Lopefest – Random Thoughts

So the 2009 Virginia Cantaloupe Festival is over… let’s look at some observations and opinions.

1. The weather was perfect. The Lopefest is known for attracting thunderstorms. Sometimes it’s been suspected of actually forming them… not this year. Perfect summer weather.
2. Coke wasn’t missed much at all. However, around 8:30 PM, there was nobody in the tea/lemonade stand. That’s not good.
3. There was plenty of law enforcement around for security but they were hardly noticeable at all. That’s the perfect combination for a festival like this. It keeps people from doing stupid things, but it doesn’t keep the other 99% from having fun. The Halifax County Sheriff’s Department, South Boston Police Department, and ABC agents are to be highly congratulated for their work.
4. Attendance seemed to be down, but that’s not unexpected with the state of the regional economy. $30 is still a fair and reasonable price for the food, drink, entertainment and fellowship.
5. Stephanie Crump did a great job in getting the volunteers that keep the event working. Lots of people still don’t realize that the Lopefest is mostly ran by the volunteers. The Chamber can do a lot more in getting that word out sooner. This year, the serious push for volunteers came with a week to go before the event.
6. Nancy Pool is class. This event is the main fundraiser for the Chamber and if it goes wrong, they’re in trouble. She was the quarterback at times who transformed into the gracious hostess at the hospitality tent. She represents the Chamber and the county very well.
7. The food. Yum! ‘Nuff said. Four Oaks did it perfectly and the menu made perfect sense. Cooking for 3000 isn’t easy but they pulled it off. Everything was tasty.
8. For it to be the Cantaloupe Festival, cantaloupes sure did take on a low visibility this year. Is the harvest late this year?
9. Where were the politicians? That used to be something that the Lopefest stood out for, rivaling the Shad Planking. This is a big election year, yet McDonnell and Deeds didn’t show up this year. The Lt. Governor and Attorney General candidates were noticeably absent as well. The only person up for election this year that I saw was James Edmunds. Is David Guill still in the race? (more on that later today on the SCBlog) At least the Halifax County Republican Party had a very strong presence outside the gate.
10. Charles Anderson’s lawn care service workers kept the place clean. They were on top of the situation and there never was a trash buildup.
11. Cathy Rice (president of the South Boston Speedway) is just as classy as Nancy Pool. They let the Lopefest borrow their radio system and that really helped out in communications for the volunteers. SBS could get a lot more paid admissions to the next day’s race by offering a combo-ticket (like they have done in the past) or by offering a discount to Lopefest attendees.
12. Cherokee Tobacco is a local company that a lot of people have never heard about. How many people do they employ in Halifax County? Editor’s Note: Thanks to Kathy Farley, we can tell you that Cherokee Tobacco employs around 50 people in manufacturing & distribution and are in the process of hiring now.
13. The hospitality tent could be a big draw for potential new sponsors.

That’s some thoughts for now. Ya got any? Put ’em here!