In what might be the last Festival in the Park to be located at Elmwood Park, attendance last weekend was strong and the venue was often filled to the brim. That was the word from executive director Larry Landolt, several hours before the final concert by “1964: The Tribute,” the faux-Beatles group that brought almost 3000 more people to the main stage amphitheatre.
The main stage concerts themselves could be moved to the former Victory Stadium site, if not the entire Festival itself. Victory Stadium had been home to Festival in the Park concerts before it was torn down. “They’re getting so big now,” said Landolt of the ticketed concert series; this year’s lineup featured several artists with a slew of #1 country music hits. All told there was music on three stages throughout most of the weekend.
“Attendance has been just terrific,” said Landolt. The crowd for the Chris Young concert on Sunday night “was just busting at the seams” at around 4000, noted Landolt.
During the day Festival in the Park was bustling with its usual mix of arts and crafts, free music and children’s activities, with a splash of commercialism thrown in – as with the demonstrations of cookware and other household goods for sale.
At the Gazebo stage on Memorial Day, Johnny Barnett played guitar and sang in his red, white and blue shirt. “Let’s remember all the guys that gave all so we can do this here today,” Barnett said as part of his off-the-cuff tribute to war veterans.
In front of the Roanoke Public Library, college professor Dr. Laura Mann donned her red hat, singing opera tunes and numbers from hit Broadway musicals as part of her “Opera-tunity” program. “Opera is wonderful,” exclaimed Mann, who teaches at George Mason University.
From kettle korn to cotton candy and funnel cakes, from fine art to novelty items, the 41st edition of Festival in the Park offered its usual dizzying array of variety. “The daytime activities have been great,” said Landolt, grateful that Festival dodged bullets when it came to the weather as well.
What makes Festival in the Park work, besides Landolt’s small paid Event Zone staff, is an army of 400 volunteers that really makes the long weekend possible. “Many of the volunteers have been here 5, 10 years, [even] 20 years,” noted Landolt.
Some volunteers wore badges noting how many years they had stepped up to the plate to help out at the festival. “It’s an enormous amount of work,” said Landolt. “That’s the behind the scenes stuff that people don’t really see. This is 6-8 months of planning. What many see on Festival weekend seems to work smoothly.”
The landmark Festival is about more than one entertaining weekend. Landolt added, “This is the community coming out to celebrate itself. In the whole region citizens come together, whether they are performing or just coming out to enjoy [the Festival].”
By Gene Marrano [email protected]