Spring Festival draws crowds

MOSES LAKE - Children sat on Third Avenue clutching pieces of chalk and drawing on the asphalt Saturday.

Along the block in front of the Moses Lake Museum and Art Center were other drawings including two dragons and a mushroom. The Chalk on the Block event was one of several parts of Moses Lake's 31st Annual spring festival. The event took place from Thursday until Sunday.

Kristine Howard sat nearby at a table filled with bags of chalk. The leader for Moses Lake Girl Scout Troop 1242 was helping the museum with the event. She said more than 100 people had used the chalk to draw on the street.

"We've had all the way from about 2-year-old all the way up to adults," she said. "We had a couple come up and ask if it's just for kids and I said, 'No. Go for it.'"

Quite a few talented people drew on the street, Howard said, pointing out dragons and flowers.

"They come up and ask, 'How much does it cost?' (We answer,) 'It's free.' That's the nice thing. It's nice when there is free activities for the families during Spring Fest. Some of the kids come up and they're quite shy and when they come back with their chalk, they're all smiles. They had fun. You don't get to play in the street with your parents' permission anymore."

The troop was joined by volunteers from Distinguished Young Women. The troop became involved as a community service project, she said. She brought the suggestion to the scouts last year.

"They bought chalk in these big packages and we just divide up about five colors in a bag and kids just grab a bag and they go for it," she said. "We probably did about 150 bags."

About a block away, about 3,000 people gathered in front of the Centennial Stage in McCosh Park to listen to Vocal Trash perform for a second time during the event. It was one of several events scheduled by Entertainment Chair Dale Roth for the festival.

Roth said he scheduled the band last August. He runs the sound for the band's creator, Steve Linder, any time he is in the area. The connection allowed him to arrange for the band to come to the festival to perform.

"I wanted them here for Friday, and I said, 'You know what, if you're going to be here, can you put something else together just to do an extra show?' He said, 'Yeah,'" Roth said.

It takes about a year to arrange the entertainment at the event. This year featured a mix of Moses Lake dance groups and other performers from around the country, he said.

"Where a lot of other guys will put it together a few weeks. It's fine tuning and picking over the entertainment to see what is going to fit for the area and the caliber of people who are here," Roth said. "These guys are great for little kids up to grown ups."

Roth wanted the entertainment to fit every age group from children to grandparents, he said.

"I just wanted to create a nice family festival that we've always had and just bring it back to what it was back in the 80s and 90s," he said. "We did a nice blend of local and a nice blend of national acts, so it gives a chance for all the people to show off their entertainment here in front of friends, family and the community and then bring in some national acts that I thought people would enjoy."

Both were popular at the festival. Roth said Friday's 31st Annual Lip-Sync Contest drew about 5,000 people to the amphitheater.

One of the other performers, magician Jeff Evans performed on the Centennial Stage and later in front of the clock on Third Avenue. He said he met Roth when they were working at the Chelan County Fair.

"He's kind of kept me in the back of his mind and he gave me a call for this," Evans said. "It's beautiful. This weather is fantastic. We've been having miserable weather on the West side ... It's nice to be able to put on some sun screen and be able to enjoy some nice weather."

When he wasn't on the stage, Evans also did some strolling magic, moving from group to group doing magic with items he carried in his pockets, he said.

"All ordinary things, like coins and rubber bands and cards. A lot of people like that style best because it's like the street style they've seen Criss Angel or David Blaine do," he said.

Evans added Roth did a great job organizing the event, and he didn't realize Moses Lake had so much art and the stages.

"I'm very impressed," he said.

Outside of the stage various people milled through the rows of vendors set up in McCosh Park. They ranged from people selling jewelry, candles, clothing and about 25 food vendors. Samantha Smiley stood next to a stroller where Ann Smiley drank from a bottle of juice.

"I figured I would bring her down to the Spring Fest and check stuff out," she said. "We walked around the vendors here."

Samantha said Ann was loving it so far, and they planned to stay for the Grand Moonlight Parade later in the day.

As it got closer to evening, people started lining Third and Fourth avenues for the Grand Moonlight Parade. Charlene Mathews and Julie Rogers sat in chairs they set up at 2 p.m. while Isaiah and Niria Mathews played a plastic horn they bought at a vendor. Charlene said they've been coming to the festival for about 22 years.

"We're having lots of fun," Charlene said.

Rogers said the festival gives them time to relax and not worry about housework.

"It's really nice to know that no one steals your chairs," Charlene said. "We have a nice community here for that."