To view community events in my hometown with disdain?

[Oneborneverydecade]

As an example Platinum Jubilee celebrations. If I know there's a for e.g. street party happening in our town centre I'll avoid it. I assume it's going to be rubbish. If I heard of a similar event in a nearby town I'd consider going. I just automatically assume it would be better - more fun, more variety, better organised.
For background I live in the large SE market town in which I was born 44 years ago. Never moved away. We'd like to move but tied bc of schools atm. It's not a bad place to live.
So is this a normal response, or are most people enjoying local events, be they Jubilee, Christmas, Easter etc?
AIBU?

Possibly a combination of the grass being greener elsewhere and you having had higher past expectations of people you know and feeling let down by them.

However, if I'm honest it reads as though you look down just a bit on your fellow citizens and have aspirations to move somewhere better (a customer facing role in a supermarket? Could you not just have said you're on tills or a customer service advisor?)
If you really think local events aren't good enough , volunteer yourself for some committees and raise the standard !

I do find it a bit odd that you’ve chosen to live in the same place for 40 years but still appear to have no pride in it Or any sense of community.
As others have suggested maybe you’d like to help out and ensure that the events meet your standards!

Jubilee party in my 'home' town (where I grew up) - very loud explicit lyrics music, loads of people smoking weed, people getting pissed really early, at least three fist fights (kids present), windows & stuff smashed and the police being called more than once.

Jubilee party where I live now - street food, stalls, entertainment, including for children, live music, games, everyone having fun & getting alone. One or two pissed like as not but shuffled off home. No fights, no police.

It's a no-brainer for me.

Sounds like its your hometown in general you view with disdain and projecting onto events.

I'll be honest local events (eg 'localfest' or street parties) fill me with horror, I couldn't think of anything worse so usually avoid

I wonder if you are withholding deliberately?

You made a choice on living location for your child, maybe you don't want to enjoy it there, for psychological reasons? If you let yourself settle you may never escape!!

I also had conflicting feelings about where I lived, but in the last few years have decided to make the most of what I've got. I do like events in other places though as they are a change.

I think you are right to question this and reflect. Enjoy yourself whatever you decide!

I genuinely thought that most people thought that the town that they grew up in was a bit rubbish. It's changed over the years but I don't think I ever heard anyone say where I live had lots to keep teenagers occupied. We all travelled for shopping, cinema, clubs etc. Now I realise that's not the case for everyone but that my brain is stuck in that teenage mindset.
I appreciate IABU

Thank you @carefullycourageous

Is it Burgess Hill?

If you think everything your home town does is crap, why not get on a few committees and start helping with some of these things? I’m sure they’d improve beyond recognition if you were involved OP.

I grew up in a very pretty town and I now live in DH's home town which is not-pretty zone 6 suburbia. But the sense of community and local events are brilliant and are part of what make me never want to move away. It's a much better place to actually live.

Perhaps if the OP got involved in helping to organise the event, I am sure they would welcome volunteers, she could help to include bits that she and her family like so they will all enjoy it.

You mean that they don't appeal really. Filling you with horror is a rather extreme reaction.

The town I grew up in was and still is shit. I don't live there now but live in a different small town, with a bit more if a vibrant and ambitious local community feel- it organises brilliant stuff. Could you help make your shit community events good?
I do know what you mean though- I remember standing in the rain as a teen, watching a few lorries drive past with people dressed up on them, blasting out shit music and wishing I could leave that town.
It's also fine not to join in though!

YABU and sound like a bit a of a twat if I'm honest.

I love where we live and I love where I grew up but there's no chance of moving back there as we couldn't afford it.

The village I grew up in is a bit shit these days - lots of incomers (not in that we're very insular & not welcoming way, in the they've dumped the dregs of humanity into the village & surrounding villages way), funding from the council is virtually non-existent above the absolute bare minimum they can get away with, services are shit & the place looks run down due to no investment but there is a local events group made up of people who were born & bred in the village & they put on fantastic events for the kids, old folks etc - people come from all over to attend the gala day & all kids at the 2 local primary schools get a free ticket.

We also have a great country park that attracts lots of visitors so the area isn't a complete shithole.

No, I dont think where I live is shit automatically. I think you might have failed to fledge a little and are right that you are stuck in the teen "everything round here is shit" mindset - you even acknowledge your would presume the neighbouring town doing the same thing would be better, on no evidence. You don't get involved and automatically assume those who do will have done a bad job if they are from your town.

Its good you've realised it though , you can start to challenge yourself.

If you are rooted to this town for a few more years for schooling, then make the most of it, get stuck in, try to make sure your towns events are great for your kids to have a great experience. If you force yourself to get involved, then you'll take ownership even a little in these events, hopefully feel a little pride when things go well.

You've chosen to stay in this town. You've had opportunities before you had dcs at school when you could have left and they are bound to have had years when it wasn't crucial to their education not to move, yet youve stayed. This must be at least an OK place to live- the difference between an OK place to live and great is often down to the community. So get stuck in.

I wouldn’t live somewhere I thought was shit, why do people do it and then say ‘but we have to stay for the kids !’ So you want your kids to grow up somewhere shit ?

I grew up in a grammar area, think it’s the best LEA in the country, and went to one of the best grammars in the country. I’ve moved 12 miles away to a more rural cheaper place I love with loads going on in the community. People gasp and say ‘but the schools!’ I just don’t think you should live somewhere based only on schools. Kids can do well regardless. I have friends from my top performing grammar who hated school and had really bad mental health, and still struggling at 30, and friends who went to a random comprehensive near their house who are doctors and lawyers.

so all in all it sounds like you have some sort of built up resentment at staying where you grew up for so long despite it being out of your control. Why don’t you try getting involved in a few things - maybe volunteer litter picking or with guiding or scouting, or putting on events for older people at a day center or something ? You can live anywhere and enjoy it if you have a good community around you. Look at people who grow up and live on what others consider horrendous estates, but are pillars of the community and never leave. They’re inspirational!

^^this

That could be the Berkshire town where I grew up. I thought it was shit then and left in 1978 but many years later thought it wouldn't have been the worst place to bring my own children up.

I was there for the Silver Jubilee which I was totally cynical about. I was a twat.