Published: September 06, 2008 07:12 pm      

An Autumnfest 'thank you:'

RICH CREEK, Va. — Forecasts threatening rain Saturday gave way to sunny skies and summertime temperatures for the visitors sampling the music, vendors and rides at the 18th Annual Rich Creek Autumnfest.

Continuing today in Rich Creek, Va., the fair along closed off Old Virginia Avenue gives the town’s businesses and civic organizations the opportunity to thank local people for their support, said emcee Richard Allen.

“We opened 10 a.m. this morning and we’ll go on until midnight with the street dance,” Allen said. “Old people, young adults and kids just have a great time.”

Rich Creek Autumnfest continues today with vendors, rides, a car show and musicians from 12:45 p.m. until 6 p.m. A benefit buffet at Pizza Plus for Cub Scout Pack #68 starts at 11 a.m. and continues until 2 p.m. Performers will include the Gospel Messengers, Gleeful Voices, Hans Creek String Band, New Beginning, Christian Chords and The Gospel Heirs.

“From the merchants’ standpoint, it’s a big thank you to the town and the surrounding area,” Allen said. People drive from miles around to attend the festival, plus former residents undertake longer trips in order to visit family and friends still living in the region.

“We get to let our hair down for a couple of days,” Allen said.

Local civic organizations and schools take the opportunity to raise funds for community projects. At one booth, the James Monroe High School Marching Band was raising money to help the band attend the Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla. The band was the only one in West Virginia chosen out of 300 bands to perform at the football game, said Drema Greenlief, vice president of the band boosters. So far, boosters and band members have raised $25,000 of the $60,000 needed for the trip.

“We’re doing lots of fundraisers,” Greenlief said.

For visitors, it was a chance to show their appreciation, too.

“We come to support the merchants and support the town, and to go out and socialize,” said Amanda Moser of Narrows, Va.

At the intersection of Old Virginia Avenue and Route 219, members of the Rich Creek Volunteer Fire Department conducted a boot drive to raise funds for new equipment. Passing visitors and motorists putting spare change into fire fighters’ boots.

Buying “turnout gear” for just one member costs the department approximately $1,700, said fire fighter Victor Compos.

“It (festival) gives everybody a chance to get together. Rich Creek has one of the better fairs, I’d say,” Compos said.

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com