Speak Up: Do Politics and the Begonia Festival Mix?

Among the flower-adorned spectacles at on the second day of the Begonia Festival was the one pictured at right, constructed in support of Prop 37, which proposes labeling of genetically-engineered foods.

Angela Peck of GMO-Free Santa Cruz helped build the float, titled Traditional Farming, which featured an ear of corn made, of course, of begonias.

"About 20 [people] booed us and screamed out that this is not a place for politics," Peck said in an email to Patch. "That only got more of the crowd to cheer us on. After all, this is freedom of speech and labeling our food is for the benefit of everyone!"

Festival President Lin Banks, reading the narrative submitted with the float, told the crowd to vote yes on Prop 37. It should be noted that this was not necessarily her opinion, but what was in front of her to read.

Peck and company went on to win a prize for first-time float builders.

So where do you stand? Is the Begonia Festival the place for politics? Is it okay to have a float with a political message? Or should politics be left out when it comes to community events like the Begonia Festival? Tell us in the comments!

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