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There are always going to be people who don't approve of noise, location or some other detail of an event. Even events like Challenge that are very well accepted by the community and city officials get some negative remarks, such as blocked off roads, congested traffic and loud fireworks.

Following social media this week, it seems people needed to have their rant and move on in a few days and forget about the minor inconvenience until next year.

The community and city council have talked before about ways to attract a younger crowd to Penticton but are divided about events geared towards that younger generation, such as Boonstock.

With Boonstock, people spoke negatively about the event before, during and after, and it seems they haven’t stopped and it’s been almost a month since the event took place.

Others have suggested events like Boonstock can be received the same as traditional Penticton events, like PeachFest, or even Centre of Gravity that’s held just up the road in Kelowna and seems to go off without a hitch (and it’s a bigger festival and has a more ‘rugged’ crowd).

But Boonstock brought its own baggage to town and people couldn’t see past that. Any other slip up that happened along the way was just added to the pile.

While Boonstock was out of the city’s jurisdiction, council does have input on other events that happen in the city. And if people want to see a change in events, or the way they are handled, it has been suggested by some they elect a new council in November during the municipal elections.

But there’s only so much council can do. They can approve or disapprove, but that still leaves everyone else in town with a keyboard at their fingertips ready to complain about the next event coming up.

We can ask for change and work hard to get that, but we also have to accept we can’t always get what we want. With events come people and noise and sometimes things get out of hand. But if the event is bringing young people, new people, and business to the town—like everyone says they want—then sorry, doll. Here’s a pair of earplugs.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Meaghan Archer at marcher@infotelnews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

News from © iNFOnews, 2014