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A debt of gratitude

By Staff | Aug 9, 2013

I’m not quite sure where to start. When a festival is as successful as ours was June 29, those running it look like wizards. So first, I think, I’d like to thank the weather; it was a beautiful day!! Had the weather been bad, maybe not so much. We start in September culminating at 5 a.m., the last Saturday of the month, from marking streets, hanging the signs, and erecting the beer fencing, to thanking everyone at 8:30 p.m. It took us approx. 90 minutes to clean up this year-never ceases to amaze me, the streets were open by 10pm allowing cars to park. Great job everyone!! We have always been an organized group, but this was awesome! The organizers do this at great sacrifice, to our sanity and free-time! A special thanks to the significant others for allowing us the time and effort to pull this off-you know who you are.

Chris Stroech Vice-President & Treasurer – was a work-horse; taking care of the legal end of things, all permits, licenses, contracts, food vendors, scheduling, admin, sponsors, communication, PR, beer every aspect, I can’t even list it all here.

Jim Ford is the most patient man on the planet. He manages our web site with me feeding him information, often several times a day. I’d often pull up the site 2-3 hours later and there it was!

Bernie Somers – Sponsor Coordinator – she helped tremendously with getting sponsors, knocking on all of the doors and pleading with those eyes.

Chris Crawford Main Stage Coordinator – is the one to thank for the Main Stage acts, and what a line up it was this year all festival bands, all so good that as a Board we had a hard time deciding which one would be our headliner. No one disappointed!

Bob Keel Library Stage Coordinator – once again filled the Library Stage with our local talent and they kept up the pace entertaining the crowd! He helped the bands haul their equipment through the thickest crowds to date.

I have to thank the bands: MS The Hillbilly Gypsies, The Woodshedders, Johnny Neel, On The Bus, and Big Leg Emma. LS The Lady Dies, The Gypsy Ramblers, Christian Lopez/Joe Taxi, and Tabasco Bustelo. The bands cooperated fully with our time slots, getting on and off the stages on time with signals from Chris and Bob. They were a delight to work with!

Thanks to Jamie of Welsh Sound running sound for the Main Stage, doing a sound check in 35 minutes, and Earth Vibe Productions for bringing their stage, and running sound again. Both did an awesome job!

Dolores Nichols Event Coordinator – was our tireless organizer of our 50 volunteers and made everything seem effortless Saturday. This is a tough job, as many don’t sign up to volunteer until the last week or so.

Sarah Poland – Kids” Camp Coordinator – with Bernadine Somers along with their own volunteers kept our youngest festival-goers happy in the Morgan Academy Kids’ Camp from 11am to 5pm. They had hundreds of kids enjoying themselves!

Grayson Topping Marketing – helped us with marketing, distribution of materials, and general helping hand.

Bill Lukens Maintenance Coordinator took care of the erecting/taking down the Beer Garden fence, the fence on McMurran lawn. He coordinated with the Public Works employees for the trash cans/recycling, set-up tear-down of tables and chairs from the Community Club, and much more.

All of the vendors on the street, maintaining the Face Book page and feeding info to Jim Ford for the website that was me. Plus, sponsors, admin, PR, fire puter-outer, and announcer extraordinaire!

Tina Larrick Beer Coordinator she made sure the beer truck ran like clockwork, and it did! She made sure ID’s were checked, and all areas were covered. ABC was onsite and we had no issues.

Mike Zagarella Set-Up Coordinator – along with Brian Palank, these guys make sure our vendors know exactly where they go, how to get off of the street and where to park, even though they are supposed to know already. And, they do it with smiles on their faces.

Bonn Poland updated the map on the flyer, and the interactive maps for the web site showing our retailers, restaurants, vendors, parking options, Pan Tran routes/stops, restrooms, Food Court, Beer Garden, Kid’s Camp, First Aid Station, ATM’s and our information booth. (he’s the wizard)

Sue Collins helped Dolores Nichols with getting volunteers.

Our volunteers were invaluable. They were on time and courteous to our visitors and helped showcase our town. Many put in more time than they originally signed up. We need to single some out: Jason Hinerman (he never stopped!), Toni Milbourne (left and ran the fireworks that evening), Brian Eddy (another workhorse!), Molly Kramer, Marc & Judith Briod, Erin McLemore, –James Vigil, Aaron Ryan & Margaret-in the beer tent, Lillian Saum, Elizabeth Mentor, Thomas James Martin, Shelia & Al Vertino, David Zunker, Diane Niedzialkowski, Ted Delaney, Ryan Chelf, Catherine Wilson, Sue Kennedy, Judy Shepherd/Jenny Haynes/Jackie Haynes/Chris Hayes & Devin (good luck keeping up with this bunch!!), Janet L’abbe, Sandra Watchel all of these pulled more than one shift!!

Thank you to Mayor Auxer (who poured beer that afternoon-again), the Corporation of Shepherdstown, the Town Council and the residents for allowing us to hold this event in the middle of our small town. Dave Ransom, Chief of Police and to his officers for blocking off the streets, and for keeping our town safe. We had no major issues from anyone that day or night. Thank you Frank Welch, Public Works Director, Billy and Ernie, and the incredible staff. You could walk outside at 9:30 p.m. and it didn’t look like a festival that attracted approx. 8,000 people had just happened.

Street Fest has to generate ALL of it’s funds to put on this event and depending on how much we make, we hold some back for start up costs, and donate in the name of our local 2013 charity Good Shepherd Care Givers in Shepherdstown, and our 2013 regional charity Bethany House in Martinsburg, and the Shepherdstown Fire Dept. Announcements will be made soon.

Our Title Sponsor, Morgan Academy, was a great partner every step of the way and we are so grateful to Bernie Somers.

Our On-Line Marketing Sponsor GoBlueRidgeTravel.com was fantastic to partner with-thanks Nancy Craun!!

Platinum Sponsors Arnold & Bailey, PLLC , Around The Panhandle, Bavarian Inn, Downstream to Wellness-Capstone Method, The Journal, The Local Source, Ours, Lawyer, Lewis & Co., PLLC, Shepherd University, Shepherdstown Chronicle, Thomas Shepherd Inn.

Gold Sponsors Bubba & Willie Penn Bloom, Green Tree Realty, Jefferson Distributing, The Observer, Progressive Printing & Graphics.

Silver Sponsors Appalachian Jamwich Magazine, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, The Buyer’s Guide, Contemporary American Theater Festival, Jefferson Security Bank, Mountain View Solar & Wind, LLC, The Observer, Brian J. Palank, D.D.S., PanelWrights, Drs. Russell, Pike & Nelson, P.C., Shepherdstown Community Club, Skinner Law Firm, and Winchester House of Blues.

Bronze Sponsors AC&T Portable Restrooms, Be Well World, Ben Mann Electrical Services, City National Bank, Child Guide Magazine, Earth Vibe Productions, Michael T. the Magician, The Mecklenburg Inn, Michelle DeStefano, MIK Woodworking, Pill & Pill, PLLC, Sissy Poland, Pretty in the Panhandle, Shepherdstown Community Club, Shepherdstown Public Library, Tony M. Music,

Friends Sponsors Shepherdstown Day Care & Shepherdstown Middle School.

Thanks to The Community Club for lending us tables and chairs and allowing us to use their electricity/kitchen. Hali Taylor with The Shepherdstown Public Library for using their electricity. Maria’s Taqueria for letting us rent her vendor space.

Our wonderful restaurants/coffee shops and retailers for generously donating to help sponsor the bands: Mellow Moods Cafe & Juice Bar, Lotus Skincare & Wellness, Piccadilly Posh Photography, Hypnocoffee Roastery, Aldene Etter-LMT, Look in Pop’s Attic, Yarnability, Native Havens landscape Designs, Shaharazade’s Restaurant & Tea Room, Devonshire Arms Caf & Pub, Domestic, China Kitchen, The Now and Then Shop, Steppin’ Out Shoes & Such, Fine Gardening by Jennifer Thompson, Hair Heaven, Shepherdstown Coffee & Candlery, Four Seasons Books, reFINEments of Shepherdstown, Shepherdstown Liquors & More, Specialty Business Supplies, Peter Corum, and Maria Lico at Off Mane Street. They donated even though times are tough, and we thank you.

Thanks to the Shepherdstown Business Association, and our retailers & restaurants for staying open. Many have said it was their best day all year!

Thanks to President Shipley and Shelli Dronsfield at Shepherd University for allowing the use of all of their parking lots, without which, Street Fest would never happen! And, to the Shepherdstown Fire Department for parking a squad for part of the day.

Thanks to all of our artisans who participated this year-hope to see you back next year! They were of the highest quality. Thanks to all of our food vendors in our Food Court we had over 80 vendors a record! And thanks to many of the restaurants for serving food outside-again.

Thank you so much to everyone who came to our tiny town from Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Frederick, Leesburg, Hagerstown, Berryville and Winchester and our local jurisdictions to check out Shepherdstown, shop at our stores, stop by the vendors, eat at our restaurants, and have a beer or glass of wine and listen to some great music! Everyone was so great about throwing their trash and recycling in the designated containers, it made our after event clean up so much faster. The mood was positive throughout the day and it showed in the people on the street. We are so grateful for the weather!!

Most of all, I’d like to thank the good people of Shepherdstown for extending a warm welcome to our visitors and allowing us to put on a great festival to showcase the town that we love.

Lori Robertson

SSF President