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Greenpoint Mom Not Lovin' Pumpkin Fest
By
Jen Carlson
Published Oct 12, 2009
Modified Oct 12, 2009
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Oct 12, 2009
Modified Oct 12, 2009
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One Greenpoint mom is riled up after coming face to face with evil corporate sponsorship at this past weekend's Pumpkin Fest in McCarren Park. She tells Miss Heather:
"I just got back from Pumpkin Fest and I am appalled. To the point that I bought to my daughter a very cute $2 pumpkin at the green market. People were funneled like cattle to make sure they would give their $5 donation, then would grab a McDonald's bag full of decorations and then a Town Square, Inc. balloon… And is if the corporate co-opting were not bad enough, where was the social aspect? No table to decorate your pumpkin, no real socialization spot to have parents and children interact. Maybe I have no irony or no sense of humor or I am just too moralistic. But I am sure corporations do not need to run every event at every level- even the local Halloween celebration is not free from their influence."
As pointed out, Town Square also had Exxon Mobil sponsor Earth Day in Greenpoint last year. Miss H declares that if this continues, we are looking at a future of "parks for profits and bureaucratic intransigence." With naming rights up for grabs, next year's Pumpkin Fest may be held at McDonald's Park!
Tagged
brooklyn
corporate sponsorship
greenpoint
mccarren park
mcdonald's
Pumpkin Fest
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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