Boo Boo Days Are Here Again!
How a Bizarrely Named Festival Became A Celebration of Downtown Batavia's Imperfections
Hey neighbor!
First, a reminder that on July 24th at 7pm, I’ll be taking part in Sturdy Shelter’s “Sturdy Speaker Series,” playing the role of the titular “Sturdy Speaker.”
I’m giving a talk on “Crafting Connection: Podcasting, Conversation, & the Art of Being Human Together.” That’s a lofty way of saying I’ll talk about the lessons I’ve learned about human connection and building relationships while doing this podcast (and others like it). You can get tickets and more info here.
On the day this episode is released, Batavia kicks off Boo Boo Days. For me, Boo Boo Days is a new concept, a sort of quaint and slightly bizarre throwback that just started a few years ago. But the reality is, Boo Boo Days originated decades ago and played a crucial role in the origin of the Windmill Festival.
But what really interests me is the whole concept of this oddly named celebration. Where did this idea come from, and why organize an entire celebration around mistakes?
To explore those questions, I brought back a previous guest, Kate Garrett, director of the Batavia Depot Museum to help us understand what made the downtown we all take for granted what it is, and how grass roots campaigns like Boo Boo Days have shaped Batavia’s culture and landscape.
Mentioned in this episode:
You can listen below, and/or subscribe using whatever podcast app you’re most comfortable with. We’re available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and even YouTube, as well as our website.
Enjoying Area Code: Batavia? Share with a friend or on your social network to get the word out.