DATE: Monday, April 14, 1997                TAG: 9704140055

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: SUFFOLK                           LENGTH:   66 lines

SUFFOLK FESTIVAL WRAPS UP WITH MUD, MUSIC, FOOD - BUT NO TRIPS IN BALLOONS

Outdoor festivals are at the mercy of the weather, and, Saturday, nature was merciless. Sunday, however, the tables turned.

There was sunshine, warm temperatures - and about 100,000 people enjoying the first Suffolk Spring Spectacular balloon fest.

There was some mud, no surprise after an overnight drenching. But visitors tip-toed around it or through it when they had no other choice.

The mud did not bother Kenneth Mantooth of Portsmouth, visiting with his wife and son. ``I'm a landscaper,'' he said. ``I'm used to mud.''

The crowd didn't bother him, either. ``This is just a good place where my son can really enjoy himself.''

No one had the opportunity to enjoy balloons in flight during the three-day event, the city's first balloon festival. The winds were too strong.

Scheduled competitions involving the balloonists got no further than the printed word, promotional blurbs about how much fun it would be. As Leo Durocher used to say - ``wait'll next year.''

And there will be a balloon fest next year, promised event chairman Wayne Smith. Not only that, there probably will be moreballoons than the 40 that showed up this time.

``The pilots told me this was one of the best events of its kind they'd been to,'' Smith said. ``They appreciated the way they were treated - all their comments were positive.''

Another fest official said he would not be surprised if 100 or more balloonists visit Suffolk in 1998.

About 15 balloons were inflated Friday and wowed the crowd, even though their pilots kept them on the ground because of the wind. Only one daring pilot took his General Motors balloon aloft.

``There was a lot of disappointment about the lack of balloon activity'' in the air, said Linda Stevens, director, ``but there was no anger.''

Saturday, with no balloon activity and bad weather, only a few hearty folk showed up at the Suffolk Municipal Airport. Sunday, however, they arrived by the hundreds, hardy folk braving crowds and traffic.

At 6:15 p.m., a little over an hour before closing time, cars were still coming in. ``They're the ones that couldn't get here before,'' an observer said.

The antique and racing cars arrived early enough to set up for display; the airplanes put on a noisy but exciting show; there were long lines at the rides and concessions. It was a time for fun.

Some people arrived as early as 7 a.m. to camp out for country star Tracy Lawrence's 4:30 p.m. show. By the time he took the stage, about 17,000 fans had gathered.

Lawrence, who has had 16 No. 1 hits and is this month's featured artist on Country Music Television, may make a return visit to Suffolk, a source said.

The singer had hoped to take his bride, Stacie, for a balloon ride, but he had the same luck as everyone else - too windy.

Johnny Mathews of Chesapeake, who attends the Chesapeake Jubilee annually, rated Suffolk's party an equal.

``This looks just like our Jubilee,'' he said.

``Other than being soggy, this was a right nice day,'' said Dana Fisher, visiting from Edenton.

The mud `n` mess didn't bother 10-year-old Kyle Didio of Chesapeake, who was tooling around the grounds in his wheelchair. When he saw a ride or amusement he liked, his dad and mom unstrapped him and off he went.

Kyle and his dad, Jerry, zoomed down the Super Slide, the youngster grinning broadly as he hit bottom.

``It was a safe ride,'' said his mother, Dona. ``As long as someone is with him he can go on a lot of things. The people at the fest are real nice about letting him do what he wants to do,'' she said. ``There was a lot for him.''

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