Organizers ready for Old Timers, avoiding the “R” word

story by Marla Cantrell
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There’s only one word Barb Morse, president of the Van Buren Old Town Merchants Association, is banning in her downtown store this week.

Rain.

Don’t say, don’t even hint at it. It’s the one thing the organizer of this weekend’s 33rd annual Old Timers Festival can’t control.

Morse said the association has been working since February on the outdoor event.  It’s all coming together, although Morse did say her phones have been ringing regularly today. There’s always another question to answer and another crisis to squelch. 

As for her own business, Darb’s Antiques, it’s ready for the influx of new shoppers.

“Our business goes way up,” Morse said. “I had to hire several people to help us work it.”

Leah Carter, co-owner of Coffee and a Good Book, is making sure she has plenty of merchandise on hand. She’s stocking up on mochas, frozen drinks and ice cream, in anticipation of one her busiest weekends of the year.

“You’re bound to sell some mochas,” Carter said. “We get lots of business, and hopefully repeat business, from this weekend. … With this much traffic, if you’re not doing some swift business, your doors must not be open.”

More than 20,000 are expected to attend this weekend’s event. Maryl Koeth, director of the Van Buren Advertising & Promotion Commission, estimates each of those attendees will spend between $15 to $30 dollars on food alone.

The festival features carnival rides, arts and crafts, the excursion train, concession stands and lots of gospel, country and popular music. Six blocks of Main Street are blocked off to accommodate the increased foot traffic. (Local drivers will want to avoid that section of town, since you’ll be detoured around the area.)

And while the festival is all fun and games for visitors, it’s all business for the vendors coming to make a tidy profit. That profit margin is a concern for some who travel long distances in gas guzzling vehicles. Add to that the lagging economy and many of these small business owners have a tough decision to make.

“Both have hurt vendor participation in the past and not just our festivals, but many others have also seen a decline in vendors in tough years,” Koeth said. “With increased overhead, vendors tend to be more selective about the festivals they enter.”

Still, Morse said she has vendors from Texas, Louisiana, Kansas and Missouri headed this way. Many come every year, due to the festival’s popularity and the timing. Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, and families looking for presents or as a way to entertain mom, head to downtown Van Buren.

The same two issues — gas and economy — may drive more visitors to town. Koeth said most travel from only 100 to 150 miles away and consider the concentration of entertainment a fair trade off for the cost of gas.

Mayor Bob Freeman will open the Old Timers Day festival on Friday at 5:30 p.m. At 6 p.m. the carnival starts and the gospel music begins. The festival ends with an afternoon concert on Sunday.