THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 12, 1996 TAG: 9610120263
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 79 lines
Every year, Tim and Pam Hall load their children into the car and head to Peanut Fest to see what they can find for free.
Friday, 11-year-olds Elizabeth and Matthew - their freckle-spattered faces beaming - and 6-year-old Tori watched their dad sink a hole-in-one and qualify for a free electric grill from Electric Power.
The Suffolk family particularly enjoys handouts in the commercial tent. Friday afternoon their assortment included rainbow-colored erasers, bag clips and ballpoint pens - and they had just gotten started.
``They get all this free stuff, then we go home and have a whole weekend full of fun at a very economical cost,'' Pam Hall said.
Frugal festival-goers know to buy a three-day parking pass for $10 and pack the vehicle.
Edith Hedgepeth of Portsmouth and Carrie Myers of Suffolk munched free peanuts Friday, admiring bright yellow flyswatters they had just been handed.
``We're doing real good so far,'' said Hedgepeth, opening a free trick-or-treat bag. ``Havin' a great time. Come every year. Wouldn't miss it for the wooo-rrrr-ld.''
Worth their price were the $3 crab cakes at the Suffolk Moose Lodge booth: ``One hundred percent crab meat. Just brought it in from Gloucester this morning,'' said Jeff Norfleet. ``We'll sell about 300 pounds of crab meat out here this weekend. People come back year after year for these crab cakes. They're all hand-made. Secret recipe.''
In the commercial tent, bargains included four hair scrunchies - with Halloween designs - for $1.
Freebies included trash bags, refrigerator magnets, bumper stickers, ball point pens, samples of gourmet chip dips and signups for everything from storm windows to a leather-bound Bible.
Three-year-old Rebecca Bowers and her cousin Mechelle Knight, both of Suffolk, had bags of goodies.
``We got free rides, stickers, books and peanuts,'' Rebecca said, as Mechelle tried to see if her free kite would make a good hat.
Free peanuts abound at the Fest.
But the Knights of Columbus, Chesapeake Council 8240, are proud of being the cheapest guys at Peanut Fest. Grand Knight John Lawrence and his volunteer crews operate the Dollar Store, a snack stand that sells hot dogs, hamburgers, French fries, soft pretzels and soft drinks - all for $1 each.
``We use whatever profits we make to support charitable causes, like working with mentally handicapped children,'' Lawrence said.
The craft tent offers bargain souvenirs: For 50 cents, a small envelope of rattlesnake fangs.
Sherri Philyaw of Portsmouth also sells 50-cent plastic chicken toys that cluck realistically enough for city or country kids.
For $1, there are furry spiders with prickly bodies of sweet gum pods, and for $2.50, peanut earrings - with or without dashing top hats.
Kissy Creatures - tiny, three dimensional faces made of yarn and plastic - reveal a tiny chocolate kiss, when squeezed. Candy-concealing pigs, pumpkins, penguins, mice and frogs sell for $1 each.
Natural souvenirs can be made at the Suffolk Department of Parks and Recreation's tent. There, Suffolk Museum volunteers will help you create a bird feeder from pine cones, peanut butter and birdseed.
Ross Boone of Suffolk, who has sampled entertainment from Disneyland to Six Flags Over Texas, says Peanut Fest prices are reasonable.
``You can spend as much or a little as you want,'' said Boone, director of the Hobbs campus of Paul D. Camp Community College.
By noon Friday, Maryanne Persons of Suffolk had not spent anything on her 4-year-old daughter. Her sister-in-law had brought her twin nephews from Virginia Beach for the free kiddie day.
``Free rides, free parking and free peanuts,'' Persons said. ``We've had a fun morning and haven't had to spend a dime.''SUFFOLK - Every year, Tim and Pam Hall load their children into the car and head to Peanut Fest to see what they can find for free. MEMO: Compiled by Katrice Franklin, Linda McNatt, Frank Roberts, Phyllis
Speidell, Susie Stoughton ILLUSTRATION: The dragon ride was one of many attractions at
Suffolk's Peanut Fest on Friday. The festival continues through the
weekend.
JOHN H. SHEALLY II
The Virginian-Pilot by CNB