Editor, Manteca Bulletin,

What a great place to watch a movie outdoors. The amphitheater is beautiful at Mistlin Park. It has a beautiful stage on the bottom of a grassy hill and the hill is covered by an elaborate canopy. It’s kind of hidden in between the softball fields. The concessions are open or you can bring your own stuff in. There was a big screen with great sound. You just show up with a blanket or a fold up chair and a great time can be had.

So my family and I show up with the neighbors and get our spot. About 10 minutes into it we realized we couldn’t hear because there were about 100 teenagers and pre-teens running amok and making a lot of noise.

Mistlin Park is dark for the movie, which is perfect for a movie but the kids (boys and girls) were in the fields, in the dark and doing who knows what. Who knows who else may have been in those fields? The weather was great on Friday, Aug. 19, perfect for the event but we ended up leaving because we could not enjoy the movie with all the commotion. Yes it’s free. Yes everyone has a right to be there but come on. Shame on the Ripon City Council for not having security or an officer to monitor any situation that may arise. Shame on the parents for just dropping their kid or kids off with no supervision in a dark unmonitored huge park and shame on the kids for being so loud and obnoxious that some could not hear or enjoy the movie. It was worse than going to an actual theater. I think I’ll stay home next time.
 
Jon Serafin
Ripon
Aug. 29, 2011