THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 27, 1994 TAG: 9406270077
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940627 LENGTH: CRISFIELD, MD.
Outfitted in way-off-the-rack orange shirts and white slacks, the inmates were seen as often as the stars, helping move the last performer's paraphernalia out and the next performer's paraphernalia in.
{REST} It is cheap labor for the state-sponsored event - inmates get paid 10 cents an hour - that has taken place for four years at Hammock Pointe, on Tangier Sound in Crisfield.
The '94 to-do lured about 15,000 country music enthusiasts who seldom kept their eyes off the 40-by-60-foot stage - double the size of last year's.
One of the lures for many was the family atmosphere - another was the fact that it seemed so well-planned.
``This is organized better than Harborfest,'' said Greg Bollinger of Virginia Beach. ``It's unreal how things run so smoothly.''
He and his wife, Cherry, WCMS ticket winners, opted to park themselves in their lawn chairs far from the stage.
``I can be one of the first in line to get an autograph,'' she explained.
The autograph booth lines were long. Most of the performers spent time there but not enough, whisked away before many of the fans could reach them.
Picture-taking, though, was a snap. Those who wanted a shot of an ``artist-at-work'' stood in an orderly line. When they reached stage front, they were given about 30 seconds to make it click.
Those in the front rows had the advantage but, truly, they waited for it: Enthusiasts began lining up at 8 p.m. Friday. Gates opened at 10 a.m. Saturday.
They came minus alcohol. Rules were strict - no kegs or bottles, no alcohol for sale.
Sly foam lovers, of course, always find a way. Unofficially, it was known as the beer run.
Thirsty festival-goers hopped one of the shuttle buses, stopped off in town, got a brew, hopped aboard the bus on its return trip.
One fan tossed a cold one to Doug Stone during his performance. He made a one-handed catch, then proceeded to guzzle the whole works without missing a beat.
The beat went on and on - on a beautiful, sunny day, not too hot thanks to a Sound breeze. The sounds began with Daron Norwood at 11:30 a.m., ending with Ricky Van Shelton at 8:30 p.m.
Many of their fans sported rather snug outfits.
Terry McBride of McBride & The Ride summed it up best as he looked down at the crowd: ``I don't know when I've seen so much cleavage.''
It was not listed as a complaint.
Complaints seemed few and far between.
``This is better than most outdoor festivals,'' said Hugh E. Bennett, Norwood's road manager. ``The people here pay a lot of attention to details.''
Some of them were a ``Rain Room'' where people sat and were lightly sprayed upon, an arts-crafts area for little ones, and a tent for country line dance enthusiasts.
No matter where you were, you heard the music loudly and clearly, thanks to huge loudspeakers in several areas of the park.
There was enough to eat, including the Eastern Shore's trademark crabcakes - expensive but delicious.
``There was more to do here, more to eat, more to see,'' said Bob Vallonga of Baltimore, whence many of the fair-goers came. Also, many were from Hampton Roads.
Jerry Lynch came from Dover, Del., for his first outdoor concert.
``It's really great,'' he said. ``Considering the number of people, it's very orderly.''
by CNB