River Festival Has A little Something For Everyone
KSAL Staff - Sat 10:52 PM 06/09/2012
Oakdale Park is transformed for the Smoky Hill River Festival
A large crowd has enjoyed the sights and sounds of the 2012 Smoky Hill River Festival.
Though it has been a little windy, the temperature has hovered in the lower 90s and there has been no threat of rain. Other than the wind playing havoc with a few umbrellas, the weather has been pleasant for the festival.
Fans Saturday morning were again lined up at the bridges as the gates opened, hoping to get a good spot in front of the stage.
Stage Manager Loren Banninger tells KSAL News that things have gone smooth for his crew this year. Banninger’s stage crew begins work early on Thursday to be ready for the Festival Jam, and will not be finished until late Sunday night, long after the final act has finished. The stage crew gets all of the bands and artists on and off the stage, including shuttling instruments on and off .
One of the biggest visible changes this year has been a large LED screen on the Eric Stein Stage. Fans have been able to enjoy images of the artists performing on stage.
As temperatures hovered in the lower 90s Saturday afternoon, the concession booths became popular. There were long lines at times as festival-goers lined up to purchase a glass of cool lemonade or other cold beverage.
Many also enjoyed some of the wide variety of food. Festival favorites include things like Indian tacos, corn on a stick, and funnel cakes. Entire meals are also available, featuring choices that include fresh seafood. And, for those who are a little more adventurous, there is an array of fried foods, including things like chocolate covered alligator.
Sunday will be the final day of the party in the park. Sunday afternoon's headliners Black Girls, a band of five white guys who play their own blend of "hip" music, will put the closing touches on the 2012 Smoky Hill River Festival.
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GETALIFE674
Saturday 9 June 2012 23:38 Report this comment
Another festival another rid off. I am surprised people just line up to toss their money away on this. Yes I admit I did the same but I wanted to see if anything improved. Nothing has changed from the concession stands price fixing to people smoking and being rude. The we have the booths where you need a bank letter to buy anything. On top of all of this I tried to get to work this morning and the streets were blocked off with the runners then with people strolling along. this whole festival thing needs to be changed and another group other than the art's commission needs to run the thing.
troy
Sunday 10 June 2012 10:02 Report this comment
Most of these folks lean left, way left. Most of them probably have no problem with illegal aliens. Most of them are probably against the fence at the border. Soooooooo, next year I'm going to swim the river and go to the festival without a button. What are they going to do, deport me back to my side of the river? Going to walk me back across the bridge. Or are they going to simply accept the fact that I am there. Will be interesting.
IamMe
Sunday 10 June 2012 21:36 Report this comment
They did not have anything for me if they did not have a dollar value menu.
ksfarmdude
Sunday 10 June 2012 21:53 Report this comment
gives a whole new meaning of the term wetback huh ? troy lol
THEENFORCER
Sunday 10 June 2012 22:35 Report this comment
Spent 2 days saturday and sunday another disappoint. read in the journal today 30,000 people were there saturday. No way someone is inflating the attendance figures. It was crowded but not to the tune of 30,000. You cannot fit that many people in that little area plus there is inadequite parking for that type of attendence.
troy
Sunday 10 June 2012 23:04 Report this comment
I have often heard of the inflated attendance totals. Let's say I attended the Friday Festival Jam, had to run back to my truck for something, later had to meet my wife at the parking lot, and finally ran a couple ears of corn on the cob out to a friend who refused to pay $15.00 to obtain them himself....I would have counted as 4 people attending the event. If I did that 6 times on Saturday and another 5 times on Sunday I would have been 15 people attending the festival. So 30,000 / 15 = 2,000 people actually attending the festival.
GETALIFE674
Monday 11 June 2012 08:28 Report this comment
I have to agree with you people they are definately inflating the totals. The best way to find out is for an accounting by an outside independent company of the revenus taken in. They also could supply us with monies spent and how many of our tax dollars went into all of this and what happens to these funds year in and year out. For 35 years all this has been a big secret and with that said opens the door for funds to be mis-handled.
internetguy
Monday 11 June 2012 09:23 Report this comment
Here is the River Festival budget from 2009: http://weblink.salina.org/WebLink8/DocView.aspx?id=160463&page=5&dbid=0 It appears they sold around 15,000 buttons and made a profit of around $57,000 which went to the general fund of the Arts and Humanities Foundation. As for our tax dollars, it appears they took about $7,000 in state grants.
GETALIFE674
Monday 11 June 2012 13:43 Report this comment
REALLY AND WHO WAS THE AUDIT DONE BY? WHAT WERE THEIR EXPENSES? WHO PAID FOR ALL THE CITY LABOR INVOLVED? hOW ABOUT THE POLICE AND OTHER CITY SERVICES NOT MENTIONED.
GETALIFE674
Monday 11 June 2012 13:56 Report this comment
INTERNETGUY did you see the word approximate? what kind of bs is this? Is the person that did this a certified accountant? I cannot believe the commissioners would accept this. Well with the commissioners we have yes I can.