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BY TIERNEY McAFEE
The people of Urbanna who helped start the town's famous Oyster Festival would have said 10,000 people was a big turnout.
According to the festival's Web site, a dozen local merchants and "town fathers" started the tradition in 1957.
Originally called Urbanna Days, the festival was a relatively small gathering of local folks highlighted by a parade of antique cars.
Fast-forward to the event's 50th anniversary this weekend, and you will see that a head count of 10,000 is small oysters compared with the two-day festival's anticipated 80,000-person crowd.
There will be more than 125 food and craft booths to meet the needs of the many oyster lovers, and the Oyster Festival Parade will feature more than 80 units, including numerous marching bands, antique cars and floats.
Bob Henkel, co-chairman of the event, says he hopes it will be better than ever this year.
"We're trying to have nicer activities and more entertainment than usual because we're expecting the crowd and we want to do it up right," Henkel said. "We just want to make sure that the people who come will enjoy this year."
The event is run entirely by volunteers, who put on a pearl of a festival brimming with live music, vendors, children's rides, parades, dances, and beauty and oyster-shucking contests. Henkel says the event has stood the test of time thanks to the efforts of the volunteers.
"We make sure that we treat the people right when they come, and have something that appeals to everybody, from the very young to the very old," he said.
Pam Simon, an administrative assistant for the event, says people from all over the state attend the festival, as well as people from D.C., North Carolina and even the West Coast.
"We appreciate the town's citizens opening up their town to share this event with those who come," Simon said.
Henkel says the event was originally established to promote the town and its economy.
According to a College of William & Mary study, the plan worked--the festival has an economic impact of more than $7 million annually.
The festival also contributes to the community's educational needs. Later this year, organizers will start a marine science program at the local schools in honor of the Oyster Festival's 50th anniversary. The program will teach children about oystering on the Rappahannock River and on the Chesapeake Bay.
"Over the years, we have tried to come up with ways the festival can benefit the community," Henkel said. "This is one way we can do that."
Henkel says the festival has nearly doubled its entertainment opportunities, with local bands set to play during the day. A mummers band--which traditionally has saxophones, banjos, violins, string basses, drums, glockenspiels and accordions--all the way from Philadelphia also will perform, along with a nationally known variety dog show, Jessie & James and Mutts Gone Nuts.
There will be more events on the waterfront. Most notably, Jamestown Settlement's Godspeed, a re-creation of one of the three ships that brought English colonists to Virginia in 1607, will sail to Urbanna two days before the festival and stay for the weekend.
"It's a busy two days and a noisy time, but we're all looking forward to it," Henkel said.
| When: Tomorrow and Saturday
TOMORROW'S 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: street sales, children's rides, clowns, games, arts 7 p.m.: Firemen's Parade begins 8 p.m. to midnight: Firemen's Dance and Sweet Justice (classic rock band) SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE From 8 a.m. on: arts and crafts, food, street sales, entertainment for adults and children, children's rides, clowns, games/activities 1-5 p.m. 50th Urbanna Oyster Festival Parade and Sweet Justice Directions: Urbanna is about 75 miles east of Fredericksburg. Follow U.S. 17 south toward Saluda. Follow event parking signs to the official festival parking area on State Route 602. Cost: Activities are pay-to-play More info: urbannaoyster |
