When the Cameras Came to Town
By: J. David Chapman, PhD, / July 10, 2026
On Wednesday, July 1st, millions of Americans woke up to the national show Fox & Friends broadcasting live from downtown Edmond as LibertyFest celebrated our nation's birthday. The Governor was there. The Mayor was there. Small business owners, community leaders, current and former City Council members, volunteers, and hundreds of residents gathered before sunrise to celebrate Independence Day.
It was an exciting morning for Edmond. But as I watched the broadcast, I couldn't help but think that the real story wasn't the television cameras. It was why they came.
Communities do not become destinations overnight. They become places people notice because generations of residents invest their time, energy, and pride into making them special. LibertyFest has been bringing Edmond together for decades. Thousands of volunteers have worked behind the scenes. Businesses have sponsored events. Churches, civic organizations, schools, first responders, and city employees have all played a role in creating a tradition that people look forward to every year.
That kind of civic pride cannot be manufactured for television. It reminds us that great places are built around gathering spaces. Downtown Edmond works because people can walk from the parade route to a coffee shop, a restaurant, or a local business. Families linger after the parade. Neighbors reconnect. Visitors discover shops they may never have noticed before. The economic value of a vibrant downtown extends well beyond the morning's festivities.
In subURBAN!, I wrote that great communities are measured not simply by their buildings, but by the life that happens between them. A sidewalk filled with neighbors, a storefront welcoming visitors, and a public street transformed into a place of celebration are all signs of a healthy city.
National recognition is certainly nice, but it is not the goal. The goal is creating a community where people want to live, work, invest, and celebrate together. Recognition is simply the byproduct of getting those things right.
That morning, America got a glimpse of Edmond. Those of us who call it home already knew what the cameras discovered: patriotism is not just something we display once a year. It is something we practice by investing in our neighbors, supporting our local businesses, preserving our traditions, and building a place worthy of passing on to the next generation. Perhaps that's why the cameras came in the first place.
Dr. J. David Chapman is Chair of Finance & Professor of Real Estate at The University of Central Oklahoma (jchapman7@uco.edu)