Organizers deem festival successful, despite rain

Published 11:50 am Monday, April 21, 2008

By Adam Smith

The North Jefferson News



Mother nature played a role in fewer attendees at this year’s second Brookside Greenway Festival.

However, despite the rainy and cool conditions at the April 5 festival, organizers said the festival was a success.

Five Mile Creek Greenway Partnership Coordinator Francesca Gross said she thought about 1,000 people were in attendance. She said the festival made about $2,000, as compared to $10,000 last year.

The purpose of the festival is to raise awareness and funds for Brookside’s continuing efforts to construct and maintain a greenway and walking trails along the banks of Five Mile Creek.

“We’re probably closer to breaking even this year, partially because the weather was not good and we spent our money a little differently,” Gross said.

Organizers hired traffic control coordinators this year to help guide cars and also had a carnival ride, which were not part of last year’s festival.

Brookside Mayor Roger McCondichie said the rainy conditions didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. He said the festival is more about providing exposure to the area’s natural resources.

“It’s about the future and people seeing what we can have here,” McCondichie said. “If I knew it would happen exactly like it did, I’d do it again.”

Gross said weather conditions also kept some vendors away, but actually enhanced some of the outdoor activities like the “Wild Boar Duatholon.”

“The people that came seemed to really enjoy themselves,” she said. “The duatholon people were covered in mud and they had a great time.”

Gross said other activities like the live entertainment and the popular Miss Greenway Festival were well-attended.

She said while there was nothing organizers could do about the weather, she’s already thinking of ways to improve the next event.

“We had certain people over different activities who came back and said, “I know what I can do better next year,’” she said. “We’ll just hope for better weather.”

Potential plans for money raised from the festival include a restroom and shower facility that would be accessible to campers.

Money may also be used to turn one of the ballfields at Bensko Park into a general parking area and for maintenance and mowing of the grounds around Five Mile Creek.

Photo galleries from the 2008 Brookside Greenway Festival are available online at www.brooksidealabama.com.