Following the tragic shooting death of Erin Langhofer and a dramatic reduction of the scale of the monthly Crossroads celebration, patrons of the event largely abandoned the Crossroads.
Behind the scenes most news outlets carefully report that neighbors and artsy biz were happy to see the rowdy gathering dissipate.
Meanwhile, bars, restaurants and food trucks are dependent on monthly influx of customers and they took a hit.
Now, as the eulogizing, mourning and funeral of a vibrant, promising and kind young woman is complete . . .
THE REBUILDING PROCESS BEGINS with a more strategic plan to increase attendance without attracting scallywags and all manner of ne'er-do-wells who don't ever buy art, food and pricey booze or coffee.
TKC FACT . . . MOST people didn't buy anything when visiting the Crossroads for people watching and engaging in the poseur promenade.
And thing brings us back to our question and our invitation for TKC reader insight . . .
HOW CAN THE CROSSROADS REBUILD ONE OF KANSAS CITY'S GREATEST EVENTS WITHOUT RISKING MORE VIOLENCE???
Like all existential debate in the Crossroads, this question requires great introspection and not just reactionary, racist drivel or spam . . . We look forward to some of the better ideas from our brain trust.
Check the links:
KCTV5: Changes continue for First Fridays 2 months after woman killed by stray bullet
Fox4: First Friday organizers announce changes for food trucks, art vendors for October event
KMBC: Food trucks are returning, and artists will be lining alleyways to show off their works.
You decide . . .
Can agree with you about the poseurs but most of them don't go around shooting people. Hipsters are annoying but mostly harmless.
ReplyDelete^^^ Maybe in terms of violent crime but hipsters just hanging around and not buying anything can kill a business. A lot of one and done bars will say testify to as much.
DeleteThe momentum was always fake. The shooting proved it. Only sad that somebody had to die for KC's "momentum" gibberish.
DeleteWon't the KC Star's "Terrarium Building" make a great place for a Year-round "First Fridays" (to be held every day of the week, 50 weeks a year) in six months, when the Star is nothing but a historical footnote?
ReplyDelete^^^ +1
DeleteThey are a footnote now.
ReplyDeleteThe new e-edition is great for old people with limited eye sight who pay hundreds a year for in- green paper.
When did the Star apologize for running the Nick Sandman story? Hypocrisy you say?
Nick Sandman is a perfect example of why the media gets it wrong and is so quick to judge a white young Republican.
Candace Owens is a great American hero and if you follow her you will see why Liberals really hate minorities and black people in general.
Candace Owens:
ReplyDeleteIf you’re trying to determine whether the #EatTheBabies woman was a troll, you’re missing the point: @AOC allowing a woman to discuss bombing Russia & eating infants, without ONCE condemning those ideas, proves that Democrats are okay with violence—as long as it votes blue.
Candace Owens is truthful- she will tell you why Democrats are against minorities.
Big cities don't let shooting stop the momentum, in fact they do the opposite. It would have been a much bigger statement if the September First Friday were the biggest one the city has ever seen in a show of solidarity and that we weren't afraid of violence and not going to slow our city down.
ReplyDeleteProblem is KC has a crowd of haters who wanted to gatekeep first friday and make it smaller and less inclusive to all the residents. It was easy to see as these people were championing making FF smaller which is fucking retarded, claiming that it's no longer about the art or something trite. It's sad to see the haters purposefully pulling for the one unique event KC has every month to get smaller so it can cater to less of its citizens
^^^ wrong on all counts retard
ReplyDeleteFood trucks are returning, artists will be lining alleyways to show off their works, and all the riff raff, hooligans and gangstas' will come back as along with them.
ReplyDeleteVibrant!
I know you're kidding but damn, this is depressing. Raining tonight so it'll suck but we we're totally unprepared for something like this. Bottom dropped out and a lot of business suffering. Alley art? Sounds like a bad jokey.
DeleteBetter title: KC's new no go zone.
ReplyDelete"artists will be lining alleyways to show off their works." sure they will and there will be many fake artists selling fake art for $5 to $20.
ReplyDeleteMajor KC event left in shambles but KC still doesn't want to add police. They'd rather give money to their friends in anti-crime groups in return for political campaigning. There is not help coming.
ReplyDeleteMomentum = B.S.
ReplyDeleteI walked through the parking lot where the shooting occurred. What I noticed was the parking lot had no auxiliary lighting in the area where people were gathering. It would be interesting to see what the police budget for personnel that night including volunteers in uniform? Just having trouble understanding all the money spent on police technology and somehow they missed lighting during First Friday?
ReplyDelete^^^^^^^ Damn good question.
ReplyDeleteI can’t help but laugh at everyone that talks up what a “happening” art scene First Fridays are. Granted, art is subjective and anyone can smear paint on a canvas and call it art, but to hear some of the Kool-Aid drinkers, you would think KC was another Paris, Florence or New York. The sad truth is that the “art collection” of the typical First Friday attendee is mass produced crap from Target or TJ Max and the event is just a place to cruise and booze. I know it kills people like Gopher KC, but this place will always be a cowtown no matter how you try to change it.
ReplyDeleteErin is already being forgotten. Fuck all you scumbags.
ReplyDeleteWe did better as a cowtown, i’m serious
ReplyDelete^^^^ True.
ReplyDeleteBetter morals and quality of public institutions back then. The present day system is failing.
Other than the typical stray gunfire last month was a pretty good First Friday.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDelete@7:31 and 8:01 I agree I miss that time in our city. There was nothing wrong with our city it is the outsiders who came in and polluted it, all they do is bitch but they won't leave. Mainly sick filth from California.
A citizen would be very foolish to now attend 1st friday. History ALWAYS repeats itself. Always. Do you want to use your burial plot next week? Are you ready for your life to be over?
ReplyDeleteTake a look at the picture of Erin smiling. Now realize she is lying in a dark casket. Cancel first friday. The cost is too great. Forget beer and food truck profits.
ReplyDeleteKCPD needs to hire Joe Kenda as a consultant, that old fart has a 92% homicide solved case rate. The homicide detectives in KC are dumb as fuck!
ReplyDeleteHow foolish would you feel if you went to the next 1ST Friday with friends, and one of them was killed with a stray bullet? Aint worth it
ReplyDelete