More than 100,000 people are expected over the course of the Fall River Celebrates
America festival, taking place Aug. 5 to 8 at Heritage State Park and Battleship
Cove.
The event will be the 18th annual waterfront festival put on by the Fall River Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Karl Hetzler, a local business owner who’s co-chairing the event, said the festival would be running on the same basic footprint as past years, with only a few minor logistical changes.
“We’re not expecting anything too different this time around,” said Hetzler, who chaired the event in 2001. “It’s a very weather-dependent event but that’s just the difference between a good turnout and an amazing turnout.”
About 700 volunteers will be on hand over the festival’s four days, with many drawn from the local Chamber businesses and the event’s sponsors. More than 60 booths and vendor areas have already been sold. Hetzler said festival organizers have some concerns about continuing construction on the Braga Bridge, but are betting that visitors to the city will handle any traffic delays “just fine.”
“The nice thing is that the festival is scheduled in the evenings and the weekend so hopefully we won’t be dealing with rush-hour traffic or people rushing to get to their destination,” said Hetzler, adding that most festival-goers are within a 100-mile radius. “Even on Thursday, when the festival opens at 5, people know they’ll be fine settling in around 6,” he said.
Kenneth Fiola, director of the city’s economic development office, said he continues to receive complaints from local businesses about the bridgework, which the state began this spring and plans to continue over the course of two construction seasons. He said those concerns have ranged from the city’s image as the work stretches on to the more practical “flow of commerce” as businesses try to get their product to market.
“That inability, or the delayed ability, to get their products out is something being dealt with pretty much on a daily basis,” Fiola said. “There’s an understanding that these repairs are ultimately necessary, but the issue now is how to go about the repairs.”
Fall River Mayor Edward Lambert Jr. met with Massachusetts highway officials in mid-June to ask for an advanced construction schedule that would see work on the bridge continue overnight and during the weekends, instead of the eight hours a day, five days a week schedule that is being followed now.
Lambert said the discussions are ongoing, although word is that the Federal Highway Administration (a financial partner in the project) is not interested in speeding up the project. He said he is also concerned about public safety when a breakdown occurs on the bridge and he and the local legislative delegation had offered suggestions on increasing safety in the area.
“My concern is that I see the tie-ups every day from my office,” Lambert said. “I don’t think the work would be continuing at this pace if it was located at one of the other key areas of the state, like the Cape. … We’re asking for an advanced schedule because we think we deserve, and the people using the bridge deserve, that same consideration.”
Lambert said the city always has a major police presence on hand during the festival’s four days, working to move cars quickly along the waterfront and eliminate traffic snarls from vehicles exiting the highway. He said the same measures would be taken this year.
Each night of the festival will feature a different headlining act, with local singer Nélia performing for Thursday’s Portuguese Night, rising country singer Julie Roberts will perform for Friday’s Country Night and Eric Burdon & The Animals will perform rock ’n’ roll tunes before Saturday night’s fireworks show. Grammy-award winner Christopher Cross (“Sailing”) will close out the festival on Sunday night.
For a second year, the festival will also sponsor a local talent show – “Fall River Catches a Star” – modeled off television’s “American Idol.” Hetzler said more than 100 locals auditioned for 25 spots in the singing contest and a chance to compete in one of three different age categories for a $500 prize. Candidates were selected after performing at two live auditions at the Fall River Chamber over the last month.
In addition to the musical entertainers, and in keeping with a family-friendly atmosphere, the festival will also feature its traditional parade, arts and crafts fair, carnival and international food court. Hetzler said the idea for the festival came many years ago from a former mayor, who challenged the Chamber to create an event that would bring awareness to the city from tourists, as well as instill a sense of pride in the area’s residents.
“We’ve succeeded to the point where Fall River Celebrates is very well respected and has name recognition throughout the region,” Hetzler said. “A lot of people plan their vacations around the festival. … It’s really become a tremendous asset to both the community and the city.”
While any revenues above the cost of putting on the festival go to the Chamber for scholarships and programs, Hetzler said profits are typically bankrolled for next year’s event and can vary greatly from year to year depending on the weekend’s weather.
Tickets for all four days cost $7 if purchased in advance or wristbands cost
$7 per day during the event. More information is available by calling the Fall
River Chamber at (508) 676-8226 or visiting the festival’s Web site at www.fallrivercelebrates.com.
