Nancy Wills: Unwelcoming Apex

Recently my husband and I went to the Apex Jazz Music Festival. As with all concerts, we took our foldable chairs. We are senior citizens and cannot stand for long periods.

We arrived at Apex at 3 p.m., opening time for the festival. The set-up was not completed. What? We found the main stage and set up our chairs along with other senior citizens and couples and several handicapped individuals.

After we sat about a half an hour, the event staff chased all of us out of the area. Why? Apex does not allow chairs on its property. What? Even the handicapped folks were chased! The event organizers brought the police with them to move us.

An event organizer told us, in so many words, that Apex does not allow chairs at its venues because of a tripping risk. Really? OK, we went to sit on the street where chairs were allowed. When the band that we came to see started, we tried to go into the stage area carrying our chairs – not intending to sit in them but where would we put them? – and we were again chased out.

Apex may be the “Peak of Living,” but there is nowhere to sit.

This story was originally published September 22, 2015 at 4:28 PM with the headline "Nancy Wills: Unwelcoming Apex."