Fear the gorilla: Harvest Homecoming's head honcho demands downtown merchants "understand what the festival is all about."

We understand, all right.

Harvest Homecoming is about Harvest Homecoming, and if any further proof is needed that city government has done less than zilch/nada/nothing to address this recurring issue since last year's complaints ... well, here you go.

Merely note that Jeff Cummins proposes not trying to understand the point made by downtown merchants, but to insist they understand that all those non-local food and trinket vendors represent "nonprofits and churches"?

Really?

How's that Harvest Homecoming reform program coming along, anyway?

The head honcho of New Albany's Harvest Homecoming; Jeff Cummins takes over leadership of huge New Albany festival, by Chris Morris (of course; N and T)

(Jeff) Cummins said two areas he wants to improve on as president is the relationship with some of the downtown merchants who have voiced concerns about how booth days hurts their business. He also wants to recruit more volunteers, and try to get more youth involved in the festival.

“I want to try and get downtown merchants to understand what the festival is all about. It’s not just four days of booths, it’s about allowing nonprofits and churches who get to set up booths and for many, make their budgets for the year,” he said. “It’s about the college scholarships, all the free kids events. Some don’t understand, but many do.

“The Harvest Homecoming Festival is not just booths — it’s about giving back and giving New Albany the opportunity to show off a little. If they [visitors] don’t visit a business during the festival, there is a good chance they will come back.”