Attracting 500 out-of-towners to Iola for the weekend is no small feat.
But that’s exactly what the Buster Keaton Celebration did.
Area hotels were full. Restaurants were brimming. City sidewalks were busy. And of course, as host, the Bowlus Fine Arts Center was a hotspot of activity.
ORGANIZERS said this year’s celebration had taken on a note of sentimentality. Although he never knew it, Buster has become our adopted son. His big, doe-like eyes pull at a mother’s heartstrings. We want Iola to be the kind of home he never had as a child.
Twenty years of recognizing the silent film star brings with it its own heritage. We’ve stuck it out through lean years to become a credible festival. Keaton aficionados acknowledge Iola’s celebration is worth the effort to attend. Many first-timers said they would try to attend next year’s event.
From an immediate, cold-hearted position, this means hard currency in Iola’s pockets. We’ve very few attractions that bring people from all over the country to our doorstep.
On the flip side, it does the heart good to think Buster Kea-ton fans want us. They like our town, they fawn over the Bowlus Center, they like our Midwestern values.
AREA organizers have believed in Buster not only as a viable attraction, but also one that does Iola proud. We should all get on board with this commendable effort either by attending a performance, free by the way, or by joining the Celebration’s “$25 Club” to help ensure its future.
— Susan Lynn
