Chesterton Tribune            adv:

 

Chesterton not booting the Wizard of Oz Festival, officials say

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By VICKI URBANIK

When the Wizard of Oz festival organizers go before the Porter County Park Board this evening about possibly moving the event to Liberty Township, it won’t be because the town of Chesterton is giving the fest the boot.

Lakeshore Festival and Events Inc. President Karen Spallina, Chesterton Town Council President Robert Crone and Town Council Member Mike Bannon all agreed that the town has never asked the fest to move, but only suggested that it possibly look at alternative sites due to the large crowds.

Spallina said the festival attracts a worldwide following and continues to grow every year. Attendance has been estimated at 80,000. “If it continues to grow, I don’t know where we’ll go,” she said.

Crone said some residents have complained that the festival takes “the town away for two days,” and that while some businesses are helped by the crowds, others are hurt. “It is overloading the downtown area and its resources,” he said. “There’s no place to grow.”

Bannon, who said he was surprised when he heard the fest was considering a move to Sunset Hill Farm County Park, noted that the main concern for the town has been the budgetary impact of the festival. The town council has never said the festival can’t continue in the downtown, he said.

Spallina emphasized that the discussions with the Porter County Park Board about relocating the festival to Sunset Hill Farm in 2005 are only in the very preliminary stage. “This is a huge, big ‘if’,” she said, adding that the LFE has not even decided yet “if we want to move.”

She said festival organizers have approached County Park Superintendent Ed Melendez and Board President Rich Hudson about the idea, and that they will appear before tonight’s park board meeting to respond to some of the concerns raised.

If the park board ultimately says no, Spallina said “it’s back to the drawing board.”

If the Oz Fest is moved out of town, the LFE’s bylaws will need to be amended, since the bylaws state that the purpose of the LFE is to sponsor the annual Oz Fest in the town of Chesterton, as well as to direct the activities of the Chesterton Main Street Organization. Spallina said the LFE Board has already addressed the need to change its bylaws if the fest is relocated.

Ever since Chesterton town officials raised concerns last year about the festival’s budgetary strain on town resources, two other possible fest sites have been mentioned -- the Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve and Dogwood Park.

Spallina said Dogwood Park is “just moving the problem.” She said the area around Dogwood Park is residential like the downtown area is and that the park has parking limitations and drainage problems.

She said the Lake Erie Land Co. hasn’t even been approached about possible use of the CCWC, saying that the conservancy doesn’t offer adequate water and electric supplies. She said she is of the understanding that Sunset Hill Farm would have the electrical capacity needed.

When asked about the Porter County Expo Center, Spallina noted that the Oz Fest already holds events at the Expo, but the Expo Center doesn’t have the same ambiance as Sunset Hill Farm. She said the park is a beautiful setting, and that the character Dorothy also lived on a farm.

Spallina said if the fest is moved out of Chesterton, festival events would still be held in town and that the festival would continue to work with businesses, such as offering shuttle service between the festival and the downtown.

“We don’t want to completely sever the relationship with Chesterton,” she said.

Crone said although the town suggested that the Oz Fest might want to try to find another site, Chesterton is willing to work with the festival to keep it in town. He said because the festival has cost the town so much, he has wanted to negotiate budgetary issues, such as the festival providing a food allowance to town police cadets.

Crone said he doesn’t believe that Sunset Hill Farm is an ideal location, saying that the county government, including the sheriff’s department, would assume many of the same responsibilities that the town has had and that county finances are still shaky. He also said that while the Oz Fest has not charged an admission fee, the entrance fee to Sunset Hill Farm is now $3.

He said he has suggested downsizing the festival, but noted that even if the fest is cut to half its size, a 40,000 turnout is still a big attraction and far larger than any event held at Sunset Hill Farm.

The County Park Board will meet at 6 p.m. tonight in the County Administration Center, Valparaiso.

 

Posted 4/1/2004

 

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