The Pritchard Park drum circle is well underway this season, but tonight’s Friday-night thundering will get an extra boost from the Asheville Downtown Association.
The ADA is donating several drums, including a 55-gallon dun dun, to the already-strong showing of rhythm instruments at the park.
The move marks an endorsement of an event that has sometimes found itself on uncertain ground. Originally loosely organized, the circle found itself contending with events pre-booked through the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. And in 2006, the drum circle was dispersed by police after noise complaints. But drumming soon resumed after a dialog between organizers and police. A year later, the drum circle was identified by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department as one of the city’s “anchor events.”
Now, the ADA has joined in the drum love, donating instruments for those who want to participate but don’t have drums.
“We are so fortunate to have this group of people who create this music in Pritchard Park,” said ADA President Byron Greiner in a press release. “The circle encourages participation, and we are donating instruments to support their activities.”
The ADA’s presentation of drums will happen tonight at 7 p.m. in Pritchard Park.
— Brian Postelle, staff writer
You know, something is very wrong here. We have a local WNC mountain event put out in the closet at MLK Park (after many many years on the Courthouse green), and a bunch of yankee transplant kids allowed to play in the center of town. Geez. And now the City is giving them some more noise makers? Come ‘on. Bring Mountain Music back downtown…to Prichard Park! Put the non-representative kids out in the boonies where they won’t disturb those milling around downtown.
photo by @h0zae sent via Twitter: http://hozae.posterous.com/drum-circle-is-packed-tonight-ditloa
— from Sat-eve tweet about 8 p.m. by @h0zae: “Drum circle is packed tonight #ditloa post.ly/d8Y “
Al Cottingham is a sock puppet of Cullen Anderson.
Hey Brian Postelle,
Has the Asheville Downtown Association ever recieved tax dollars and do you know how much the drums cost?
Thats a great question Chad. So Brian i’d like inquire the same question.
I do not care for the drumming downtown. It is way too loud. And like Al, I’d like to see Shindig On The Green back downtown. Drumming just isn’t Asheville. This is the South, not Africa.
I hope you find an answer on taxes Chad. Please post it here if you do.
The ADA is a non-profit.
However, if you are worried about tax monies Chad; Asheville is set to receive $500,000 Stimulus Money to “combat homelessness” in our fair city.
It can still be non profit and use tax dollars received from the city for the noise makers.
500,000 to combat homelessness, now that is stimulatiing . . . .
how do you know that these are not native ashevillians at the drum circle? and so what if some aren’t? my european family has been here since before the revolution, the other side is cherokee, i would never attend shindig on the green, i went out of my way to avoid it. having the drum circle seems like something indigenous being celebrated once again in native lands. and isnt the US supposed to a melting pot, a blend of traditions from many different places? asheville is finally starting to become what i longed for as a child growing-up. if the drum circle and similar activities are forced out, i would probably never go downtown.