Published: May 22, 2008 09:22 pm      

Weather cooperates with Mountain Festival goers

BLUEFIELD — Clear skies and milder temperatures proved to be the right tonic as people of all ages took advantage of the James H. Drew Exposition Wednesday night as the 2008 Cole Chevy Mountain Festival shifted into high gear. The Mountain Festival is sponsored annually by the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce.

“The crowds have been increasing with the pretty weather,” Kyle Hurt, general chairman of the festival said. “We were down here until 10:30 p.m. (Wednesday) night, and the lines for all of the rides were pretty long.”

Hurt didn’t have much time to talk about the festival between answering questions from vendors and unloading the 36-inch in diameter logs for the Echo Mountain Festival Carving Invitational that will get underway at 9 a.m., this morning when a group of eight expert chain saw carvers will compete for two available slots in the Echo Carving Series Championship this fall in New Mexico.

“There is a lot of interest in these competitions,” Hurt said. “I received a call (Thursday) morning from a guy in Michigan who said he’s coming to the competition. To me, that seems like a long way, but these competitions attract a lot of attention.

“We have a long-standing relationship with Jimmy Drew, and many of our vendors stay the same, but we work to bring new events in every year,” Hurt said. “If we don’t keep something fresh coming every year, the crowds won’t come.”

Several middle school-aged children were on the carnival midway Thursday afternoon, but their presence at the festival on a school day didn’t phase Marc Meachum, president and chief executive officer of the chamber. “Every year, Jimmy Drew turns on all the rides for some of the students from Bluefield Middle School,” Meachum said. “All the rides are free for the students that afternoon.”

Wanda Vaught, a teacher at BMS said about 100-150 BMS students were allowed to participate in the free afternoon at the carnival based on good behavior and attendance throughout the school year. “We arrived here at about 12:30 p.m., and we’ll leave at about 2:30 p.m.,” Vaught said. “It serves a reward, and also provides an opportunity for some students who might not otherwise be able to enjoy the rides at the carnival.”

The students appeared to be having fun, and they were also being polite in the process. “We’ve been doing this for about 10 years,” Heather Simmons, also a BMS teacher said. “We bring students who do not have any out of school suspensions, only one or fewer in-school suspension and one of fewer un-excused absences,” Simmons said. “Most of the students are excited about coming down to the carnival. They have a great time and ride all the rides they can ride.”

The first two of the group of eight competitors in the Echo Invitational carving qualifying event arrived shortly after 1 p.m. Dayton Scoggins of Sandersville, Miss., and his son Kenny, arrived at about the same time as Mike Bihlmaier of Marengo, Ill., along with his wife, Tamera and their youngest son, Luke. The Bihlmaiers have seven sons, and Bihlmaier uses (7-sons.com) for the name of his web site.

“I started carving about seven years ago,” Bihlmaier, 45, said. He is a member of the Echo chain saw carving team, but was laid off from his job as a machinist about two weeks ago. He said he will travel from Bluefield to a competition in the Chicago, Ill., area then on to Reedsport, Ore., for another Echo championship series qualifying competition.

“I used to skate, so I carve skate boarding themes sometimes,” Bihlmaier said. “I haven’t found anything yet that I couldn’t carve with a chain saw. The female face is the hardest thing I have found to carve.”

Scoggins, 42, was a tow-boat captain on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers and practiced the art of carving wood by hand for 20-25 years until he started using a chain saw to carve with about six years ago. Scoggins won the inaugural Echo national carving championship in 2005, and Bob King, has won the championship for the past two years.

“I won the competition with a piece I called, ‘The Price of Freedom,’” Scoggins said. “I guess I receive my inspiration for what I carve from the good Lord.” Scoggins and his son will travel to Addison, Pa., next for the National Road Chainsaw Carving Festival. “Kenny’s going to compete up there,” Scoggins said.

Thursday evening’s entertainment was a Gospel Night featuring performances by the Talley Trio and Triumphant Quartet at the Bluefield City Auditorium. The chain saw competitors will crank up their chain saws and start carving at 9 a.m., and tonight’s entertainment includes the Collegians along with Rick K and the Allnighters.

– Contact Bill Archer at barcher@bdtonline.com