Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 12, 1993 TAG: 9309120040
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: D-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
And the children came to play.
Olde Salem Days was a festival of nostalgia, with something for almost everyone.
It is Salem's autumn version of Roanoke's Festival in the Park in the spring, with Salem's special hometown atmosphere and touch.
Salem's festival focuses on the past, but it also features a children's fair in Longwood Park with a look to the future.
New technology came to the festival this year in the form of a 9.5 foot robot, which delighted hundreds of children - and frightened a few.
Robatica, the giant robot outfitted with a Star Trek suit, towered above the kids, but he bent over and shook their hands.
The children inched cautiously up to the huge hand, which was larger than a baseball glove.
Of course, it was a make-believe robot, with a man inside the silver-and-purple outfit, but that didn't take away the children's joy.
Upwards of 70,000 attended last year's festival and the crowd was even larger Saturday, organizers said.
More than 400 arts and craft booths lined Main Street and several side streets, which were closed to traffic.
Business was good for many merchants. David Smith was doing a brisk business in selling his handmade baskets. His wife's handmade clothes for Barbie dolls were selling even faster.
The antique car show, held as part of Olde Salem days, featured 228 cars, including some that are nearly 80 years old. The old cars included at least two 1915 black Fords and several other pre-1930 models.
For antique car owners, it is a labor of love to rebuild, repaint and redecorate their vehicles. It also takes money.
Bob Jones proudly displayed his 1940 black Ford coupe that he has been restoring for four years. He figures he has $20,000 invested in the vehicle, including a $3,000 paint job.
Jones, who lives in Boones Mill, has been restoring old cars for 15 years. He also has a 1929, 1931 and 1935 Ford.
"You can't put a monetary value on these cars because it's something that becomes a part of you," Jones said. "But it's still cheaper than drinking and women."
On the steps of the new Roanoke County Courthouse, the Craig County Boys, a country music band, picked and sang, with heavy emphasis on the banjo and mandolin.
For the youngsters and rock music fans, there were more contemporary bands playing on a stage in front of the Salem Library.
For very young kids, there were more tangible pleasures.
Like many other kids Saturday, Alison Jennings, 2, rode a pony for the first time. Alison liked the ride at first, but she got a little grouchy before it was over, according to her mother, Tami.
There was also a petting zoo, clowns, face painting, moonwalk, dunking booth and storytelling.
And when the kids got tired of all the activities, there was plenty of some old time favorites - cotton candy and snow cones.
by CNB