Musikfest Day 2 / A new problem... / Bethlehem, PA
Musikfest is a great festival, I love attending it even after 3 years. This year, on Saturday, August 8, I noticed a new problem emerging. On 3 separate occasions, I encountered a strong smell of marijuana walking the streets of the South Side in Bethlehem.
The first was crossing 3rd st. Second, in a parking lot. Third, while walking across the New St. Bridge around 11:15 p.m. From 2012 - 2014, attending the festival every day, I never encountered this problem. 2015, it appears people are starting to believe they can get away with almost anything.
I have to give a lot of credit to Bethlehem Police Department and security for the fantastic job they are doing keeping instances down to a minimum. They can not be everywhere in the same moment. With the very large crowd Musikfest draws, it is very difficult to figure out who was using this illegal drug. I could not even stop on the bridge to look around and try to figure it out.
The city of Bethlehem / organizers of Musikfest face the increasing challenge of keeping everyone safe both during and at the end of each day of the festival. Now, it appears, people are starting to use marijuana in public on top of it.
The past 2 nights, I have walked back to the East Side of Allentown going up West Broad St. Both nights, I walked the streets after midnight. Noticing zero DUI checkpoints the entire way. To a point, I can understand this during the week, not on the weekend.
The main questions to ask about Musikfest now are: Has this festival grown too big over the years? With a large amount of people being visibly intoxicated by 10 - 11 p.m.; Is the City of Bethlehem / Organizers of Musikfest placing a dollar amount on the safety and lives of residents and everyone attending?
The first was crossing 3rd st. Second, in a parking lot. Third, while walking across the New St. Bridge around 11:15 p.m. From 2012 - 2014, attending the festival every day, I never encountered this problem. 2015, it appears people are starting to believe they can get away with almost anything.
I have to give a lot of credit to Bethlehem Police Department and security for the fantastic job they are doing keeping instances down to a minimum. They can not be everywhere in the same moment. With the very large crowd Musikfest draws, it is very difficult to figure out who was using this illegal drug. I could not even stop on the bridge to look around and try to figure it out.
The city of Bethlehem / organizers of Musikfest face the increasing challenge of keeping everyone safe both during and at the end of each day of the festival. Now, it appears, people are starting to use marijuana in public on top of it.
The past 2 nights, I have walked back to the East Side of Allentown going up West Broad St. Both nights, I walked the streets after midnight. Noticing zero DUI checkpoints the entire way. To a point, I can understand this during the week, not on the weekend.
The main questions to ask about Musikfest now are: Has this festival grown too big over the years? With a large amount of people being visibly intoxicated by 10 - 11 p.m.; Is the City of Bethlehem / Organizers of Musikfest placing a dollar amount on the safety and lives of residents and everyone attending?
