Thousands attend festival
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff reporter
Everything came together — great organization, good weather, and many people — to create a perfect environment for the Chingawassa Days festival held Friday to Sunday in Marion's Central Park.
The weekend included myriad activities for people of all ages.
The opening evening of the festival could have been called "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
With temperatures hovering in the 80s for much of the evening, many festival-goers were in a carefree mood, abandoning the cozy sweaters and jackets of a cool May for summer wear.
Almost 1,000 barbecued pork meals were served by Marion National Bank, and St. Luke Hospital provided generous servings of 56 gallons of various flavors of ice cream to approximately 700 people.
In a karaoke contest on the main stage, Tera Lynn Locke of Derby won the kids' division, and Dot Richmond of Marion won the adult division.
By the time Synergy, a band sponsored by SBC Southwestern Bell, was finished playing, festival-goers already had gotten more than their money's worth. And Synergy was a big bonus.
Saturday
Kiwanis Club members reported serving a record number of pancakes Saturday morning.
Perhaps the only disappointment of the weekend was cancellation of the parachute drop due to gusty winds. However, a large number of people gathered at the high school parking lot and followed the bed race runners as they made their way downtown for the annual races sponsored by Tampa State Bank.
People lined the sidewalks between Fourth and Fifth streets to view the races.
Marion National Bank employees got the ball rolling with their presentation of Miss Piggy riding in a cart and distribution of candy to children along the route.
Western Associates employees provided a clown act for the event with two colorfully decorated beds, one sporting a great gray whale. They won a prize for being the best decorated.
Seven teams seriously competed for prize money. In the women's speed division, Hannaford Abstract & Title Co. was first, and Hett's Construction was second. Open class speed winners were Hett Construction, first, Big Brothers-Big Sisters, second, and Marion Equipment, third.
Chingawassa committee members got into the event with a clown act of their own. Competing with Tampa State Bank employees, the runners were shot down and thus were unable to reach the finish line.
Afternoon entertainers included the MHS jazz ensemble, Alex Stuchlik Polka Band, and students of Vicky's School of Dance. The Yeti, a local teen band, performed on Luta Stage.
Children's activities included a variety of carnival amusements Friday evening and Saturday. Midlands Farm Services/Scully Estates sponsored a boot race and money in the hay contest Saturday afternoon. Marion Equipment sponsored a pedal tractor pull.
Central National Bank provided free watermelon and sponsored Bingo games. Other games included a free-throw shooting contest, horseshoe pitching tournament, and canoe races.
For those interested in horses, the day provided several events including miniature horse demonstrations by Larry and Deana Olsen, horse-drawn wagon rides around Marion, horse harness demonstrations, and mule rides on the nature trail.
An anvil shoot provided a big "bang!" at least two times Saturday.
At least eight food vendors did a brisk business throughout the weekend. One vendor, T.O. Speaks, is an eighth grader at Marion Middle School and was selling sno-cones to earn money to join an ice hockey team in Wichita.
Other vendors provided kids' toys, jewelry, T-shirts, crafts, and face painting. Massage and mehndi painting booths also were available.
Chain-saw artists were at work in the park from Thursday evening through Saturday to provide wood carvings for an auction held before the Saturday night concert. The auction netted $2,305, which will be used by the Chingawassa Days committee to defray expenses.
Highlights of both days were performances by several bands including Synergy, Trent Summar & The New Row Mob, and the world-renowned 38 Special. (See accompanying article.)
The weekend culminated in a community worship service Sunday morning at the main stage sponsored by Marion Ministerial Alliance. It included a community praise band and guest speaker Jan Hayen, a Marion native.
Chingawassa Days steering committee members were Susan Cooper, Bruce Skiles, Gene Winkler, Donna Bernhardt, Matt Newhouse, Sharon Kelsey, Margo Yates, Jeff Cady, Chris Costello, Dave Crofoot, Dave Hett, and Mike Powers.
"I appreciate each of the steering committee members and realize the importance of the individual talents they bring to the group," Chairman Cooper said.
She said the committee considers the event an overwhelming success. She said they received numerous comments about the fun entertainment.
Although the final tally isn't in, the committee believes the event will be a success financially, as well.
Cooper was eager to give credit to all who contributed to the success of the event.
"This is a community event that is sponsored by the city, but it is supported by the business community and patrons from within and without the city. It wouldn't be successful without them," Cooper said.
She lauded the "tons" of volunteers who "showed up when they were supposed to" and were very generous with their time and effort.
