The crowds came out when the heat and humidity backed off.
The joint was jumping this weekend from Friday afternoon (Thurdsay if you had kids at the ride night) right through late Sunday. On Friday night the car show and a well-attended Rotary Fest brought out the masses.
Farmers Markets continue through the summer on the east side of the train station.
Saturday morning the Farmers Market packed them in. Casual strollers took advantage of the last days of the historic photo walking tour of downtown.
Lemon Tree is taste-teasing the Farmers Market crowds with samples.
Blistering heat and humidity kept the mid-day Rotary Fest crowds lighter than past Heritage Fests, but attendance picked up as Saturday cooled off.
Less heat + less humidy = more fest-goers.
Sunday morning saw the big car show, a short half-spit of rain, and attendance again weighted to the evening hours, with Fest goers coming specifically to see Micheal Heaton Band and especially Elevation.
Residents in general were very pleased Rotary pulled off a festival this year. Rotary will be looking for feedback on how they can make it better next year, and when that part of their website gets up we’ll put a link in an update so DGreport readers can help too.
When it's time to go not a minute is wasted as the entire area becomes a hard hat de-construction zone.
The volunteers were a happy group. By and large most attendees after 6pm understood the need for an entrance fee. As music stage MC Dave Humphries reminded attendees, Rotary spends half their time raising money and the other half giving it away to support many worthy causes.
Best comment I heard from one gruff-looking 3XL head banger who tipped an extra buck each time he bought drinks: “I know all about Rotary, and if all I gotta do to help is eat some food, have some cold brews and listen to some good music; yeah I can do that.”
Unfortunately for the non-Rotary not-for-profits–who had to take down their displays at 5:00 on Saturday and Sunday–the extremely light daytime crowds meant little visibility or fund-raising for them.
Bob, good point. By the time we got there Saturday the scouts and such were gone, along with the chance to buy pop from them. The beers were nice and cold, though. Not quite enough food choices. No pizza slices? That Cedar Grill booth had some different and tasty chow.