Cheers & Jeers: The 3rd Annual Central Park Film Festival Presented by Bloomberg

The 3rd Annual Central Park Film Festival Presented by Bloomberg

Went out last night to the Central Park Film Festival in Central Park because my roomate had never seen The Muppets Take Manhattan movie. I wanted to see the movie again after not seeing it in "donkies years". So I packed an average back-to-school backpack with a bag of potato chips, three cans of soda (pop for those of you in Canada) and my beach towel for sitting purposes. Then I stopped off at the Subway sandwhich store to pick up some dinner to eat in Central Park.

We took the "B" subway train directly to the West Side of Central Park and arrived shortly after 5:30 P.M. This was perfect timing considering that the movie didn't start until 8:00 P.M.

We arrived at Central Park and had our sandwich dinner while we people watched. Great sandwich the new Pastrami Subway sandwich is, by the way!

Now it was 6:00 P.M. So we decided to head towards Rumsey Playfield and the film festival location. I double checked the list of things you are not allowed to bring in just to be sure. I didn't see anything that I had on the list. So I go up with my backpack open ready to be searched figuring this will be know problem.

The person found my three soda cans and said these weren't allowed into the movie screening area. I looked at him and said "Where on the list does it say I can't bring soda cans?" He said it was posted. I said ok, then I will come back later after I have at least consumed these so as not to waste them.

While standing outside the line area while my roomate and I consumed three root beers sodas, I checked the posted list out there as well. Not a word on soda cans. Glass bottles were mentioned but not aluminum soda cans. There were three copies of the lists of banned items these were located outside the line area, in the line area on a large banner and right next to the bag inspection area. On none of these lists were cans included. In fact on the program I picked up the banned items are listed again and, you guessed it, cans were not included.

So why then was I not allowed to bring your basic everyday aluminum cans? I asked this question to the guy searching the bags. He had no clue and said they should have been posted but weren't. I wasn't the only one who was disgusted with this lack of communication on what was allowed and what wasn't. I would suggest better training for those searching bags so that what they are looking for matches what is not allowed on the signs.

To the New York City Parks Deparment, the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting and the Central Park Conservancy I say JEERS on your staff training! These organizations should know how to put on such event with staff that know what they are doing.

To these same people and the other sponsors of the movie festival for choosing the Muppets Take Manhattan, CHEERS for providing New Yorkers with a great family movie that all can appreciate and remember for years to come.

As for tonight, I will be at Central Park again for the final movie night. I hope I don't get my sox confiscated because they have suddenly become on the list of banned objects not known about.