DATE: Thursday, October 9, 1997             TAG: 9710090040

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER

                                            LENGTH:   55 lines

BIG PARTY CELEBRATES CITY FARMING HERITAGE

TALK ABOUT EXPECTING company.

Suffolk, with a population of about 55,000, anticipates about 225,000 people for the 20th annual Peanut Fest, today through Sunday.

The giant party, celebrating Suffolk's agricultural heritage, offers everything from a peanut butter sculpting contest - honest! - to a rodeo, and almost continuous musical entertainment culminating with a Sunday afternoon performance by Neal McCoy. The country music star's ``The Shake'' is currently on the Top 10.

The activities take place under giant tents or out in the open at the municipal airport, off U.S. Route 13 and just south of downtown.

There will be bungee rides, carnival rides and food.

Visitors who tire of walking around can sit on a bale of hay, munch some of the free peanuts that abound and take in the sights and sounds.

Fest volunteers have put a lot of effort this year into making it easier to come and go.

In the past, it's been a long, sometimes exasperating, haul from highway to parking space and back. This year, there are four lanes entering the site.

``We can expand to five, maybe six,'' said Linda Stevens, Fest director. ``We'll open as many as we need.''

Once visitors find a $5 parking place, they can hop aboard a free trolley, then repeat it to get back to their vehicles.

``Each area will be marked, and there will be pickup sections nearby,'' Stevens said.

Neal McCoy, the ``Wink'' and ``Shake'' performer, will be on hand at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

In the meantime, variety is the theme:

At 9:30 p.m. Friday, The Association, noted for such '60s hits as ``Never My Love'' and ``Cherish'' will perform. Country, rock oldies, jazz and alternative will be presented during the event.

On Friday, you can see a lot of hits, when the demolition derby gets underway.

If you prefer horses over horsepower, check out the McLamb Rodeo at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday.

Friday is Kiddie Day and Senior Day from 10 a.m. to noon, and parking is free.

There will be free rides for the little ones. Senior Day includes lots of Bingo and music of the `30s and `40s by Swing Shift.

Students from nine Suffolk schools will take turns entertaining between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Friday.

That night, you can look to the sky for fireworks at 9. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Michael Kestner/The Virginian-Pilot

From his mother's arms, 2-year old Jacob Martin...

Graphic

Peanut Fest Schedule For complete copy, see microfilm

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