Greetings folks. Except for submitting source photos and the occasional funny post (see Adobe WanKenobi) I have limited myself to merely lurking here for a while.

Some of you may actually remember me and wonder what have I been doing instead of chopping? Well, there's a darned good answer.

I'm producing art festivals.

In June of 2011 we did our first Bridgeton RiverFest. It was quite a success and we learned a lot from it. This year, we have gotten an earlier start and are working hard on making RiverFest 2012 bigger and better than last year.

We are enlarging the show, going up from 50 artists to, hopefully, 75. we will also have more food vendors and in addition to the antique auto exhibit will also have a display from the corvette club here in the New Bern area. Once again will have music throughout the weekend and we are negotiating with the pirates to return for more sacking and pillaging.

New, this year, is a blueberry bake-off and a river taxi will bring people to the festival site from New Bern when not running narrated river tours.We'll have a street dance Saturday night in conjunction with the celebration of Craven County's 300th anniversary and we have partnered with the New Bern Civic Theatre in a project that I am not at liberty to disclose yet, but should be very interesting.

Its been an interesting project putting the show together and we are starting to gain some credibility in the genre if an enquiry from Portland Oregon and referrals from a website in Russia are any indications. So please, visit the website at www.bridgetonriverfest.com and wish us well. I'll post monthly updates here for those who are interested.

And if you aren't interested I'll still post it here for you.

Last year was fun to see! Keep us posted. Maybe take a few car photos and not so many damn boats, docks etc...



Good luck and If you need some help please ask.

Well... that's a fine website, Al!
Is there any photoshop art involved, so we all can enjoy?

2nd year now... you are the new King of the Riverside/site !

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS7La6pnnno&feature=fvst[/youtube]

Good luck my friend. And what TJ said: 'and If you need some help please ask!'

Keep it up brother!

Hello big Al - good to see you around again. And way to go with the festivals this year! How is your little home on the water doing? Have you managed to find the leaks?

Thanks for the good wishes all.

Life on the boat is grand. There are water fowl, mallards and coots, living in the marina and we awaken to them swimming round the boat. The marina residents are mostly great people and life is very sweet. I have rebedded the forward stanchions and refilled the joint on the starboard toe rail and that seems to have stopped the major leaks. I still have a little work on the forward hatch as that still leaks during a hard rain, but I almost have them all licked now.

God, I just saw all that text and I was thinking, geez he's dying of cancer or something. So even though I'm posting this, I didn't actually read all that stuff you said, I just - sort of - gauged this response based on what other people posted as a reply.

So...Awesome, sounds great! You sir, are the Man! Congrats.

Probably true about the majority of postings online.

Hahahahaha!!!!! Al who?

Hi bro

Ah, wish you guys could come see the art fest. Its going to rock this year, even more than last.

I'm in Raleigh, about 2 hours away. I may bring the fam. Thanks for sharing!

Would be great, Mike. As soon as I get through working out details with the local hotels and restaurants I'll post a list of meal deals and discounted rooms for the event on the festival site and plug it here.

We are getting a lot of support from the Craven County Tourist Board as my ad campaign is based on "Come for the art, stay for the weekend" line and we are pushing other things to do in the area as well as the art show.

This has become a lot of fun.

Cool, looking forward to more details. Thanks Al