From the April 20, 1994 edition of The New Castle Record
Roanoke’s Festival in the Park is turning 25.
This year join in the shine of the silver celebration May 26-June 5. The festival will have all of the fun of the past, the sparkle of smiling faces, the success of an 11-day festival of music, dance, food, art, crafts, sports, and more.
Swoosh through a regatta, sail into a sing-along, tap into the beat of big band, jazz, R&B, country and folk. Swing along the sidewalks of the craft show, pick your pleasure of international foods, or spring around the bases at the USSSA-sanctioned softball tournament.
The Festival now encompasses one of Roanoke’s most beautiful parks, including the scenic Roanoke River. It also includes highly competitive, professionally judged craft and art shows.
It is an incomparable, 11-day event involving children, teens, adults, and of over 2,500 volunteers that pull together a festival which has become one of the most exciting events on the East Coast.
This year’s festival is adding many Silver Anniversary events. These include a Shrimp Fest, which will be held on April 30, and an illusionist who will perform at Mill Mountain Theatre on June 1-2. There will also be a 25th Anniversary commemorative magazine and there will even be a festival wine label.
A Celebration of Arts and Crafts
Two of the most renowned events in the annual Roanoke Festival in the Park are the juried craft show and the Sidewalk Art Show.
The first weekend, from Saturday, May 28 through Monday, May 30, Elmwood Park’s sidewalks are devoted to the crafts of more than 100 artisans from throughout the East Coast. The following weekend, from Saturday, June 4 through Sunday, June 5, the Sidewalk Art Show will include about 250 artists displaying and selling their work.
The Silver Sound of Music
The strains of country singer Marty Stuart will kick off the first weekend concert on Friday, May 27, at Victory Stadium followed by a fireworks display. From then on , there’s no stopping the music.
On Saturday, May 28, hear the beat of 1964 As The Beatles; on Sunday, May 29, Captain Cook and the Coconutz (a tribute to Jimmy Buffett); on Friday, June 3, Three Dog Night; and on Saturday, June 4, the Stingrays.
Most of the days in between, spectators can enjoy the heartbreak of bluegrass, the melody of American folk music, the beat of local and regionally known rock bands, and the melodies of jazz and big band.
Winning the Silver Cup
The games begin with the annual Festival River Race. Here you will experience not the grace of a glorious regatta, but rather the gumption of crews manning non-motorized, homemade boats whose seaworthiness is in constant jeopardy.
More serious competition includes festival highlights such as the Moors’s Festival softball tournament (sanctioned by USSSA), the Saturn Festival Cup and ROC Hillclimb bike races (sanctioned by USCF), the First Union Bank Festival Classic 5K and 10K foot race, the Young Life volleyball tournament, and the Crestar Festival soccer tournament. All five events draw participants from neighboring Mid-Atlantic states as well as Virginia.
Silver And Still Childish
The Festival weeks are full of childlike fun, for those whose age or attitudes embrace the joy of hands on and demonstration activities such as a petting zoo and a maze, chalk art and puppets, balloon animals and pasta pictures, or sing-a-longs, storytelling and other children’s theatre performances.
The children’s parade on the Sunday before Memorial Day is a special favorite.
Imagine a magical caravan of old-fashioned, painted wagon and the delight of a real dress up circus, where children can participate in all the fun. Festival’s Circus Days will feature both activities on the first weekend, May 28 and 29.
A Silver Celebration
The 25th Annual Festival in the Park at the kick-off Gala, “Silver Celebration”, a black-tie event will be held on Thursday, May 26. It’ll be an evening downtown in the company of music, night air, food and friends.
It all bean in 1969 as a Spring Festival…the original two-day event added a Gala, major sporting events and concerts at Victory Stadium in 1985.
While Elmwood Park contained the festival in the beginning, now it has spread throughout Roanoke and into Salem and lasts 11days.
The juried Craft Show is 10 years old, and the Sidewalk Art Show 36 years old. In addition to the celebration side of business, festival sponsors a scholarship program for graduating seniors and college freshmen. Four scholarships are awarded to students excelling in some area of the arts.
-Prepared by Shelly Koon
Photo credit:
From The New Castle Record archives