When it was announced last year that the person that had organized the Deep Ellum Arts Festival was retiring, it was a cultural shock. Somehow, the locals came together and put on at least something on Crowder running across Commerce, Main and Elm Streets. No both sides of Main Street with stages at either end, street performers, or many of the artist that travel from Texas north through the spring ending in Ann Arbor, Michigan at the granddaddy of 'em all for spring art shows and festivals. I did miss seeing 'old' friends that had made my Davis Besse coffee mug some 40 years ago. Never found one like it since. Davis Besse was a nucler power plant on the western shores of Lake Erie. I even wore my new Mud Hens Baseball cap for the Detroit Tigers Minor League farm team. I did try to not be totally disappointed this year, but I must admit that there was a loss experienced today that will be hard to rebuild.
To me, it came no where near the Deep Ellum Festivals of the past. Hopefully, corporate sponsors will step in and bring back the absolute return of, if not greater than, the past festivals. But, considering the 150th Anniversary of Deep Ellum Founding, I was glad to be there again in May.
