Archive for Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Music festival prep continues
Aaron Brockway, Independence, Kan., left, and Aaron Kern, Neodesha, Kan., work to assemble the stage supports for the main stage in preparation for Wakarusa Fest, Tuesday, June 3, 2008 at Clinton Lake State Park.
June 4, 2008
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Past Event
Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival 2008, Day 1
featuring Buckethead / Lotus / Bettye LaVette / and more…
- When: Thursday, June 5, 2008, 10 a.m.
- Where: Clinton State Park, Clinton Lake, Lawrence
- Cost: $49 - $469
- More on this event....
The tie-dye shirts are showing up in bunches.
Clinton State Park will soon be Douglas County's second-largest city. The fifth edition of the Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival returns to the park Thursday through Sunday.
"You get to the point (after four years) where it all seeks that common flow and things tend to go pretty well - knock on wood," said Jerry Schecher, manager of the state park.
Festival director Brett Mosiman said he expected attendance to average out to 12,000 people per day to match last year, which was down from 15,000 per day in 2006.
"What we're seeing trending is that the four-day tickets are a little down and the single-day tickets are a little up," Mosiman said.
Fuel prices and the economy may be to blame for that, he said, but promoters have also tried to sell more single-day tickets and weekend passes. The Flaming Lips, Cake, Emmylou Harris and Ben Folds are scheduled to perform in the five-stage festival that will include 125 bands.
The past four years have brought campers from across the country to the festival, and west Lawrence businesses are gearing up to handle the influx.
"We've done it enough that we know what they want and all those kinds of things. It's certainly a good thing for us," said Stan Thompson, store operations manager for the Hy-Vee, 3504 Clinton Parkway.
The grocery operates a general store, and a shuttle bus also runs from the state park to the shopping center.
"Assuming the weather's nice, it should be a real good weekend, double what we normally do," said Parkway Wine and Spirits owner Brian Fadden.
At Miller Mart, 2301 Wakarusa Drive, the convenience store has hired people to help, and the store will even adjust hours to be open earlier in the morning and later at night, said manager Bishwa Sherchan.
Organizers and law enforcement officials say they are prepared for a positive festival for the second year in a row. The 2006 festival was marred by 80 underage drinking- and drug-related arrests, and a festivalgoer died from a drug overdose in 2005.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is the lead agency, and officers with the state's Alcoholic Beverage Control, the FBI, Kansas Highway Patrol and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks will assist.
Unlike 2006, the highway patrol will not operate a vehicle-check lane on the South Lawrence Trafficway, and no hidden cameras will be used at the campgrounds, officials said.
Like last year, the check-in lanes to the park will expand to five instead of just one that caused a traffic jam in 2006.
Officers said they also have a plan in place to get the word out in case inclement weather approaches the festival.
"We had quite a good success last year, so we're hoping that we'll have the same success or better this year," said Lt. Kari Wempe, a sheriff's spokeswoman.
Organizers prepare Clinton State Park for Wakarusa Fest
Thousands of music fans will descend on Clinton State Park beginning at midnight Thursday for four days of music, camping and fun during Wakarusa Fest. Organizers are preparing the grounds and setting up the stages in advance of their arrival.
Wakarusa Festival 2008
- 6News reporter Lindsey Slater contributed to this story.
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4 June 2008
at 8:13 a.m.
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geniusmannumber1 (Anonymous) says…
Let me be the first to say:Grumble grumble grumble damn hippies. Grumble grumble druggies. Grumble grumble music is stupid grumble. Grumble oughta be locked up.
4 June 2008
at 8:35 a.m.
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The_Original_Bob (Anonymous) says…
Damn it, geniusmannumber1. I wanted to be the first to say that.—Be careful on Thursday, campers. SPC has Lawrence in a moderate risk for severe weather.
4 June 2008
at 10:07 a.m.
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Easy (Anonymous) says…
It might be a good weekend to go downtown since all the Hippies will be lured away from there normal roosts.
4 June 2008
at 10:15 a.m.
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bearded_gnome (Anonymous) says…
wow, mann. like totally duuuuude. oh yeah, don't ferget the deodorant! ***moderate risk of severe weather thursday. and the finger of God wrote upon the land while thousands evacuate their minds and their lives. okay.
4 June 2008
at 10:24 a.m.
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barrypenders (Anonymous) says…
Let's see, bong, checkroach clip, check,weed, check, beer money check,Looks like everything.
4 June 2008
at 10:54 a.m.
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akt2 (Anonymous) says…
I'm not a camper or a festival goer. But I can say that I know a few that are. They are responsible working adults. They are spending hundreds of dollars on renting campsites, food, tickets, and supplies to take. Plus all the money they will spend with the vendors at the festival. They might be considered hippies, but they aren't cheap. It is an organized event. Complete with planned menus, stage schedules, running water, and electricty. It should be a great time for them.
4 June 2008
at 10:56 a.m.
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blue73harley (Anonymous) says…
This just gives the grumblers another opportunity to say, “you kids get off my lawn!”And barry, you might want to include some chigger repellant on that list.
4 June 2008
at 11:29 a.m.
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budwhysir (Anonymous) says…
um yeah lets like all get together and party dude. Party bus, free bird, and music
4 June 2008
at 11:48 a.m.
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blue73harley (Anonymous) says…
Speaking of dirty hippies and Woodstock here is a place I plan to visit that just opened. Check it out…http://www.bethelwoodscenter.org/Museum/default.aspx
4 June 2008
at 12:31 p.m.
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alicenevada (Anonymous) says…
bearded gnome,Actually, deoderant does not work to hide the smell of “all natural” as well as patchouli oil does. It also happens to be a natural insect repellent, as it is too pungent for ticks, mosquitos, etc. Or is that the stench of unshaved armpits and dreds that is the repellent? haha..I can't wait to get out there and shake my bones!!!!!!!!!
4 June 2008
at 2:38 p.m.
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acg (Anonymous) says…
I knew this thread wouldn't go by without b3 and his usual, chipper, cheerful self. You're so much fun b3. You're so edgy and cool.
4 June 2008
at 4:53 p.m.
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Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…
A friend stopped by and went up to the Miller Mart at Cltn Pky and Wakarua to get me sunflower seeds. There were two bags. He asked, is this all you have. They replied, yes.Friend said..You do know what weekend this is don't you?The clerk asked what?He said, the Wakarusa festival, you are going to have a few thousand hippies coming in here with the munchies, looking for snack food.So, maybe the most likely to benefit, have no idea.
5 June 2008
at 1:20 a.m.
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maxcrabb (Anonymous) says…
Flaming Lips, Cake, Ben Folds….Yeah, nothing says hippies like 90's rock/indie/pop…I mean, have any of you listened to these bands? They're not exactly the blues groups and indie country that usually takes the stage. The transformation of Wakarusa started with Wilco headlining, and it continues with these mainstream artists. Waka is going to be another Lallapalooza sooner or later… not that i'm “bummed” about it.
5 June 2008
at 1:36 a.m.
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RedwoodCoast (Anonymous) says…
I'm “bummed” because I have yet to have the opportunity to catch a Wakarusa Festival. Stupid career…