Letters to the editor: An unfair concert lineup; youth programs in Oxnard

Fair lineup unfair to older crowd

I am disappointed with the concert lineup at this year’s Ventura County Fair. The music is geared toward people under 40 years of age and does not include music that interests the majority of baby boomers and seniors.

According to Neilsberg Research, 21.87% of the population in Ventura County in 2023 were over the age of 60 years. This year’s fair concert series caters primarily to country western and hip-hop fans. What happened to the classic rock concerts that were so popular with rock fans young and old? We always went to the fair on the day there was a classic rock concert, enjoying the fair during the day and attending the concert in the evening.

On Senior Day, Aug. 6, Ludacris is performing, not a draw for seniors. I sent an e-mail to the fair board regarding the concert lineup and was ignored. They didn’t even give me the courtesy of a reply. I’m not sure if I will be attending the fair this year.

Raeann Koerner, Ventura

Promote free programs for youth

The youth of today are the backbone of tomorrow, and it should be our greatest goal to nurture and develop them to be even greater than ourselves. This all starts with providing them with new activities and experiences at a young age, which I believe is the goal of the city of Oxnard’s 2024 Free Summer Programs. These programs range from sport activities, arts and crafts, movie nights, and overall enrichment activities. Yet these events lack participation.

Some may argue that these events and experiences are not meant for large turnout, or are not crucial to development of a child, to which I heavily disagree. I personally, and very recently, grew up in South Oxnard, where many of these events are targeted towards, and never once did I hear any word spoken of them from any peers or teachers.

I also recently visited an afterschool program event that is hosted every day of the week by the city as a part of the Free Summer program, and only witnessed a small turnout. Which I believe is much to the fault of the city’s promotion of its programs.

Also, experiencing overall new activities and socializing whether through sport or recreational activities helps young children develop crucial social and teamwork skills needed throughout life. Confidence is built throughout these activities as oftentimes these new experiences lead children away from their comfort zone, prompting them to learn to manage “uncomfortable” situations, an important skill in life.

Undoubtedly, exposing our youth to new activities which develop the skills needed to be a leader in society like socialization and confidence is necessary. So we must act and choose to promote these activities by advocating for heavier city promotion efforts or simple word of mouth, making sure the next generation and their future is brighter than ours.

Jayden Melton, Oxnard