Chicken-Fried News: Welcome back

There’s a reason the phrase “back to square one” is popular and the 1970s television show Welcome Back, Kotter was such a success. Everyone believes, at one time or another, returning back to your roots is the best idea.

Like Gabe Kotter returning to teach at his alma mater, The Festival of the Arts will return to Bicentennial Park for its 2016 event. Begin humming the television show’s opening song, “Welcome back, to that same old place that you laughed about.”

That’s right, the first Festival of the Arts took place in 1967 in the present location of Bicentennial Park.

Falling just a tad shy of reaching 50 successful years, Arts Council Oklahoma City and the Oklahoma City Council are relocating the event back to where it all got started in lieu of future developments.

Since 1985, the event has taken place at Hudson Avenue, near Myriad Botanical Gardens. Construction of the new downtown park is calling for the festival to shift into the original spot.

At Chicken Fried News, we couldn’t be happier to see Festival of the Arts return home. Where else would the festival have gone? The exhibit buildings at the Oklahoma State Fair grounds or Chesapeake Energy Arena? Not ideal for an outdoor event that thrives downtown.

Bicentennial Park is a good choice. To all the naysayers, we repeat the famous line from Vinnie Barbarino: “Up your nose with a rubber hose!”

Welcome back, Festival of the Arts! We look forward to April 2016! Begin humming again, “Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.”

Print Headline: Welcome back

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