When temperatures plummeted and rain lingered into the early hours of Saturday morning, organizers of two major events worried about attendance.
As Gator Fest began, the rain quit and crowds showed. Likewise, at the second annual Carpacalypse, cars and crowds arrived to sunny skies.
“People started coming out about 11 a.m. or 11:30,” Marion County Development Partnership Vice President Carolyn Burton said of Gator Fest. “We saw lines of people waiting to get into the Water Park.”
While Gator Fest continued on, classic cars gathered on Main Street. Mark Carithers of Twist of Fate Tattoos, who sponsored the car show, was thankful for the turnout.
“We had a number of cars,” he said. “We had about 50. Considering the weather and the fact that there was a car show in Laurel that day, it went pretty well.”
Burton said though the crowds were small early in the day when the canoe and kayak races began, things picked up considerably at Gator Fest.
“I really feel like it was a success,” she said. “It’s hard to tell what our attendance was, but we had about 1,500 maps that we gave out to each car and they went pretty quickly. It was so huge and spread out that it was hard to estimate the crowd though there were a lot of people there.”
Burton said participants enjoyed the event.
“All in all, the vendors were pretty pleased,” she said. “The monster truck was a huge hit. Some food vendors sold completely out. People came and visited the entertainment, too. Bobby Armstrong and his airboat were a big hit, too.”
Though only a few people attended the canoe and kayak races, it made an impact for the Berry family of Ocean Springs. Jeb, Wayne and Thaison Berry, three generations, participated in the event.
“After Jeb, Thaison and I finished the canoe and kayak race, we all went on an airboat ride,” Wayne Berry said. “It was better than any of the airboat rides I’ve been on in Florida; that man knows how to drive and showcase the shallow water capabilities. Next was the monster truck ride. My 8-year-old grandson, Thaison, loved it so much that he went around a second time. Then Thaison played with the baby gators for about a half hour and did not want to stop.”
Wayne Berry said the entire event was a hit with his family, from the entertainment to the firefighter skills test and safety demonstration.
“Thaison held the nozzle, aimed at the target, pushed the nozzle lever and hit the target on the first try,” he said.
Wayne Berry said the entire family enjoyed the vendors and crafts.
“Gator Fest 2017 was a great experience for the Berry family and was the best family event we’ve attended since Gator Fest 2016,” he said.
Burton said Gator Fest committee members will evaluate items from this year’s event and use them in future planning.
“We’ll meet soon and begin thinking about next year,” she said. “People seem to enjoy it. After five years, people are beginning to look forward to it each year.”
Carithers said many people teamed up to make the car show a success.
“We had Girl Scouts raising money for hurricane relief with a bake sale, church members from Richland Creek Church of God handing out water and so much more,” he said. “We had a lot of folks come out. Everybody had a great a great time – it’s always a good time on Main Street. The Columbia Gearheads want to thank everyone who helped and attended. Mayor Justin McKenzie was the emcee and he gave out several awards.”
The proceeds from the event will go back toward projects for Main Street.
“The funds from the car show will go toward placing a bench or benches on Main Street in memory of Amelia Magee Rogers,” Carithers said.
Pictured Above: Main Street was filled with classic cars last Saturday at the second annual Carpacalypse. | Mark Rogers
