I’m glad I wasn’t driving around downtown on Saturday, but thousands of cars managed to get their occupants where they needed to go.
The Veterans Day parade, the Savannah Children’s Book Festival and the Telfair Art Fair were all major draws.
I’ve written before about Ray Oldenburg’s theory of “third places.” Our homes are our “first places” and our jobs are our “second places.”
But third places are the public gathering points that are essential to civic life. Sometimes corner bars or coffeehouses fill that role, but Savannah is fortunate to have parks, squares and other public spaces that welcome everyone.
Saturday presented an object lesson in Oldenburg’s theory and also in the ideas of urban theorist Jane Jacobs, who noted the positive impacts of frequent streets, short blocks and mixed uses in creating vibrant city life.
After leaving Thomas Square on foot just after noon, I first came upon the Forsyth Farmers’ Market, which is still going strong even this late in the season.
The north half of Forsyth was occupied by children. The Live Oak Public Libraries’ Savannah Children’s Book Festival seems to get bigger and more exciting with each passing year.
Forsyth’s playgrounds are always popular with kids, but rarely do we see so many children simultaneously enjoying Savannah’s great public spaces.
The Telfair Art Fair once again eschewed the big tents for smaller booths spread out along Barnard Street all the way from Telfair Square to Ellis Square.
The spaciousness makes browsing easy and relaxing.
But I thought the event lacked some of its local feel without the Open Art exhibit, which in previous years featured works by dozens of Savannah-area artists.
Still, it’s hard not to get caught up in the excitement of the Telfair Art Fair, especially with the stage in Telfair Square for live music and dozens of children enjoying crafts and activities.
My walk home took me past wedding photographs being taken in Chippewa Square and a just-completed marriage ceremony in Monterey Square.
I’m sure thousands of others enjoyed Saturday’s combination of big planned events and lucky encounters.
But luck is the residue of design.
Savannah can support so many diverse events in such proximity because of a legacy of good urban design, of stewardship of public spaces, and of zoning and municipal codes that allow for institutional and commercial flexibility.
And as good as all that is, we can still do even better.
City Talk appears every Sunday and Tuesday. Bill Dawers can be reached via billdawers@comcast.net and http://www.billdawers.com. Send mail to 10 E. 32nd St., Savannah, GA 31401.