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| Nothing but fun By Lewis Rutherfurd--[ lewis@hmbreview.com ] Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 3:55 PM PDT The 37th annual Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival was fun for all and relatively problem-free, although that depends on your perspective. "Are you getting ice cream in my hair?" asked Jeremy Edinger as he peered up at young Alex Malone, perched fetchingly on his shoulders in her pink Sunday dress, where she was slurping away. "I hope not." Alex's choice was pumpkin gelato (her group from San Jose said it was an "interesting taste") and emblematic of the many edible choices - nearly all of them flavored pumpkin - that faced Pumpkin Festival crowds Saturday and Sunday as they meandered through the streets of downtown Half Moon Bay. By most accounts, it was a good year for festival sales and a light year for crowds. Sandwiched between torrential rain Friday and leaden skies Sunday was a banner parade day on Saturday - and Grand Marshal and Giants legend Willie McCovey was happy to be back in Half Moon Bay. "It's a hidden gem," McCovey said, as he took in the scene before the parade. "I've been here many times and always had a good time." Saturday's sunny skies brought a typical festival turnout, but the window was short-lived. "Saturday was a lot busier," said Don O'Keefe, the Half Moon Bay Police chief. O'Keefe put the crowd at anywhere between 75,000 and 150,000 at any one time, but longtime observers acknowledge they really have no idea how many people come from year to year. Local officials and nonprofits worked overtime to harvest the seasonal goodwill from over the hill. "The weather gave us a little scare, but it worked out," said Cameron Palmer, chairman of the Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee and a main fair organizer. "The crowds were a bit light, but those that were here were definitely buying." The I.D.E.S. sold out on its signature steak sandwiches for the first time this year, said Palmer, and sales of official festival shirts and other merchandise were stronger than ever. Palmer worked the festival from "5 a.m. until late" on both days, and he wasn't the only one stumping hard for the city. City Planning Director Steve Flint was sporting an apron as he grilled sausages and pulled beers. "Last year was my first time," said Flint. "But now everyone knows me - so it's the hook. We're all working shifts." In addition to his nonprofit work, Flint had to oversee a new permit system for booths outside the festival area and ride herd on unauthorized vendors this year as well - but he had help. "Oh, yeah, right out there at Main and 92," he said of the ubiquitous gypsy booths. "And the cops were on 'em, like boom." Police from Redwood City, Hillsborough, Daly City, Pacifica and Atherton were on hand this year, about 13 each day to supplement local officers and San Mateo County Sheriff's deputies, said O'Keefe. Officers from the state Board of Equalization and the Alcoholic Beverage Commission turned out, too, but gave no citations, and cops had only the usual festival woes to keep them busy. An elderly man wandered off from his family on Saturday and was missing until after midnight. But a new emergency command system allowed local officials to print fliers from a family photo taken moments before he disappeared and to mobilize search and rescue volunteers. The man was found standing next to a truck on Kehoe Avenue, about a mile away and across a busy Highway 1. "We had some arrests, mostly for under the influence, drunk driving, and minors in possession of drugs or alcohol," said O'Keefe. A few impromptu parties in the brushy hollows along Pilarcitos Creek were broken up, scattering the youthful revelers and leading to a few citations, he added. And after a few disagreements with local officials about where the public right of way began, vendors at the intersection of Highway 92 and Main Street were selling produce and a few T-shirts in relative peace as well. "No problems," said Tom Minaidis of Tom and Pete's Produce, a busy seasonal hub during the pumpkin months. "It's no use complaining. We've been down here 44 years, longer than the Pumpkin Festival." Other local stalwarts were out as well. Nationally known pumpkin carver Farmer Mike Valladao stood on a hay bale and sliced away on a thousand-pound gourd with his trusty Buck 110 pocketknife for a rapt, Main Street audience. "I think this is 22 years," he said of his festival run. "It's all pretty simple, I just make a cut and then an opposing chisel cut and keep going." Spectators clamored to get a picture in front of Valladao's "simple" handiwork - a baroque, fleshy swirl of grimacing and grinning vegetables perched around him. "It's awesome," said Charan Sarjapur of his festival experience. "And what makes it better is we hiked from our car and hit the food stalls along the way," Payal Agarwal chimed in. "Lots of food." The Concord friends said they would be back next year for sure, even with a two-hour bout with Highway 92 traffic. "It just means we're staying a long time," said Mindy Drake. Others found the festival a little on the commercial side. "I'm all down with capitalism, but me and my wife thought it was going to be more about pumpkins," said Jeff Dunn, an associate pastor from San Jose. "About every couple of hundred yards you'll see a pumpkin. But I thought I'd be out in the middle of some dirt." Dunn said he had a good time anyway and got a few pictures of his daughter Mackenzie, 2, with the festival's prize pumpkin. At $12 a shot, the money went straight to the local school district after all. "It's the biggest fund-raiser of the year for most of the local nonprofits," said an exhausted Palmer on Monday. "It was a great festival ... and thank God it's over. "This one was just smooth-running and a really positive time," he added. "And you can't say that every year." • Staff reporter Mark Foyer contributed to this story. |