Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 17, 1994 TAG: 9407130034
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KRISTEN KAMMERER CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: PEARISBURG LENGTH: Medium
The works of more than 60 local artisans will be featured including pottery, handcrafted jewelry, woodcrafts, baskets, quilts and more. A temporary art gallery will display the works of local artists.
In the spirit of fun and friendly competition, a wide variety of events and contests will be held for people of all ages. Children can try their hands at face painting, bubble making, a dunking booth, a baby crawling contest and the annual "Fun Run," a one-mile race with four age divisions.
If you're overqualified for the crawling contest, you can test your strength and reflexes in a doughnut hole-stuffing contest, a three-legged race, a basketball sharp shooter's contest or a horseshoe throwing competition. Organizers have also planned several special events including hot air balloon rides, horse and buggy rides, dances, a visit by the Carilion Lifeguard 10 Medical Helicopter and all-day musical entertainment provided by local bands: Bad Habitz, Broken Reins, The Old Campaigners, Goldrush and River's Edge.
The winner of the most popular exhibition contest is likely ... the food. Dozens of vendors will tempt you with a wide variety of dishes including hot dogs, pork rinds, oriental cuisine, funnel cakes, fruit cups, baked goods and the festival's official beverage, "Festival Fizz," a nonalcoholic tropical fruit drink.
To kick off this year's festival, the Pearisburg Lion's Club will hold its "World Famous Barbeque" tonight at 5 at the Community Center. A free concert, given by the Southwest Virginia Children's Chorus and other local choirs, will follow at 6:45 p.m.
The Festival Around Town was born 10 years ago when a group of merchants and citizens joined to look for ways raise funds for renovations in downtown Pearisburg. The idea of holding a festival seemed appropriate because a strong sense of community already existed among the residents and business owners. According to Carol Lavinder, who owns Lavinder Real
Estate and has helped organize the festival every year, "We wanted to give other people a good impression of our town ... to make them feel about Pearisburg the way we do and to see how much our town has to offer."
This community spirit is shared by the many people who help organize and run the festival and whose hard work has made it a success. Last year, more than 3,000 people attended the celebration, prompting this year's organizers to move the festival to the new Pearisburg Community Center.
"We just outgrew downtown Pearisburg," said Eric Zimmerman, the festival's co-chairman.
Merchant and community volunteers have been working since October with W.R. Johnston, director of the Pearisburg Community Center, to coordinate the move.
"We've done everything we could to ensure that the festival will run smoothly in the new location," said Donna Johnston, the festival's publicity chairwoman. "It's going to be a lot of fun for everyone."
Admission to the festival is free. Designated parking areas include Giles High School, the new town library and Pearisburg Presbyterian Church. The Christ Fellowship Church on Wenonah Avenue is reserved for handicapped parking. A free shuttle bus will run from Giles High School to the community center every 15 minutes.
The festival will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday at the Pearisburg Community Center. For more information contact Donna Johnston at (703) 921-2335.
by CNB