Town Criers attend Light Up night event

Lance Thate reported to Historic City News that the Town Crier Committee recently made its regular rounds in St Augustine; mingling with the town folk and tourists alike this past Saturday.

The Criers dress in period clothes and carry full size Gadsden Flags.

The sight of numerous bright yellow flags traveling along St George Street gives the Criers the opportunity to pass out free Constitutions to the public and to promote the Tea Party Movement.

This weekend the Committee also set up a table and tent at the North end of Old Town near the parking garage.

Saturday, November 19th began the “Night of Lights”, a local event when the City turns on its Christmas lights along with ceremony and music.

There were rumors that the Occupiers might try to hijack the event. The Occupiers are a group of people, whose principle organizers are the International Workers of the World (IWW). A quick check of the activities of the IWW in St Augustine shows that they have been organizing events since March 2011 when they appeared along US-1 South with the “Wake the State” project.

Their most recent event was “Occupy St Augustine” on November 5, 2011 when about 200 people assembled in the plaza in downtown St Augustine. The Town Criers were asked to join in that event, but firmly rejected the idea.

“We have no interest in being associated with the IWW. The IWW has a hundred year involvement with Marxist activity”, said David Heimbold, Chairman of the Saint Augustine Tea Party.

The Town Criers never made contact with any of the Occupiers on the “Night of Lights”.

What the Criers did encounter was an appreciative public that wanted to have their pictures taken with the Criers, as they wanted to identify with the Saint Augustine Tea Party.

Town Criers carry a sign identifying the organization. Overall, about 4000 people enjoyed the “Night of Nights” in the plaza.