THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 2, 1996 TAG: 9606020311
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 84 lines
It's time to throw a party for The Party. Harborfest is 20!
``This will be the best Harborfest yet,'' promises Don Walker, Harborfest's executive director. ``Harborfest is 20 years old and it's new. Be prepared for a fresh new look and a brand new attitude.''
With the final countdown on, Walker said Friday that he was feeling ``a little harried but confident.''
There will be entertainment on three stages this year, ranging from country and jazz to Big Band sounds, Top 40 and beach music. Among the headliners:
Wade Hayes - The country singer, who established himself with his debut album, ``Old Enough to Know Better,'' performs Friday at 8:30 p.m.
The Lovin' Spoonful - From 1965 to 1969, they released a half-dozen albums and seven top-10 singles including ``Summer in the City,'' listed by Billboard Magazine as one of the top 100 hits of the last 25 years. The band, including original members Steve Boone, Joe Butler and Jerry Yesler, performs Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
The Classics IV - Take a nostalgic journey through rock `n roll history as the band performs the chart-topping hits from the '60s and '70s on Saturday at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Stephanie Bentley - Her first country album is ``Hopechest.'' She performs Saturday at 6 p.m.
Ken Mellons - His soulful baritone is familiar to any fan of the country hits ``Jukebox Junkie'' and ``I Can Bring Her Back.'' Mellons, whose second album is ``Where Forever Begins,'' performs Saturday at 8 p.m.
George Howard - This classically-trained, jazz-man is one of today's top soprano saxophonists with 12 albums to his credit, his latest: ``Attitude Adjustment.'' He performs Sunday at 4:30 p.m.
Mark Chestnutt - Known for his hits, ``Too Cold At Home,'' ``Brother Jukebox'' and ``Blame it on Texas,'' Chestnutt is a winner of the Country Music Association's Horizon Award. His latest album, ``Wings,'' is his fifth release. He performs Sunday at 5 p.m.
As in past years, the festival's first event will be the Harborfest Michelob Chesapeake Bay Challenge race on Thursday beginning at 10 a.m. More than 100 craft are expected to participate.
Then, on Friday, the Parade of Sail begins at 10 a.m. off Fort Wool in Hampton and will reach Town Point Park at noon.
Harborfest officials had hopes of bringing several of the world's Class A tall ships to the waterfront for the 20th anniversary, but commitments around the globe are keeping the small fleet of such vessels tied up. But there will still be plenty of sail in the Parade of Sail, they promise.
The 175-foot brig Niagara out of Erie Pa. with a crew of 45 may be the largest, but the 40-foot gaff-rigged schooner Laura Ellen and the 64-foot topsail schooner Bonnie Rover, both of Norfolk, will be in the anniversary spotlight having both been on hand for every Harborfest.
The sailing vessels will be joined by the Spruance class destroyer Hayler, the Navy patrol boat Tempest and the Coast Guard cutters Point Bonita, Batan, Point Highland, Cleat and Chock.
Other ships will include the Susan Constant, Schooner America, Alexandria, White Cloud and NSY-18 Chesapeake.
If you are into collectibles, you'll have more opportunities than ever to cart home Harborfest souvenirs - some from the ships.
New this year will be the Harborfest Ship's Store where ship pennants, hospitality bags, Chesapeake Bay Challenge T-shirts and various items such as coffee mugs and ball caps from some participating vessels will be on sale.
In addition to the traditional festival T-shirts, there also will be a commemorative pin and an embroidered hat for sale this year.
The Harborfest 20th anniversary poster, by architect and artist Carlton Abbott of Williamsburg, portrays the Downtown waterfront in all its festive glory.
Many events and activities will be ongoing through the weekend.
Elderfest will offer a full schedule of activities on Friday.
Hill's Children's Cove will feature puppet shows, dancers, magicians, ventriloquists, jugglers, clowns and more.
Overhead, Don Johnson's Toyota Airsports will provide daring aerobatics. And folks on the ground will have a chance to take to the skies - or at least get the feel of it - with the Navy's Blue Angels thanks to the AT&T motion simulator theater presented in conjunction with Nauticus.
The Navy SEALs will perform maneuvers on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. while the Coast Guard will demonstrate air-sea rescues on Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Harborfest's traditional offering of culinary treats from seafood to Southern delights, continues this year with new food courts.
For the third consecutive year, Saturday night's fireworks show will be presented by Pyro Shows of Lafollette, Tenn., winner of the 1993 North American Fireworks competition and runner-up in 1994. There also will be numerous informational and educational displays and events, such as the American Society of Safety Engineers booth on child safety. by CNB