Another exaggeration

One of the strangest things about the city of Evansville is what appears to be their ability to exaggerate beyond belief. This summer, Amanda and I went to an Otters baseball (the city's minor league team) game. They announced that 3500 people were in attendance at the stadium. Yes, the stadium seats 5,000 (according to the website) but half the seats were empty!

About 140,000 people live in Evansville but every year, they say, almost half a million attend some of the events that the city hosts. In the summer, we have Thunder on the Ohio. It's a bunch of boat races on the Ohio river. A lot of people do go but really, not as many as they say. In fact, I know more Evansville people who say they don't go then I know people who say they do!

In October, there is Fall Fest. It's billed as the second largest street festival in the nation. The West Side Nut Club (a group of men who were born and currently live and work on the west side of Evansville - yeah, I know - NUTS) host this week long event which is a carnival with 100 food booths. Yes, everyone does go and several people go more than one night but in order to pull in half a million people, folks would have to drive hours to come to this event. Not buying it!

Tonight, Sarah and I went to Fantasy of Lights at Garvin Park. You pay seven dollars (the money goes to Easter Seals) and drive around the park and look at a lot of light displays. Some of the displays were nice. It was very festive and the money went to a good cause but as we finished the drive, the radio station said it was the largest light display in the state of Indiana!