Much'.

I have participated in Parades,tossed candy,got marshmellows stuck on my bicycle wheels........clop,clop,clop 
The vehicular traffic is a major hassle for cyclists.

Perhaps it is time to effectively promote walk and bike. At some point, why not consider Luminary event closing of St Johns Avenue down to vehicles at the Shoppes and perhaps a block or two each side, similar to the Christmas In Avondale event??

[Captain Zissou]

Am I going crazy, or did Know Growth just make more sense than mtrain?  What a revelation!

[SunKing]

the original intent of Luminaria was a peaceful, candlelit, neighborhood event.   The parade has become a bit of a zoo and is probably best suited as separate event like Christmas in Avondale.

I never understood why people wouldn't just prefer to walk or ride a bike anyway rather than sit in a noisy traffic jam.