As far back as I can remember, I’ve been a fan of The Simpsons. I’ve watched the show religiously since the early 90’s. I can remember when the show was on Sundays, switched to Thursdays and then back to Sundays. I can quote almost any line from any episode between 1989 and 2001. In recent years, I’ve found myself unable to watch every new episode due to a busier schedule, but I’m able to catch the show now and then to find it still fresh and funny.

The show is so engrained in our culture that millions of people can recognize second and third tier characters and their catchphrases. And of course, anyone who has ever watched the show know what town that the Simpsons live in: Springfield, though it’s always been ambiguous as to which state Springfield is in.

When I heard that The Simpsons were coming from the small screen to the big screen a little over a year ago, I was ecstatic. I was even more excited to hear that the premier of the film would be given to one of the several cities named Springfield across the country. Of course our own Springfield, Illinois would be rightfully considered to be one of the frontrunners to host the premier, after all the justifications are numerous.

One of the biggest things Springfield has going for it is the nearby location of a city called Shelbyville, the rival town of Springfield on The Simpsons. That is something that should automatically seal the deal as any Simpsons fan that recognizes the importance of Springfield versus Shelbyville should realize.

Additionally, the frontier history of the Simpsons Springfield and Illinois’ Springfield are rather similar. Springfield, Illinois has Abraham Lincoln as its hometown hero while the Springfield of The Simpsons has Jebediah Springfield as their hero. The two individuals, while one is real and the other fictional, both have reputations of great men that led their people through harsh times. I don’t remember reading about Lincoln taming a wild buffalo, though.

Numerous features around Springfield have been documented over the years. Springfield has nearby mountains, a nearby ocean, they have hurricanes, a volcano, and they have a countryside of cornfields and a climate of four seasons. All these factors make Springfield’s location hard to pinpoint. However, due to overall weather and geographic reasons as well as size, Springfield, Illinois would be the correct location to host the premier of The Simpsons Movie.

I became wary when I heard that the decision on which Springfield would get the premier would rest on online voters at the website of USA Today. I was right to be wary as we all found out yesterday that, what easily should have been Illinois’ event went instead to Springfield, Vermont.

“Vermont?” I thought to myself. “What do they have besides Ben & Jerry or being the setting for Newhart?”

So, in my disappointment, I realize I won’t be taking that road trip to Springfield to simply be around the Simpsons Premier or watch the star-studded event. Instead, I’ll have to go and see it without the glitz in a normal theatre. I shouldn’t be too disappointed, though. After all, finally after all these years we have a Simpsons movie.