THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 26, 1995 TAG: 9505250175
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY JENNIFER C. O'DONNELL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 160 lines
THE 13TH ANNUAL Chesapeake Jubilee ended like a Grand Old Opry weekend, with Willie Nelson and Family performing for a huge audience on Sunday.
But the event started like a county fair with pies, homemade goodies and crafts on display and members of area 4-H clubs competing for blue ribbons. The youngsters arrived early Friday morning with their prized hogs, steers and lambs.
For one of the competitions, 10 youngsters paraded their lambs in front of the judge, Mark Wahlberg, an animal scientist at Virginia Tech.
``You have good positions moving the sheep,'' said Wahlberg to the children. ``Be sure you don't block the view of the animal from the judges,'' he warned. ``You need to move appropriately at the right time to provide an unobstructed view of the animal.''
While trying their best to control the animals in the ring, the children, some obviously nervous, waited to hear the names of the winners. In this particular competition, Judge Wahlberg was looking for how well the children controlled and showed their sheep.
He decided that Libby Farley, a student at Great Bridge Middle School South, did the best job.
Farley, obviously pleased, didn't waste any time basking in the glory. After accepting her ribbon, she quickly rushed off to prepare her steer for the next competition.
Woody Warren, a sophomore at Great Bridge High School, walked away a two-time winner, taking the title of Grand Champion in both the Reserve Champion Steer competition and the Penned Hog competition.
``It takes a lot of work to get the animals ready,'' said Warren. ``It teaches you a lot of responsibility. You have to work with them every day - even when you don't really want to.''
The 4-H tent buzzed with activity the whole weekend, especially on Saturday, when 4-H'er Virginia Holt assisted her goat Kachina in giving birth to two kids. The goats were named, appropriately, Chesapeake and Jubilee.
Next to the 4-H competitions and the Willie Nelson concert on Sunday, the most popular spectator sport at Jubilee had to be watching daredevils plunge from a 120-foot crane with elastic cords attached to their feet.
The crane was converted into a bungee jumping tower, and spectators couldn't get enough of the sport. Most watched shaking their heads in disbelief.
``I'd never do that,'' insisted Charles Mayer, a Williamsburg resident.
But others couldn't wait to take the plunge.
``It was a real rush,'' explained Wade Weatherly Jr. shortly after his big leap. ``I'd do it again.''
Jubilee organizers said the three-day event ran smoothly, despite a Friday-night downpour.
The rain was inconvenient for the numerous vendors on the grounds. Hand-made furniture, clothes and jewelry, stained glass, dolls and paintings sustained some damage from the storm, mostly from water that leaked through the seams of tents.
``The tent almost blew down,'' said Linda Maruna, whose hand-made clothes and accessories from Guatemala were displayed in the arts and crafts tent. ``We all ran to hold down the sides of the tent.''
But the damage was minimal and, for the most part, merchants said the event was profitable.
O.A. Sinquefield of Charlotte, N.C., sold hand-crafted lawn chairs and hammocks. ``I'll sell out before the Nelson concert,'' Sinquefield predicted Sunday afternoon. ``I'll definitely be back next year.''
Other merchants didn't fare as well. ``The crowds were here, but few were actually buying,'' said Linda Maruna, who admitted she probably wouldn't return next year.
A command center, located in a trailer at the back of the Jubilee grounds, served as the event's nerve center. Organizers and volunteers communicated constantly with each other via walkie-talkies, monitoring the event and responding to problems.
``We let each other know when we need help and to keep each other informed on what's taking place at each site,'' said Steve Best, public relations coordinator for the event.
According to Best, some 40,000 people attended the Jubilee on Saturday and 150,000 showed up sometime during the weekend.
After Friday's thunderstorm, volunteers scrambled to prevent the site from becoming a mire of mud by spreading hay and, in some cases, vacuuming up the water.
``The grounds here at the site have matured so the water drained very well,'' said Best. ``It wasn't really a significant problem.''
The festival was a true volunteer effort with around 1,000 people donating time to help the event run smoothly. Members of the Jubilee Committee began meeting months ago to hash out details on entertainment, food and merchants as well as the midway of carnival rides and games.
There was a Logistics Committee to deal with such issues as how many portable toilets would be needed and making sure the festival site was accessible to the disabled.
Other volunteers showed up for the day or the entire weekend to help greet visitors, pass out maps of the Jubilee grounds and prevent visitors from bringing alcoholic beverages into the midway area.
Volunteer Kathy Antrican spent most of Sunday doing just that. Antrican, a volunteer for the past 12 Jubilees, considers herself accomplished at her pro bono work.
``They try all kinds of tricks,'' Antrican said of the folks that try to sneak past her checkpoint. ``But if you've been doing this as long as I have you know what to look for.''
The event was also a time for local clubs, businesses and social organizations to pass out their literature and attempt to educate the public about issues of concern to them.
Master gardeners, religious groups, cosmetic companies, toy distributors and a back specialist were all found under the Education Tent. Maria Dube of Orchard Square Chiropractic said she conducted about 50 free spinal examinations during the weekend.
``Most people came in on Saturday, but we've had a steady trickle all weekend,'' said Dube.
More than 35 food vendors sold their specialty fare, which included Jubilee favorites like barbecue, shrimp baskets, London-broil sandwiches, gyros and onion rings. Although business was slow Friday night because of the weather, vendors were pleased with Saturday and Sunday's patronage.
``I know it's not good for me,'' said one reveler with a Polish sausage in one hand and onion rings in the other. ``But what's the point of coming if you're not going to eat some of the food?''
On Sunday, visitors, vendors and volunteers couldn't help but talk about the previous night's fireworks display.
Saturday night's fireworks show was described by many as the best they've ever seen. Zambelli Fireworks produced the show, which was musically choreographed to such songs as Elton John's ``Circle of Life'' and ``The Stars and Stripes Forever.''
But all the events took a back seat to recording star Willie Nelson. His concert was the event's grand finale.
Fans of the legendary country singer started staking their spots on the lawn in front of the stage early Sunday morning. Various musical acts, some of them locals like the Mann Sisters and Cruzin' Coyotes, kept the audience entertained during the day by providing a backdrop of country-and-western music.
When Nelson took the stage at 5 p.m., the crowd scrambled for spots with a view of the singer.
Nelson's laid-back demeanor was perfect for Sunday's crowd, many of whom appeared tired from the day's events. The audience rested in lawn chairs or on blankets and sang along to such tunes as ``Whiskey River,'' ``Crazy'' and, Nelson's signature tune, ``On The Road Again.''
Children, sporting pink moustaches from cherry sodas and clown mouths from eating cotton candy, pulled their parents and older siblings around the busy midway of carnival rides and games.
``I can't do anything today because I'm working,'' said 7-year-old Ben Reeves, who served as a ribbon marshal for the 4-H competitions. ``But I'll have time tomorrow to go on rides and try the food,'' he added enthusiastically.
After a two-hour sampling of rides and games, 4-year-old Kristin Canaway was so impressed with the Jubilee that she offered a suggestion for the event's organizers: ``They should have one every weekend,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: Color photos on cover by L. Todd Spencer
Staff photos by CHARLIE MEADS
Lindsey Vanderspiegel, left, and Anna Rudolph take a wild ride on
the Scrambler in the carnival area of the Chesapeake Jubilee.
A very tall clown entertains young and old alike as he wades through
the crowd at the Chesapeake Jubilee.
Michelle Weaver takes a food break while ``Elvis'' performs on
stage.
KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE JUBILEE by CNB