MUDCAT FESTIVAL '08 WAS A BLAST

[Spiel]

MUDCAT FESTIVAL '08 WAS A BLAST

 

June 11, 2008

KAREN BEST / www.dunnvillechronicle.com

 

 

 

How can a festival with wanted posters, bull rides, horse barrel races, great country and western music and fun in the streets be anything but memorable?

 

Well that's exactly what Mudcat Festival coordinator Carolyn Chymko heard. People stopped her on the streets of Dunnville and emailed and called to tell her the 34th annual festival was the "best ever".

 

Based on the crowd at the street dance and people lined up on the parade route and those enjoying country music from the beer gardens, Chymko's prediction of 50,000 in attendance was probably correct.

 

On Wednesday, a sold-out fashion show thrilled the audience who viewed outfits from Dee Ann's, Phase II, Giant Tiger and J & R Sports. Later in the week, Dunnville Secondary School student Scott Rollo was named Dunnville Idol. On Friday, a full house on the Dunnville fire station parking lot partied to Stonewall Rocks.

 

At 11 a. m. on Saturday, the parade began. Royal Canadian Legion Branch 142 members proudly led the procession. The 611 Harvard Squadron cadets followed. Not long after, Larry Josie drove up with his Remembrance Rig, sponsored by the Dunnville Chamber of Commerce. On the trailer, artist Chris McGregor had painted a huge flowing Canadian flag and silhouettes of Canadian Armed Forces members over an orange and red background.

 

Special honour was also paid to parade marshal Ron Speers who, after decades of participation in Dunnville, is moving out of town later this year. Ontario Minor Hockey Association champions, Dunnville's Peewee rep team, were recognized for their achievement.

 

Sandy Passmore, the town's citizen of the year, was treated to a buggy ride. Across from Mac's, her parents, Dick, who is 82, and May watched with pride. Years ago, he marched with the town fire department and then in the Legion colour party.

 

Not far away, three-month-old babies, Jordyn Chapman and Irelynd Fries enjoyed the parade from their mothers' arms. Crystal Chapman said her other two children enjoyed the fire trucks, midway rides, food and fireworks. Lindsey Fries reminisced about watching floats while perched on her father's shoulders.

 

Creativity won honours for the best floats. Rosa Flora's flowered-covered wagon caught the eye of the judges' panel who declared it the best commercial entry. In the noncommercial category, the Dunnville Hospital Healthcare Foundation won with a float announcing new doctors for the Dunnville primary health-care centre.

 

For Anne VanDerstelt picking a favourite float was not possible. "They're all so great. How can you choose?" she said.

 

Debra Weasner, 7, of Dunnville said the parade was her favourite part of the festival. "We get lots of candy. And I like the fireworks. They're awesome," she added. Every year, seven-year- old Sierra Smith of Welland attends the festival with her grandmother.

 

Kitchener's Dutch Boy Drum and Bugle Corps was the best band in the parade and the 1955 black Chevy owned by Peter Dallas took away the honour of best historic vehicle.

 

The Dunnville Veterinary Clinic was declared the best float depicting the country and western theme. Their winning entry was a black pick-up truck transformed into an angry, Holstein bull. The colourful and animated display created by the Youth Impact Centre earned the title of best overall float.

 

Long before politicians were driving along Lock Street, Braiden Leney, 6, Devon Leney, 9, and Aidan Gifford and Jessica Jones, both 3, were taking shelter in a tent set up on a sidewalk near Lam's Shoes.

 

For Carrie-Lynn Leney, who was born in Dunnville and lives in Welland, Mudcat Festival was a time to visit parents and to hang out with friends from high school. For more than a decade, Patricia Jones has met with friends during the festival. Owen Gifford of South Cayuga attended the festival since he was a kid. For four years, he has returned as a parent and taken his boy to the carnival and children's entertainment in Central Park.

 

After the parade, Aaron Lam enjoyed a stroll through the shady park. Since he graduated from DSS 15 years ago, he has not missed a Mudcat Festival. "It's a great chance to see family and friends and it's been a tradition as long as I can remember and is one of my favourite things," he said.

 

In the Strong Man Contest, Glen McCharles placed first in the light weight division. In the middleweight class, Dunnville's Kevin Schuit placed second. Luke Kilts of Dunnville came in first and was the overall contest point winner. In the heavyweight division, Shawn Haines of Dunnville took first and Ed Stefani of Rochester scored second.

 

At the fire station, people enjoyed a barbecue, beer garden and car show.

 

Lions Park was busy with vendors, mini tractor pull, food concession and chicken barbecue. During the afternoon, lots of people gathered to watch the Fox Lair Stables presentation of team ranch cattle sorting and barrel racing. Fox Lair wants do it all again next year.

 

Many skateboarders participated in the Dark Side skateboard competition in the Lions Park tennis courts. In the beginner division, Donald Blake placed first, Mike Rujak second and Dave Crysler third. Martin Gordyn was first in the intermediate group followed by James Jarrett in second and Steve Ranger in third.

 

In a skate-off, Andrew Wenchstern placed first and Eric Smith earned second. Eric Lundquist came in third.

 

At Wingfield Park, the beer garden opened at noon. Nearby, Ryan Maarhuis of Dunnville joined in the Mudcat Olympic Games saying it was impossible to find them anything but fun. He added, "The bull riding was a lot of fun."

 

Later The Bareback Riders performed for a couple of hours drawing dancers like Julie Cotter and her four-year- old granddaughter, Callie. Dunnville Idol Scott Rollo performed one number with the band. Then Steel County got people up and dancing too. Chymko said members of the bands wowed the crowds and wanted to return next year.

 

DSS students helped set the scene by building The Mudcat Saloon front for the tractor trailer stage. Chymko was thrilled with participation in the Dunnville Idol contest, which is her favourite festival event. She also greatly appreciated the crew of students who dismantled the fence on Monday.

 

Dunnville Chamber of Commerce volunteers added more western flair to the event by creating wanted posters. Chymko was wanted for pulling off the best festival, Coun. Lorne Boyko was wanted for jogging in the middle of winter and Karen Waltham was wanted for hosting Richard Gere and not telling anyone.

 

In this setting, Trainer declared Saturday a perfect day and asked the audience to thank volunteers for putting on the festival. Then she pulled Tina Jurik's winning 50/50 draw ticket.

 

With her $1,806.97 prize, the mother of two 14-year-old boys was thrilled to tears because she could afford to take them to visit their grandfather in Newfoundland.

 

When darkness fell on Saturday night, a welcome cool breeze swept in off the Grand River. Kerr-Boom Pyrotechnics set off a blazing fireworks show on an island in the river. The finale was a breathtaking spectacle.

 

For Chris Kerr, the Grand River venue was best in southern Ontario. Chymko said he was able to use pyrotechnics that he could not use elsewhere and was able to set some off straight out of the water.

 

On Sunday afternoon, 121 kids were casting lines in the Canadian Tire Fishing Derby. All anglers, who were between three and 13, received a gift bag and either a soccer ball or a frisbee.

 

With her 88.5 centimetre catch, Morgan Hann won first place. She took home the derby trophy and a new mountain bike. Dalton Powell reeled in an 80.5 cm fish and toted away a tackle box and fishing rod. In third place with a 51 cm fish, Jason Huitema received a smaller tackle box and a fishing rod.

 

Five-year-old Zachary Empey was two centimetres shy of a tie for third place. Fourteen-year-old Andrew Jurik helped bring the fish to shore.

 

Music in Central Park wound down the festival.

 

Chymko made her rounds and then took a well earned rest. On Monday, she was doing paperwork and thinking about next year. After a break in July, she will begin to plan the 2009 Mudcat Festival.

 

While booking bands and floats for the Santa Claus parade, she will seek entries for the festival parade.

 

Overwhelmed due to a shortage of help this year, she is asking anyone who wants to volunteer for the 35th festival to contact her or the Chamber office. T-shirts are still available at the office but the cowboy hats are all gone.