Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
abandoning traditional ways of life. The revival of the role of festive events in cities
marks another demonstration of the various ways in which contemporary urban-
ization is moving away from the vestiges of the squalor and work orientation of
the old industrial city, or the rigidity and depersonalization of so much post World
War II urbanism. This makes it imperative that we seek to understand the nature of
festivals and their varied impacts on our towns and cities. They are not simply of
direct economic value to local businesses, but often create a new image for a place
focused on the festive event which can have even greater commercial benefit in the
increasingly competitive international world. Perhaps the meanings of the original
symbolism of many traditional festive events have been lost; but they still provide
celebrations, spectacles, or perhaps new urban cultural experiences, that in some
cases may still create solidarity and identity as described in Singapore (Foley 2007 ).
By adding to the range of pleasures and excitements in urban places they provide an
important complement to the more permanent places of leisure and entertainment
in cities. However, festive events need to be viewed through the lenses of the eight
different dimensions of their character, many of which can produce quite contradic-
tory results. Not all of these are positive, so these negative effects need to solved, or
at least managed, if the full benefit from these events is achieved.
Acknowledgements I must acknowledge the value of many conversations on this topic with my
Calgary colleague, Dr Denise Brown, who has extensive experience of festive events in Mexico
in particular, as well as to Dr Maria Gravari-Barbas of the Sorbonne, whose stimulating work on
Festive Cities in France helped initiate this chapter.
References
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