Chapel Hill Herald (NC)
April 22, 2007
Estimated printed pages: 2
Almost exactly a year ago, on April 23, 2006, Apple Chill ended. The street festival that had endured for three decades and had become a symbol of the community and a major attraction ended in a blaze of gunfire, with three people wounded on Franklin Street as the fair and its after-party wound down.
A day later, the Chapel Hill Town Council, with no discussion and a swift vote, officially pronounced Apple Chill dead. The council decision was expected and broadly approved. The action was taken, Mayor Kevin Foy said then, with regret, considering the fair's history. But there really were no other options.
Apple Chill and its evening component "After Chill" had erupted in violence several times over recent years. People were scared, and had a right to be.
The town had made significant efforts to get the activities under control -- including officially sponsoring "After Chill" and greatly increasing the police presence at the festival and throughout downtown. The town spent money -- more than $130,000 to host the festival -- and brought out more than 200 officers on duty.
But still it couldn't completely control the area and couldn't stamp out the problems.
Apple Chill had to go. There was no other choice.
But now, a year later, perhaps with fear and concern subsided, it's easier to see the void that has been left. Apple Chill filled an important role in the life of this community; it was a way to welcome a new season, show off who we are, invite others to find out. It was, frankly, a major attraction for our downtown -- and that is something that commercial area surely could use. At its best, it was social event and entertainment, community get-together and publicity machine.
It's time to examine what could take its place. Perhaps another community-wide event should be held, but elsewhere -- at a park or on the campus of one of our schools. Perhaps it should have a different focus; maybe it should try to remain more local.
Chapel Hill Herald columnist Tom Jensen recently suggested a kind of basketball parade, at the end of the UNC men's and women's basketball season. That's worth considering. There are undoubtedly other ideas as well. Whatever we ultimately choose, as a community, we need to be thinking of how we can fill the gap that the absence of Apple Chill has left.