LIVING BETTER
San Angelo needs more collaboration, not more events.
After the final speech at local event recently, attendees gathered outside, noting the modest turnout.
“That’s the beauty of San Angelo,” one person said. “There’s always something going on. But that also makes it hard. People don’t know how to choose where to go.”
That moment, overheard under a park pavilion, captured what many locals have been feeling: decision fatigue from event saturation.
This week alone, there are more than 50 events listed on Facebook in San Angelo.
This fact alone isn’t a negative thing. It’s a sign of a healthy, vibrant community. The true measure of community, however, is in the impact and quality of events – not the quantity.
Perhaps there is a balance to be struck between event abundance and oversaturation.
Benefits of Variety of Events
Accessibility: More options mean more access for differing needs in the community.
Community value: These events can support the local economy and boost civic pride.
Cultural richness: Diverse events reflect a diverse community – and that’s something to be celebrated.
What are the challenges?
Event fatigue: Like countless options of condiments in the grocery store, too many events can overwhelm and exhaust residents, leading to lower turnout over time.
Duplication of Efforts: Organizations that would make a great team end up competing rather than working together to serve those in need.
Fragmentation: Small groups tend to form around niche events, and it can be hard to pop that bubble, limiting larger collective experiences – which is often what makes people feel a sense of pride and belonging in a community.
The Power of Collaboration
Collaboration supports both the organizations doing the work and the public they serve. By sharing resources, we can lighten the load for small businesses and nonprofits while impacting more individuals and families.
San Angelo’s Homeless Navigation Day is often cited as a local example of community collaboration, and there’s a reason for that – it works.
What started as a few tables offering services out of the local bus annex has evolved into dozens of nonprofits providing direct services to those in need by the hundreds each month.
This type of impact would not have been achievable if local nonprofits had stayed on their own islands, refusing to work together.
Finding Balance Together
An abundance of events is a good problem – it means that we are surrounded by people who care. But it also means our reach may be limited.
San Angelo doesn’t need more events – it needs stronger partnerships.
