It's Fun To Be Summer Festival Volunteer

June 13, 2013 - PRLog -- Every year the Trenton Summer Festival committee relies on volunteers to make many of the events happen.

That will hold true again this year, as the group continues to seek residents and others willing to help out at this year’s new, “earlier summer” festival, slated for June 28-30 along West Jefferson Avenue.

The beverage booths and beverage sales booths are manned by community members who want to have a little fun in the sun and be part of the festival action. Last year more than three hundred people gave at least two hours apiece to man a station or provide help in the many aspects of the event.

Committee members and city staff members spend at least an hour a month during the year at meetings, many hours following up on their specific duties, and then 12 to 14 hours a day at the three-day event to make sure it runs smoothly.

Why do they do it? Husband and wife team Kay and Al Sidebottom said they enjoy the camaraderie with other committee members and like being part of an event that is important to the city.

The couple has been involved with the festival for the last 36 years. They got started when they were with the Trenton Museum, giving horse and buggy rides to festival-goers. The committee members sensed their interest and asked them to be part of their group.
The Sidebottoms currently are in charge of the vendor booths and participating organizations. When they started, the festival had just four food vendors. Now it regularly has more than 20. They truly love the excitement and the people they have been involved with through the years.

Now, instead of on a horse and buggy, you will see them zipping through festival in their detailed golf cart. Al, as some committee members recall, was banned from the loudspeaker about 20 years ago when he announced that, “Louie The Litterbug was now appearing.” It was actually Louie The Lightning Bug,” the then-mascot of Detroit Edison.
There have been some challenging festivals, such as the year everyone was evacuated because of the chemical spill in a nearby community, and the year there was a dispute over beer prices, and the year a reckless driver decided to try and drive through the barricaded event area.

But Al and Kay giggle and say they will do this as long as they can. Their kids have grown up with the festival vendor kids and everyone truly feels like family.

“I’ll never forget the year I had to grease some wheel bearings so a vendor could actually leave the festival, otherwise his vehicle would have been towed,” Al said.

A fine arts award winner, Ilene Flannigan is the resident festival photographer who has captured many special moments throughout the years. When asked to serve on the Parks and Recreation commission in 1994, she realized the need for photos of all the great events in Trenton.

This job then grew to include the photos for the annual Buzz city directory and much more. She loves taking pictures of the kids enjoying the activities at Kids’ Korner during festival, and enjoys the action shots at the tournaments and sporting activities.
                                   

GREEN TEAM LEADERS NEEDED!
Is Protecting Environment Important to You?
Want to Make a Difference in Your Hometown?
Put this on Your Resume & Have Fun Doing It!
Join the Trenton Summer Festival June 28-29-30 2013, Downtown Trenton
•Help visitors find the right recycling cans and hand out prizes
•Help promote environmentally friendly ideas at the Green booth and around Festival
•Help keep the festival Green!
•Call to sign up for any time you are available Friday & Saturday 10am-8pm or Sunday 10am-4pm.  (734) 675-7300
•Green Team Volunteers will be entered into a drawing to win prizes during the weekend as a thank you from the Festival Committee.

Anyone interested in volunteering some time for this year’s festival can call (734) 675-7300, or visit www.trentonsummerfestival.org.