Published: September 05, 2009 11:05 pm      

Festival marks end, beginning

The beach at Lake Stephens is closing after this holiday weekend. On Saturday, it hosted one big, final bash to mark the end of the summer season, but also to bring in the fall season.

The first-ever Autumn Fest, sponsored by the Raleigh County Recreation Authority, may have wrapped up summer 2009, but the event also kicked off Beckley’s 16th annual Kids Classic.

“We partnered with Beckley Renaissance and Kids Classic this year to do children’s activities,” said Alecia Peters, activities coordinator for Lake Stephens. “So we have had quite a bit of youth talent here today and Fun Factory Inflatables set up for the kids.”

The festival featured performances from the Liberty High School varsity cheerleaders, local Colgate Country Showdown winner Krista Hughes and more.

“The girls are going to do a cheer, dance and showcase some of their stunts,” Karen Daniel, assistant coach of the Liberty cheerleaders, said. “They came up to help with the Beach Blast in May, working with a lot of other organizations. I think it is a great community service project. We all loved it, so we decided to come back.”

Autumn Fest also offered entertainment from the Epperly Bunch, Jeff Furrow, the Songcatchers with Everett Lilly Jr., Savannah McAlister, Hired Guns and Flight of Faith.

“In addition to great music, we have a car show, arts and crafts vendors and different local service groups on the back line,” Peters said.

Carl Wood of Crab Orchard had his 2010 Camaro signed up to compete in the Autumn Fest car show. “I don’t do these very often,” he said, “but I’m having a good time today. It gives people a chance to get out of the house on a Saturday and do something different.”

Trophies were given for Best of Show, Best Engine, Best Interior, Best Paint and Longest Drive. In the bike category, awards were distributed for Best Sports Bike and Best Cruiser. All participants received a free Autumn Fest T-shirt.

Local arts and crafts vendors set up around the perimeter. Liberty High School employees Barbara Beasley and Susan Lively were selling their homemade jalapeno relish, hot zucchini relish and green pepper jelly from B&S Specialties. “We are doing really well,” Beasley, the guidance counselor at LHS, said. “I am really enjoying everything so far.”

Community organizations expressed their appreciation of the event as well. Nancy Gentry, board member of the Friends of Coal Ladies Auxiliary, was giving out Frisbees, fans, stickers and key chains. “We are just promoting coal today,” she said. “We didn’t make it to the Beach Blast, so we thought we’d give the Autumn Fest a try, and I am glad we did. The crowd is really beginning to pick up. People seem to be pretty interested, so we have been keeping busy and are really pleased.”

Additional booths included the Friends of Coal Juniors, Beckley Police Department, Jan-Care Ambulance, Breckenridge Missionary Baptist Church, Adventure RV Sales and Santa Claus Motorsports.

Those in attendance had the opportunity to enjoy funnel cakes, snow cones, hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and soft drinks.

“Everyone out here today has been wonderful,” Peters said. “They seem like they’re all just here to have a good time, and I think overall there’s plenty for people to do.”

“We had the Beach Blast, the Colgate Country Showdown and now the Autumn Fest,” she added. “This was just the lake’s way of bringing people together and celebrating the end to a great season.”

— E-mail: cclark@register-herald.com