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By Malcolm X Abram
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Wednesday, Jun 17, 2009
For most of its 22 years, the Alive Christian Music Festival has taken place at Clay's Park Resort in Canal Fulton.
But next year, the three-day event will move about 30 miles south to Atwood Lake Park in Carroll County after striking a deal in February with the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, managers of the park.
On Wednesday, the first day of the last Alive festival at Clay's Park, the impending move was prominently featured in the festival schedule booklet, but festival-goers seemed to be more concerned with escaping the periodic torrential downpours than scouting new camping locations.
Just another tradition
Rain has become an expected part of an annual tradition for the Alive festival. Many folks either bring appropriate gear, enjoy the chance to commune with nature or simply find a dry place to wait out the storm.
One such sanctuary was the vendor tent where Brian Robinson, owner of the Music Farm in Orrville, and his team of workers were enticing potential customers with their custom SoZo guitars and accessories.
''With the rain on and off, a lot of people come into the tent to get out of the rain, but everybody is holding their money right now,'' he said. ''We're getting a lot of comebacks.''
Robinson has been at the Alive fest for 20 years — the last five as an employee. He's not worried about next year's change in venue.
''It'll be all right, I'm not worried about the move,'' he said.''We'll stick through it.''
As the heavy rains continued to exploit every rip, tear and hole in the big white tent, many folks stood near the entrance and watched the brave souls trudge through the mud, heading for tents or the campground.
Other folks perused the variety of wares available from vendors, including jewelry, temporary tattoos, CDs and T-shirts emblazoned with slogans such as ''I may not be perfect, but Jesus thinks I'm to die for'' and ''On the 5th day, God created dinosaurs.''
Other tents promoted charitable organizations and Christian colleges.
The biggest draw
As much as festival-goers enjoy camping and fellowship, it is the music that is the biggest draw, with popular rock bands such as Skillet, Switchfoot and Norma Jean populating the four stages.
About 18,000 are expected to attend each day.
Terry Brown was standing in line with one of the 36 teenagers he was chaperoning from Sturgis, Mich., to get a few moments with the members of Mixtape Metro. The musicians were signing autographs at a table after performing on the main stage.
''Our youth have been coming here for probably 15 years and I love it,'' Brown said. ''The atmosphere, just being in a big body like this, all praising the Lord, there's something special about it.''
Jessie Stokes, one of Brown's charges from Burr Oak, Mich., agreed, saying he enjoyed meeting different people in the park. But it was the talent on stage that interested him most.
''I'm here to see the bands — Seventh Day Slumber, Red — it's great,'' he said.
Family talent
Sandy Arnold of Hartville and her daughter, Karri Tavayon of Canton, also were staying dry in the vendor tent. They watched the Mixtape Metro table with special pride. Arnold's son and Tavayon's brother, Josh Arnold, is the drummer for the up-and-coming Canton-based band.
''Josh has been coming here since he was 1 year old and he's always said that one day he was going to play the main stage,'' she said. ''I'd kind of say, 'Yeah, right.'
''I use to tell him it's not that easy; a lot of bands work very hard and never make it anywhere. But you don't want to discourage their dreams.''
Pointing to the line of the band's fans, she said, ''This is amazing.''
Arnold and Tavayon have another relative, Matt Dally, in the band Super Chick.
Arnold said her family has attended the festival since 1990, and she works in the hospitality tent. She counts Northeast Productions owners Bill and Kathy Graening, who produce the festival, as friends.
''Oh yeah, definitely we're hooked at the hip,'' Tavayon said. ''We'll be here no matter where they move.''
Malcolm X Abram can be reached at mabram@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3758.
For most of its 22 years, the Alive Christian Music Festival has taken place at Clay's Park Resort in Canal Fulton.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Posted 09:50 AM, 06/18/2009
Christian rock: Just like regular rock. Really, really lame regular rock. Ugh.
North Canton, OH
Posted 10:07 AM, 06/18/2009
Yeah, I agree, Christian Rock, I just cannot get into it, kinda like leaving a bad after taste before I even open my mouth.
Nothing against them, I wish them all well as musicians, but I just cannot get interested in the concept, its kind of like drinking a non-alcoholic beer.
Posted 10:11 AM, 06/18/2009
WOW I can't believe they are changing venues! I am going to miss the convenience. I love fairly close to Clay's Park so if I couldn't come the whole week and come for one night say after work, I could. I'm sad to see it move ...
Posted 10:57 AM, 06/18/2009
It's actually a 4 day event, not 3. And while I like change and am excited to see what the new venue will be like, it is farther from where I live as well :/
Clinton, OH
Posted 12:35 AM, 06/19/2009
I'm glad Alive is leaving. Mostly because I don't mind seeing Clays Park lose the business. I've camped out there for years continually getting gouged by what I consider ridiculous prices. They top the list in my book for taking advantage of their hard working customers. That’s why we quit camping there. Finally they might get the message their greed isn't going to go by unnoticed.
