Published: July 06, 2008 10:52 pm      

Motion slows to a close

Festival drew record crowds over weekend

ASHLAND — The 20th annual Summer Motion wound to a close in Central Park on Sunday evening.

The five-day festival drew thousands to Ashland’s riverfront and Central Park for live entertainment and family fun.

Summer Motion president Chuck Charles said the park drew record attendance on both Saturday and Sunday. The three days of festivities at the Ashland riverfront also drew a large number of visitors, many of whom stuck out Friday’s down pours to watch the fireworks and hear country music star Tracy Lawrence perform.

Charles called the week a “huge success.”

“We’re tickled to death,” he said. “Fun was accomplished.”

A lot of the fun happened Sunday afternoon, including the annual watermelon-eating contest. The voice of the festivities committee member Marion Russell, was the emcee for the contest that drew competitors young and old.

Erica Broughton, 11, took home a watermelon for winning the youth competition in two rounds. She gobbled down two large pieces of watermelon in seconds to claim victory.

Broughton said her braces gave her an advantage. But her winning strategy? “I stuff it all in my mouth, and then I swallowed it at the end,” she said.

The adult competition also drew a crowd throughout its multiple rounds. During one close race, a spectator yelled at her favorite’s victory: “I told you guys he is a watermelon eating fool!”

For the less competitive, the petting zoo was a popular destination. Destiny Schultz and Kayla Burks, both 7 and of Kenova, W.Va., spent part of their afternoon riding the miniature ponies.

“It was really fun,” Schultz said, “you get to pet them.”

Christopher Thompson, 3, of Flatwoods, was more fascinated by the feathered inhabitants of the zoo. Laughing and giggling, he ran between the cages of chickens and ducks trying to get a hand on one of the birds.

Other visitors shopped the arts and crafts or viewed the chrome at the second annual motorcycle show, while still others snacked on classic festival fare.

“We had things for everybody and everybody’s happy,” said Charles. “It was a great success. Everyone was pleased.”

CARRIE KIRSCHNER can be reached at ckirschner@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2653.