He wakes up thinking about it. He goes to bed thinking about it. And if you ask Alex Walters, he\u2019ll probably tell you that he wakes up in the middle of the night thinking about it.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the Flopeye Fish Festival!<\/p>\n
Walters took on the role as chairman of the Flopeye Fish Festival last year. It was a new experience \u2013 a challenge and a learning experience.<\/p>\n
And it was tiresome, Walters said.<\/p>\n
Walters unselfishly gave his time and efforts to see the annual Memorial Day weekend festival continue. He didn\u2019t want to see the celebration come to an end.<\/p>\n
Walters, Kathy Hinson and Todd Wright formed a committee and went to work. Just as former Chairperson Sallie Hudson and her group of supporters did, the newly organized committee worked for hours on end. They received no pay.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all volunteer work,\u201d Walters said. \u201cNo one is paid\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s that type of volunteer spirit and love for the town that brings about a successful festival.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we did good,\u201d Walters said. \u201cIt came out positive. We had some glitches but nothing major. We had a few trial and error mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Overall, Walters said he is proud of the work the committee did.<\/p>\n
Planning a festival doesn\u2019t start a month or two before the event. Planning for the next festival starts as soon as the current event is over, Walters said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe started pre-planning as soon as last year\u2019s was over,\u201d Walters said. \u201cOnce you stop, you start right back up. It takes a lot of time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe really boosted efforts and setting things in stone in January.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walters said it is not unusual to devote nine hours a day to planning the festival.<\/p>\n
He said Hudson continues acting as a coach and in an advisory capacity.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe tells me what\u2019s right and what\u2019s wrong, what will work and what won\u2019t work,\u201d he laughed.<\/p>\n
The 2015 festival was attended by nearly 9,000 people, Walters said.<\/p>\n
The 32nd annul Flopeye Fish Festival will be held from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. May 23 in the field in front of Morcon on U.S. Highway 21\/S.C. Highway 200.<\/p>\n
Carnival games and rides will be available Friday and Saturday and will remain open until 8 p.m. on the day of the festival.<\/p>\n
Walters said the committee decided to try a different layout this year and hope to move the entertainment stage to allow for easier traffic flow. In order to get to the carnival area, you will have to walk through the festival area, he said.<\/p>\n
Barricades will be set up in the carnival area for safety concerns. Parking near the roadway beside the carnival will be for festival workers and handicapped individuals, Walters said.<\/p>\n
The festival offers free parking and admission. Parking will be available in the field across the street, Walters said.<\/p>\n
Vendors have already signed up to sell at the festival. Walters said barbecue and fair-type concessions such as hot dogs and corn dogs are already on the list. He expects more vendors to commit before the festival.<\/p>\n
The deadline to sign up is May 15. Applications are available online at www.flopeyefishfestival.com. There is no charge for non-profit groups to sell at the festival unless they wait until after the deadline to sign up, Walters said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen there will be a processing fee,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Vendors selling craft items are also needed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re coming in slow,\u201d Walters said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got five so far.\u201d<\/p>\n
Veteran entertainment organizer Fish Pate will once again head up entertainment for the festival.<\/p>\n
Walters said bands will be playing throughout the day and Ruthie\u2019s Rockers are scheduled to appear on stage.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d like to get some more dancers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Singers are also invited to fill in the gaps when the bands are setting up. If interested in performing, contact Pate.<\/p>\n
The only thing new planned for the festival is the layout, Walters said.<\/p>\n
If possible, he would like to add more carnival rides.<\/p>\n
Kirksey Amusements provided the games and rides last year and will be providing this year\u2019s carnival also. Hinson is in charge of the carnival.<\/p>\n
Walters said he would like to add more rides to the carnival but doing so will cost more money, he said.<\/p>\n
Wright is spearheading the vendor line-up and is also administrator for the festival website.<\/p>\n
Walters said there will not be a Saturday night dance this year. Last year\u2019s attendance did not warrant holding the dance again this year. Walters also noted that carnival rides will go late into the evening.<\/p>\n
He said he is looking at the possibility of holding a street dance again on Friday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year\u2019s was very successful,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd it was spur of the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said about 300 people came to the street dance.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was our biggest proud moment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The festival committee is hoping to gain additional sponsorship for the festival. Walters said there are some individuals and businesses on board but he would like to get more.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe offer sponsorship packages,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The package provides advertising for the business on the festival website.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt gives an incentive to sponsor,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout sponsors and vendor fees, there\u2019s no way we could put the festival on,\u201d Walters said.<\/p>\n
The location of the festival offers little shade from the sun so Walters is hoping to set up more tents for people to sit underneath while listening to the entertainment or chatting with friends. He said he would love to have some picnic tables with umbrellas also.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know shade is a big issue for some people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Also in the works is a car, truck, motorcycle and golf cart show. Trophies will be awarded.<\/p>\n
Festival t-shirts with a new design will be offered this year. Walters said he also hopes to have other festival merchandise for sale.<\/p>\n
Volunteers, volunteers, volunteers are needed to help with the festival, he stressed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need volunteers!\u201d Walters said. \u201cWe can\u2019t do it by ourselves. It takes more than the three of us to put the festival together.\u201d<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re interested in volunteering in any area, call the festival number, 482-6029 and leave your name, number and a brief message.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got a lot to get done in six or seven weeks,\u201d Walters said. \u201cAnd my list is long.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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