THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 10, 1996 TAG: 9606100042
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE AND DENISE WATSON, STAFF WRITERS
LENGTH: 95 lines
It was a festive game of hide and soak Sunday as bursts of rain sent party-goers scrambling for cover on both sides of the Elizabeth River at the close of festival weekend.
It was a bad hair day all around for the thousands of hardcore Harborfest fans who ignored the rain and came to the park anyway.
But the kids loved it.
Jennifer Chappell didn't even try to stop the foot-stomping battle between her 6-year-old son, Bryan, and several other youths whose paths crossed in a large puddle in the middle of Town Point Park.
``He's having fun and it isn't costing me a penny,'' Chappell said as she watched.
But what about catching cold?
``I used to be a med-tech in the Navy,'' she said. ``You don't catch a cold from getting wet. Besides, he's probably cleaner now than he's been in a month. He hates baths.''
So, is stomping around in a puddle fun? Bryan wasn't saying. He just stomped harder, sending up fresh waves of water.
The meandering cells of rain and wind sometimes erupted with little warning, turning a stroll along the Town Point promenade into a stampede for whatever cover people could find.
And some people didn't even bother with trying to stay dry.
Tammy Guider stood under a tree at Portsmouth's Seawall Festival, slowly getting soaked. She blamed her housework for the unintended shower.
``If I hadn't spent so much time trying to clean up, I could've brought the kids out here yesterday,'' the Chesapeake mom said as her 4-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter pulled her toward the kiddie rides. ``But I promised them I'd bring them out here. And I did.''
Guider and a smattering of others walked through puddles and sporadic showers to take in the last day of funnel cakes, free concerts and Cajun food.
Alphonse Copeland and his 3-year-old son, Javon, were both damp but undeterred by the rain.
``We just wanted to get out,'' said Copeland of Portsmouth. ``I bought too many (ride) tickets last night, so I came down here to try to get rid of them. He seems to be comfortable with the rain, so we'll stay out a little longer.''
Alicia Patterson of Newport News danced as she worked behind the Mr. Potatoe stand as a rock band played in the background. There weren't any customers to keep her busy.
``Oh, I'm having a good time,'' she said, ``It's cool enough to dance and not break a sweat.''
Other vendors weren't as happy with the festival's soggy finale.
``On the first two days, you usually make the money to cover your overhead - labor, supplies, stuff like that,'' said Roger Yeager, the younger member of a father-and-son team who drove from Florida to sell chicken teriyaki and lemonade.
``The third day is the money maker.''
He held his hand out, gesturing to the empty counter. ``Well. . . .''
He would have found a sympathetic reception in Norfolk, where Harborfest vendors also were bearing the cost of the rain. Many sent extra staffers home early and cut down on the amount of food they were preparing.
There was no wait for service at Old Style Food's roasted corn concession. And there were no customers to wait on.
``It's sort of . . . bad,'' Mike Beaver said of business, catching himself before he might have used a more explicit description.
Sales of shaved ice treats were ``about as good as anything else on a rainy day,'' said Kim Merritt as she looked for customers at the Hawaiian Sno booth.
Despite the dampness, enthusiasm was high among hardcore country fans who turned out by the hundreds to hear performances Sunday. Most stood in ponchos or under umbrellas, while a few who had thought ahead lounged on plastic-covered lawn chairs.
``What's a little rain?'' Kevin Perry asked. ``I kinda like this. Plenty of room, no big crowds.''
Harborfest officials were putting their best face on the weather, too.
``This is a way of keeping the grass green and the park fresh,'' said Executive Director Don Walker. He, too, might have liked a sunnier day, but what are you going to do?
Instead, he's focusing his efforts on next year and the things he can make better.
``There's a lot of things I've seen in the last three days that we'll work on,'' Walker said. ``We're going to be looking at a variety of things to improve the festival.'' ILLUSTRATION: MIKE HEFFNER photos
The Virginian-Pilot
Vernon Hines and Bobby Owen of the Norfolk Parks and Recreation
Department take cover beneath plastic bags as the rain comes down
Sunday at Harborfest in Norfolk's Town Point Park. The two were
waiting to clean up.
Three-year-old Todd Crozier of Norfolk peers out from a sea of
umbrellas at Harborfest. The rain didn't seem to bother thousands of
hardcore festival fans.
FESTIVAL
[For a list of scheduled events for the Boardwalk Arts Festival, see
page B2.] by CNB