THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 3, 1994 TAG: 9406010155
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: S02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JANIE BRYANT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940603 LENGTH: Medium
In the mid-1980s, officials added a children's stage with a full schedule of performances, but it was blocks away from the real festival action.
{REST} That was then. Increasingly, the adults are moving over to make more room for the kids.
This weekend, children can say goodbye to their portable Showmobile and head for the main Water Stage. They are booting the adults over to two twin stages in the parking lot.
That is not the only sign that festival planners are after a youthful audience.
They have even considered children's taste buds when looking at the vendors to use. Exotic spicy foods are dwindling. Pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn and cotton candy are up.
Although there will be added seafood vendors and a repeat of old festival favorites, there are fewer food vendors this year. Why? Because they want to make room for more activities for children.
Last year the festival tried out a couple of carnival rides, and they proved popular. This year there will more. A Kiddie Karnival will include a carousel and other rides.
In Lafayette Park, where the Children's Stage used to be, children can win prizes by competing in contests that test everything from hula hooping to bubble-blowing skills.
There also will be a petting zoo, pony rides and hope-instilling fortune tellers.
There are 200 volunteers who work on the children's activities, and about 60 percent of them are teachers and other staff members from the public school system.
With that kind of experience, the art activities under the Big Top Tent should be as popular as ever giving the children plenty of time to do everything from Kool-Aid crystallized paintings to friendship bracelets and face painting.
``I can't wait to see how this year goes,'' said Anna-Marie Davis, a science and social studies teacher who co-chairs the Children's Park.
Why such a fuss to please that single-digit age group?
Because it works.
The festival began billing itself as a family-oriented event about seven years ago. The die-hard party folks can take the ferry to Norfolk.
Portsmouth likes its smaller, family atmosphere enough that it has improved upon the theme a little every year.
Out-of-towners seem to approve.
``We usually get a lot of phone calls two or three days before; folks in Virginia Beach will say, `We heard about your children's things . . . could you tell us how to get there,' '' said Linda Lamm, director of Ports Events.
And none of the adults seems to mind the toned-down atmosphere that has evolved over the years.
A year ago, the annual party in honor of volunteers was dropped to spend more on the children's activities.
``The (volunteer) committee voted as a whole to give it to the kids,'' said Diana Prather, who is in charge of beer ticket sales and the festival's designated-driver program.
``We have not missed (the party),'' she said. ``The Seawall Festival has a family target. That's our promotion and that's our goal.''
Davis, who co-chairs the children's volunteer committee with Kay Moulton, said Sunday brings all the paid entertainment, including a magician, story-telling and comedy slapstick.
But Saturday is usually the big day, and because of the popularity of children's activities they will continue until 8 p.m.
{KEYWORDS} PORTSMOUTH SEAWALL FESTIVAL
by CNB