Some hop higher than others

We've all heard the complaint that downtown is dead or dying -- no excitement, no nightlife, no people, shoot a cannon off downtown after dark and you may add to the shots-fired statistics, but you probably won't hit anybody.

Fortunately not everybody is willing to accept that status quo -- hence Saturday night's Downtown HopAround, in which a few thousand people checked out 50 participating bars and restaurants.

"HopAround" sounds a little more energetic, and a little less inebriated than "Pub Crawl," but it's the same basic idea. This wasn't hard work -- roam from place to place checking out the food, drinks and camaradarie of the various spots until you had your fill. The notion is that if you see how much fun it is, how much variety there is, how many nice people are also having a nice, safe, good time, you'll come back and try it again.

It seemed to work, at least on Saturday night. The three places I checked out had lots of people, two were standing room only, and reports from several others talked of similar crowds. Many of the patrons, maybe most in some spots were sporting the "I'm a Downtown Bud" buttons that the organizers were passing out. There were no-fare cabs and limos on the prowl willing to take people from one venue to the next, but a lot of folks seemed willing to stroll the sidewalks of the central business district. My "thousands" estimate is purely unscientific, but if the 50 places only averaged 50 people each, the numbers hold up.

These kinds of events take planning and they take work and they take people willing to do both. There was an organizing committee -- Pat Barry, Dennis Speigel, Buzz Buse, Ran Mullins and the indefatigable Mary Armor, one of those too rare people willing to put her own time and energy behind an issue instead of just whining that somebody else should do something.

A kickoff party at the Bankers Club (courtesy of 5/3) drew eight past and present mayors -- Tom Brush, Tom and Charlie Luken, Roxanne Qualls, David Mann, Arn Bortz, Gene Ruehlmann and Mark Mallory. There were assorted judges, the sheriff, some candidates and a cross section of business, political and media types. There were also five (all nine were invited) members of Cincinnati City Council, which brings up an interesting question:

If, as everybody says (they say it because it is absolutely true), that a rejuvinated and active downtown is crucial to the health and wellbeing of the entire city, how could four of our city's elected "leaders" not see this as a "must-attend" event? I'd like to know what John Cranley, Leslie Ghiz, Cecil Thomas and Laketa Cole had going Saturday night that they considered more important. I apologize if any of you four were hiding in a corner and I missed you, but the the organizers -- you know, those public-spirited volunteers who are actually working to bring back downtown -- also were wondering what happened to you.

OK, no more sniping, I want to hear from some of the other people who hopped around. Does this kind of event work to bring people downtown? What needs to happen to sustain the success? Lines are open.