I just moved into a new area, well in area that I used to live in and I remembered how lame it is. Most shops close at like 9:00 or 10:00. No nightlife to speak of, super family friendly and squeaky clean. Picturesque suburbs but I feel like I’m honestly trapped. But then it occurred to me. There might actually be something I can do about it, I mean there must be some reason why this village in particular closes super early and all the surrounding ones have normal times right? It’s a smallish town, I must be able to do something, right? Anybody have any idea where I can start? Start to maybe bring some nightlife into this place, maybe some culture that isn’t just aimed at upper middle class families with young children? Please let me know if you have any ideas, I’ve never done something like this before
Bring neighbours together. One step at a time.
The problem with a lot of small projects in towns is that they cater to a certain crowd - but there are often not enough people to sustain that momentum for a longer period of time. And it’s sometimes used to keep people away. (Aka the soccer fans go to their club, the old folks to bingo, the Christians to their “clubhouse”, the D&D to theirs. And in the end small bubbles form)
So organise something that caters to “basically everyone”.
I once lived in a neighbourhood that suffered from exactly this problem until a few people (one had actually a research background in this matters) started a small initiative which did exactly this: bring the neighbours together with some things people hardly can be opposed to. First they rented a proper Pizza oven and did a “pizza festival”. They “sold” the dough,tomato sauce and baked the pizza, but you had to bring your own toppings (saved them from the ongoing debate about that). Someone volunteered to get the older folks to the location (a cul de sac). Proceedings did not go to any cause beside the festival itself, they only covered their cost.
Next time they organised a outdoor movie night with a -intentionally non-confrontational- movie from the 80ies.
Etc. Etc. Other neighbourhood followed with similar concepts.
Now multiple neighbourhood bought a mobile pizza oven together and gifted it to the city so that it can be used by every neighbourhood. Etc.
But this was their way to bring people together beyond their interests/hobbies.
And it worked.