Latest news with #ColeChevyMountainFestival
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Cole Chevy Mountain Festival gets underway despite stormy weather
bluefield – Despite a tornado watch and rain, the 41st Cole Chevy Mountain Festival started its 10-day run Friday with the James H. Drew Carnival and a wide variety of events and vendors. The National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Va. issued a tornado watch Friday including Mercer County as well as the counties of McDowell, Monroe, Fayette, Raleigh, Summers and Wyoming started at 1:35 p.m. and was set to end at 8 p.m. Jeff Disibbio, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of the Two Virginias, was helping set up an outdoor stage as the festival opened for its first day. 'So we're actually setting up the chairs and tables for the tent that's going to be setting in front of the stage where we're going to have live music most every day this week,' Disibbio said. 'A couple of different acts a night.' Disibbio and other organizers were keeping an eye on the forecasts. 'Always. We keep a very close watch,' Disibbio said. 'Everybody has radar on our phones, so we're watching the weather fronts as they're passing in or passing out. We're looking like we have a potential for about four o'clock, which is now, till about seven where we might have a little bit of weather. Hopefully nothing significant, but then after that it should clear up a little bit. We'll play some (today) with the weather and see how the rain comes in, but then we have about six or seven days that look great.' Rain and a thunderstorm are possible before 8 am. today, then a 60% chance of showers, according to the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Va. A high temperature around 65 degree is expected along with wind up to 17 mph and gusts as high as 32 mph. Tonight's weather is expected to be clear with a low around 46 degrees and wind gusts up to 22 mph. Sunday is expected to be mostly sunny with a high near 67 and wind gusts as high as 21 mph. New infrastructure at the festival was making the set-up easier. 'We're really happy. We've got all-new power this year,' Disibbio said. 'The city was very generous in helping us get all-new power set up. It not only will serve the festival, but it will also bring more opportunities to the Holiday of Lights later on around Christmas.' Despite the weather, people were arriving and lining up for James H. Drew Carnival tickets and heading for the vendors. 'They opened the door a couple of minutes ago. We've got more vendors than we've ever had, so we've got a lot of variety,' Disibbio said. 'Our international food fair is growing. We've added some new stuff. We've got new acts this year, so we're super excited. It's going to be a great 10 days.' Joshua Hagerman of Pocahontas, Va. and his family were lining up to get ride tickets. He said they were looking forward to the festival's food as well as the carnival rides. 'Living the dream, I recon, ' he said. One young Tazewell, Va. resident, 2-year-old Zander Bostic, was visiting the Cole Chevy Mountain Festival and the carnival's rides for the first time. 'It's my son's first year,' said his mother, Courtnie Bostic. 'We did the Little Nemo and he loved it.' The festival keeps going Sunday and continues until next Sunday, June 8 with a full schedule of activities every day. Today's activities will include Ridge Runner train rides from noon to 6 p.m.; appearances by Rock-IT the Robot at 3:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; the Stone Age Show at 1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; The Wild Wheels Walls of Death Show at 2:15 p.m., 5:15 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.; the Steamers Thrill Show at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.; and the Mountain Festival Dance from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Activities continue Sunday with the Ridge Runner train running from noon to 6 p.m.; appearances by Rock-IT the Robot at 3:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; the Stone Age Show at 1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; the Steamers Thrill Show at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.; The Wild Wheels Walls of Death Show at 2:15 p.m., 5:15 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.; Free Ride Day 1 p.m to 2 p.m. adn 2 p.m until closing. This year's festival is a 10-day event. It will run through Sunday, June 8. An online schedule of events can be viewed at No weapons of any kind are allowed at the festival. All participants are subject to a metal detector search and there will be drone security surveillance. Only clear bags are allowed at the festival. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
City officials still hopeful of having splash pad ready for Memorial Day
bluefield — With the long Memorial Day weekend fast approaching, many area families will be looking for outdoor activities to enjoy. Some of those outdoor attractions can be found at Bluefield's Lotito Park, including the Ridge Runner, the new 40-yard dash, the city's new playground and the new splash pad. However, there is still a question as to whether or not the splash pad will be ready in time for Memorial Day weekend. Rick Showalter, director of parks and recreation for the city, said officials would still like to see the splash pad open by Memorial Day weekend. But there is still work to be finished between now and then. 'Our goal was that and still is to open on Memorial Day weekend,' Showalter said Tuesday while providing a project update to members of the Bluefield Board of Directors. 'However, we've had some setbacks. I'm sure that (the opening) is going to happen and we will announce in the future what that date will be.' Showalter said there is still some work to be done, including the installation of a perimeter fence around the splash pad. That work is expected to begin next week. Showalter said training also is underway for staff. 'We are presently interviewing for staff to run the concessions and ticket sales for the summer,' Showalter said. 'We plan a ribbon cutting in the future, a grand ribbon cutting, and that will be announced based on when we know exactly when we can do that.' A generator is currently being used by the city to provide temporary power until work on a transformer can be completed, Curtis French, director of public works for the city, told the board Tuesday. The new splash pad was made possible with funding support from the Shott Foundation along with grant funding from the West Virginia Land and Water Conservation Agency, according to Showalter. The city's original plan was to have the splash pad and the Ridge Runner operational by Memorial Day weekend at the park. One week later, or on Friday, May 31, the James H. Drew carnival also will open at city park as the 2025 edition of the Cole Chevy Mountain Festival gets underway. The Cole Chevy Mountain Festival will continue for 10 days through Sunday, June 8. One new addition that won't be ready for Memorial Day weekend, or this summer, is the new multi-purpose building, which is planned adjacent to the splash pad. It will serve multiple functions, including as a concession area where snacks can be purchased and as a designated location for a splash pad attendant. The new facility also would include four new restroom facilities that would also serve as changing room areas for those who utilize the new splash pad. Work on the multi-purpose facility won't begin until the fall with a goal of having it open for the 2026 season. According to a legal advertisement that appeared recently in the Daily Telegraph, the city is seeking requests for proposals from qualified manufacturing firms to construct the new multi-purpose building. All proposals for the project are due back at city hall by 4 p.m. on June 12. The bids would then be opened on June 13. According to the request for proposals, the building will serve multiple functions, including housing four restrooms, (that will also function as changing rooms for those who use the splash pad), a concession area for snacks, and a designated space for the splash pad gate attendant. The facility will be located at the newly constructed splash pad and would be operational primarily during the splash pad season. Work on the new multi-purpose facility would begin in the fall after the park attractions are closed for the season. That way construction won't be occurring in the area while children enjoy the splash pad, Showalter said in an earlier interview. Contact Charles Owens at cowens@
