THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 5, 1994 TAG: 9409050071
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Long : 108 lines
The sun finally shone on the Oceanfront Sunday, bringing a delightful, but still windy, change of pace for the American Music Festival and the thousands who turned out to hear one of country music's hottest stars.
The weather brought thousands of people back to the resort strip after rain and cooler temperatures kept them away Saturday.
``Today is a lot better than yesterday,'' said Jeff Pavucsko, who came from Pittsburgh Friday with his wife Missy and their 4-year-old daughter Laura. ``It's getting crowded, but that's to be expected,'' he said.
Alicia Jacocks of Middletown, N.J., agreed.
``It's going pretty good now down here, considering it's been raining,'' she said while sitting with friend Tanisha Parham along Atlantic Avenue.
Billy Ray Cyrus fans came out in droves to the country crooner's afternoon concert. Despite high winds, concert-goers proclaimed the afternoon a success.
``It was definitely worth the drive to see Billy Ray Cyrus,'' said Kim Dawson, who drove from Fredericksburg for the weekend to catch ``Achy Breaky Heart'' and the rest of Cyrus' country repertoire. The only distraction was the wind, she said.
Her friend, Monica Cook, agreed. ``The only thing they need next year is straws and lids for the beers.''
Ken Berger, a ticket-taker supervisor for the concerts, said the festivities have been running smoothly.
``We had a nice mix of crowd for the Beach Boys, and a lot of people said they were coming back for tomorrow's concert,'' Berger said, referring to the Four Tops and the Temptations, who perform at 3 p.m. today.
Berger estimated that at least 10,000 people have been coming to the shows each day. He said the crowds have been well-behaved and the only major complaints have been from concert-goers who wanted to leave and come back.
``It hasn't been unruly,'' he said. ``If it has been I haven't seen it.''
Police reported no major problems and did their best to keep traffic moving in and out of the area, especially Saturday and Sunday nights after the major concerts ended.
Events coordinator Chris Casey said crowd traffic has been flowing smoothly to and from the concert sites. ``We're really pleased. We moved about 3,000 people in about 30 minutes (Saturday),'' he said, referring to special shuttles that ran to and from the Pavilion parking lot on 19th Street. ``I haven't heard any complaints.''
Some motorists, however, said the police intervention has been more of a hindrance than a help with traffic.
``I'm enjoying everything very much,'' said Mary White of Virginia Beach. ``Everything but the parking and the police directions. It's too much overdone by the police.''
Between 7 and 8 p.m. Sunday police began closing off access to side streets in the resort area and funneling traffic onto 22nd Street, which leads to the westbound lanes of the Virginia Beach-Norfolk Expressway.
Aricka Fisher, 23, of Roanoke said blocking off the streets has been a hassle, but it has controlled some of the traffic. Her friend, Shontel Carson, said other than the weather, the beach atmosphere has been friendly.
``It's been real nice,'' Carson, 22, said. ``I hope they keep it up every year. There's been no problems, no riots.''
As the evening approached, larger groups of young people gathered along the strip, joking with friends and planning parties.
``It's fun,'' said 24-year-old Shakeema Farrow of Brooklyn, who came to the beach with her friend TaykemiaKane, 18. ``It's freedom for young people. People tend to meet different people and the people out here seem to be pretty nice.''
Even though more people began to fill the sidewalks, Bob Munich, a manager at the Dolphin Inn, said the crowds have been calm. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photos]
TODD SPENCER/Staff
Country star Billy Ray Cyrus sang his ``Achy Breaky Heart'' out for
his fans Sunday at the American Music Festival's 5th Street stage in
Virginia Beach.
MORT FRYMAN/Staff
With the resort strip as a backdrop, a group of visitors relaxed
Sunday at the Station One Hotel. In from Richmond were Ronnell
Winston, left; Juana and Joe Pridgen; Renata Dabney; and Michelle
Terry.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE
[For a copy of the schedule, see microfilm for this date.]
Music and sun warm a Sunday spent at the Oceanfront
MORT FRYMAN/Staff
A group of children wades in the ocean Sunday, but the pounding surf
meant no swimming for those who wandered away from the concert
action.
L. TODD SPENCER/Staff
Billy Ray Cyrus entertains fans at the American Music Festival on
Sunday.
MORT FRYMAN/Staff
The American Music Festival wasn't the only entertainment at the
beach Sunday. Duy Pham, 5, and his mother, Linh, enjoyed feeding a
flock of sea gulls on their weekend vacation from Springfield.
MORT FRYMAN/Staff
A Virginia Beach lifeguard flies the no swim colors because of
dangerous undertow currents in the surf that could sweep a swimmer
away from shore.
by CNB