STAFF EDITORIAL

The increased cost of living these days has most people searching for new and improved ways to spend their dollar. Many opt to stay in town and vacation locally, taking advantage of Omaha's attractions while cutting back on typical costs associated with summer vacationing.There are many festivals held in various communities, such as Dundee Days, Benson Days and La Vista Days, to name just a few. On top of that, there are many free concerts held in places like Memorial Park and the Lewis and Clark Landing. Considering all the possibilities, it seems negligent to proclaim there isn't fun to be had in Omaha.

This Friday will mark perhaps the grandest concert of the summer, with The Guess Who and Grand Funk Railroad appearing for free at Memorial Park. The long-time legacies of these groups almost guarantee a packed house, but not all of Omaha's shows have been so lucky.

When Gomez was brought to town by the City of Omaha, the concert was toned down by the threat of rain and low attendance. While the weather certainly played a role in the less-than-spectacular turnout, the community voiced its opinion using various message boards on Omaha's news networks.

There were few positive comments, with the majority complaining that an unknown group should expect poor attendance, and furthermore, that the City of Omaha had failed to use tax dollars wisely. Others cried about the days gone by when 311 appeared, drawing upwards of 30,000 people to the park.

The success of a single show is obviously going to be based on the initial popularity of the band, but what does a family have to lose when there is no charge? In the past, musical acts at community festivals have produced a varied audience.

These free opportunities should not be passed up, even if one doesn't own every album by the headlining band. There is much truth to the belief that these are, in fact, our tax dollars at work, and whether the city listens depends on attendance.

The free concerts across the city should be the main attraction of the summer, but, with everything else Omaha has to offer, it is no surprise that sometimes people are willing to spend money.

Taste of Omaha, the popular food and music festival downtown, is always a highly attended event despite the questionable mathematics when it comes to computing dollars spent versus one's ticket redemption.

The College World Series is another possibility that can provide a thrifty afternoon or evening - if you are willing to spend the other half of the day waiting in the general admissions line. Keep in mind, any concessions will likely run higher than the ticket price.

A new event this summer, Mutual of Omaha's Wild About Omaha Weekend, is aiming to combine the different popular attractions in Omaha at zero cost for the community. The weekend of July 24 and July 25 is when the party happens, and a complete list of the featured attractions can be found at.wildaboutomaha.com. The list of participants includes the Bemis Center, the Durham Museum, Film Streams, the Joslyn Art Museum, the Lauritzen Gardens and the Slowdown venue.

There is even an Omaha Royals baseball game on Saturday, in case you didn't get a chance to visit their earlier summer games or the CWS. On top of that, consider it a free going away party for the city's classic farm team.

So, don't let the economy get you down. There are plenty of options for outdoor fun in the city, and events like the concerts, which have been experimental for the past few years, should continue to be supported, lest they disappear all together.

This coming weekend should provide a full house at Memorial Park, and can hopefully dispel the rumor that there is nothing going on in Omaha.