Founders Days 2011 - a look back

((Warning, this will be a long post mainly for me to look back on in years to come.))

A little back story...for 51 years my town has put on a four day festival.  Last year, during the 50th year's fest a historic rain fell Friday night of the fest.  Jeff and I were asleep in the board's rented RV as "park security".  We walked out of the park in shin high water from the flooding creek.  The fest was canceled Saturday & Sunday. 

Fast forward to 2011.  Jeff was made this years President as no one else wanted to be responsible for the "make it or break it year" because if this year had a bad turn out, the fest would die from last years lost revenue.  We needed it to be a good fest.  The month beforehand, we'd been having a drought.  Only half an inch of rain had fallen...we were happy because we wanted the park as dry as could be.  Then the Friday the week before the fest - - another historic rain fall.  More than 7 inches fell that night. It was the largest rain fall in history for a24 hour period.  We arrived at the park at 8am Saturday morning to assess the damage.  It looked horrible, there was a new stream running though the middle of the park once the creek broke it's banks. There was a 20 foot pond in the middle of where people listen to bands. 

We spent hours the next two days making back up plans, repeat visits to other parks, and talking to the board members and village higher-ups.  The board all wanted to move it, but the village wanted us to say put if possible.  By Monday, it was decided we would stay.  The park had dried out a bit and we were told the public works department would do whatever was needed to get it ready.  Jeff & the board worked Morning into late night Monday through Wednesday to get it ready. The layout, the electric, the carnival, the stage, the food vendors, etc. etc.etc.

Wednesday night came and we were all in the park drinking after a long days work.  With everyone's smart phones we saw that many storms had gone north but that one was headed straight for the park, about to hit at 10pm.  The electricians light posts were up,and as the guys raced around to get them down- our friend and board member Skippy had a light pole's cord snap and 50lbs of light equipment fell on his elbow.  It was quickly decided that we would be spending the night in the RV while he was going to the ER.  Elbow is broke, he's in a cast, we have rain, and now we're down a board member.

Skippy high on Pain killers in ER

The next morning, the sun came out.  The fest was set to open at 4pm.  More mulch was spread in the wet areas and we were ready to go.  The carnival opened to special needs kids at 4pm then the general public at 6, the card board boat regatta got underway at 6pm, and the band "Pirates Under 40" started playing Jimmy Buffet tunes at 7pm.  It was a great start.  And yes, again, we had rain - but it held off until after 10pm when the park closed.  And since Wednesday & Thursdays rains were not record level, just a mere inch, the creek stayed in it's banks. 

View from Riverfront during Cardboard Boat Regatta

Friday and Saturday continued with nothing but sunshine. :) We had great bands, a wonderful parade, a huge crowds!  Friday night alone we went through 39 kegs of beer!  Saturday night, I had a mini break down when the co-chair of the 5k& 10K run backed out because her "babysitter fell through".  She's done it for years, this was my first year.  I didn't know what I was doing.  I started to panic.  And on only 4 and a half hours of sleep, it got the best of me. I started to cry.  Jeff promised as someone who had done it before, he would help me and everything would be OK.  Thank god for wonderful & supportive husbands!!  It turns out it was actually her twins second birthday, I don't believe she had a baby sitter.  I believe she planned to flake out at the last minute all along.  Which still boils my blood.  If she wasn't going to be there, fine but why not be honest up front?  So I could have someone else as my co-chair the whole time?

My wonderful husband giving plaque to the Village President

But Sunday morning 6am came up fast.  Another day of just 4and half hours of sleep.  Everyone said I pulled off the run wonderfully...but to be honest I felt like a chicken with my head cut off.  Running around not knowing what on earth I should be doing.  But none of the runners complained, and we had 176 of them so I guess that's a good measurement of how it went.  Afterwards, I went home to finally take a much needed nap.  Only to arrive back at the park for the regional battle of the bands, and finally relaxing on the riverfront for the finale - the best fireworks around.  Afterwards I was so tired, I left the gang and passed out in the RV before midnight.  I know I missed out on fun, but the sheer exhaustion was too overwhelming.

All in all, this was one of the best fest's the board has put on.  The town loved all of it.  And for those of us volunteers?  There was blood, sweat, and yes- my tears.  But so many nights of laughs and drinks with great friends.  I had a secret fear for days that the fest would go bankrupt and be no more.  And it would be on my husband's shoulders that he was President the year it went under.  I can't tell explain the huge relief I feel from having a successful year now behind us.  And I'm soooo looking forward to the wrap up party with the board on Sept. 3rd.  It should be legendary!  And yes, I've already started making a mental list of how to improve the run for next year. :)