DATE: Friday, August 8, 1997                TAG: 9708070205

SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON   PAGE: 05   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY SUSAN W. SMITH, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   60 lines

JOEL CADWELL MANNING THE FAIR AT THE BEACH

When Joel Cadwell says he stays on the job, he's not joking. After he sets up his office, he pulls in his silver, airstream trailer and sets up a home site.

Now Cadwell's office and trailer are parked at Camp Pendleton for his latest undertaking. Cadwell, 40, is the director of operations and marketing for the Virginia State Fair's local event, a Fair at the Beach, continuing through Sunday at Camp Pendleton off General Booth Boulevard.

``I always stay on the site for easy access to files and to walk the site for ideas especially early in the morning,'' said Cadwell, who for almost two years, has been planning safe rides, good food and outstanding entertainment for almost 100,000 guests expected this week.

Cadwell returns to his Chesapeake home each evening to see his wife, Patricia, and children Evan, 9, and Katie, 5. But until the gates close for the last time Sunday , he spends long hours at the fair grounds.

``The phone, the fields and the fax are an almost constant pull as vendors, rides, exhibits and entertainment come together, and as the five South Hampton Roads cities join to host this grand country fair,'' said Cadwell. ``And we have something for everyone as we promote agriculture, commerce, education and lots of fun.''

Cadwell, a Portsmouth native, is the in-coming president of the Virginia Special Events and Festival Association, and the founder and president of National Events Management.

The Chesapeake-based company's productions include Pungo's Strawberry Festival, Portsmouth's Seawall Festival and Suffolk's Peanut Festival and New Spring Special and Balloon Festival. And for eight years, Cadwell has been a general consultant and the midway and sponsorship coordinator for the Virginia State Fair.

Although now his role is a moving force behind the scenes, Cadwell started his career out front. When he was 16, he manned a ticket booth at a Black Oak Arkansas concert in Portsmouth.

The band's manager was impressed and hired him as a stage hand for the next two summers. From there, Cadwell's memorabilia and resume includes tours and concerts with celebrities such as Waylon Jennings, Charlie Daniels, the Beach Boys, the Eagles and K.C. and the Sunshine Boys.

As a member of a local Kiwanis Club, one of Cadwell's first volunteer projects was to chair the Ocean View Beach Festival in Norfolk.

For the Fair at the Beach, Cadwell's work began with checking possible Hampton Roads locations. From there, he moved through a checklist that included everything from lining up trash removal and traffic cones to signing up big name entertainment. He's screened vendors to insure food and souvenirs are of the best quality, and scheduled more than 50 midway rides.

After the last snow-cone and the lights shut down at the Fair at the Beach, Cadwell heads to the Virginia State Fair in September. MEMO: The Fair at the Beach continues from 4 p.m. to midnight today and

noon to midnight Saturday and Sunday at Camp Pendleton off General Booth

Boulevard. Tickets are $5 for adults and $4 for children 4 to 12 and

senior citizens. Call 427-3580, Code 506. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DAVID B. HOLLINGSWORTH

Joel Cadwell is the director of operations and marketing for Fair at

the Beach at Camp Pendleton.

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