Music In The Mud
Attendees Pack Blue Heron Music Festival On First DayBy Rich Place, rplace@post-journal.com
Article Photos
SHERMAN - You don't have to tell the attendees at the Great Blue Heron festival that it has rained all week - the mud pit in front of the stage is proof.
Then again, it's not like they care anyway.
The sloppy conditions and chilly weather didn't seem to bother visitors of the event in Sherman, which began Friday. The grounds to the event opened at 9 a.m., and by the time the music started at 3 p.m., hundreds of people were waiting around the stage and throughout the campgrounds for the weekend-long festival to get under way.
The earlier artists had trouble bringing people close to the stage because of the mud. As the afternoon continued, however, the mud attracted more and more dancers. Alison Pipitone, who took the stage with her band at 4:45 p.m., encouraged fans to really let loose and enjoy themselves.
"Suck it up and get in the mud," she told the crowd. "We don't care if you stand up or lay down. Hey, they said mud is good for your skin, right?"
As a few brave swimmers tested the cool water at the beach, many visitors at the nearby campground had already set up their tents and prepared to stay - rain or shine - through Sunday evening. The Great Blue Heron allows visitors to camp Friday and Saturday night, which is a popular option for many of the visitors.
"The majority of people camp here," said Dave Tidquist, one of the event's organizers. "I'd say about 70 percent of people who come here decide to camp."
Among the campers was a group of visitors from Chautauqua County, who brought a drum set and other instruments to play outside of their tent.
"We have been coming for four years," said Claudette Nickerson, one of the campers. "It's like a vacation. We just love to let loose and party. This is something I look forward to every year."
As the Great Blue Heron enters its 18th year, the event has become more family friendly. Like years past, a kid's tent has been set up for parents to spend time with their children away from the crowd and loud music. At the tent, which is supervised by volunteers, the younger visitors can play in a sandbox or make crafts.
"Our son just made a candlestick," said Jake Feldt, who is the husband of Pine Ridge band member Ellen Feldt. "We sat right there and did it with them."
Creating stained glass candle holders is one of the crafts scheduled throughout the weekend at the kid's tent. Other activities include leaf and bubble prints, family yoga, tin foil pictures and karaoke.
"It just makes sense for the event to be more kid friendly," said Alvin Dearling, a Youngstown, Ohio native who attended some of the first Blue Heron festivals. "It's easier for those who used to come by themselves but now have kids. We wouldn't bring them to something that isn't kid friendly."
Vendors are also making their mark at the Great Blue Heron by selling food, clothing and more. Many children could be seen walking around the festival with their new Crystal Stix, a vendor item made of fiberglass and rubber that is being sold at the festival. The dance tent, which features an array of different activities throughout the weekend, was packed full of people trying to learn the way of zydeco dancing.
Those who missed out on Friday's action still have plenty of time to go to the festival and enjoy themselves. Donna the Buffalo, who has headlined the event since its conception, is playing tonight at 11:30 p.m. Rusted Root, another highly anticipated act, will be performing Sunday at 4:30 p.m.
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yankee
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07-05-09 7:53 PM
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The only losers are the ones who think that people who go there are.........
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Jameswemo
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07-04-09 9:47 AM
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SWEET PIC , I WISH I WERE THERE. YOUR A LOSER FOR NOT GOING .LOL...LINDSEY.
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woodpecker
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07-04-09 6:38 AM
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Quite a generalization there hightaxes. I guess when it comes down to it, I think I'd rather be a loser than a grouch.
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hightaxes
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07-04-09 5:18 AM
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losers
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