I am responding to the DB Press letter to the editor “Another fun event lost” by Teri Sandholdt on May 15. As a member of the separate organizations that put on these two different events, please rest assured that “politics” had nothing to do with either event being “lost.”
First, D’Oktoberfest was an event that was put on by the Discovery Bay Chamber of Commerce. At the time, I was the treasurer and heavily involved with the event over the many years of its existence. During that time, the chamber brought many name performers to Discovery Bay, such as Guess Who, Mickey Thomas and Starship, BeeGees, Elvin Bishop and many others, or former members of these and other groups.
This event wasn’t cheap to put on, in either dollars or manpower. In the end, there was a core group of about eight to 12 dedicated individuals, both chamber members and community members, that organized and managed this event. The individual time became too great and people got worn out. No politics involved .
Second is the Boat Show, put on by the Discovery Bay Lions, of which I am a member. This, too, is not a cheap undertaking. Our biggest sponsors have been businesses in the boating industry, many of whom have closed their doors or greatly cut back their marketing budgets. (Not many boats or RVs are being sold right now.)
Through my association with the Brentwood Chamber and CornFest, a committee solicited participation from a large group of their exhibitors, but because of the current economy and this being a new event for them, there was not time to get enough to come on board to make the event financially viable. The current plans are to carry on with the Boat Show in 2010.
As the Brentwood Chamber CFO and co-director of the Brentwood CornFest, I invite all Discovery Bay residents to attend this year’s CornFest. While it isn’t in Discovery Bay, it is part of our local community. It is an opportunity to enjoy inexpensive entertainment and community fun. We will have a full vendor section, the full carnival will be back, as will the auction, and we have a fantastic selection of entertainment, such as Malo with Jorge Santana, Public Eye, ACDShe, Pablo Cruz, California Cowboys, Cowboy Crush, Savannah Blue, Oglee Moglee, The Groove Kings, Shawna Lynn, Victor Little, Ralph Woodson, and La Ventana, to name a few.
CornFest 2009 will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 10, 11 and 12, with the County’s best fireworks display on Friday night.
Ken Seamann, Discovery Bay
Please don't hate us all. We aren't all rich, retires who want things their way or people who run newspapers without using spell check.
I would also like to say that not all Discovery Bay residents believe that cornfest is all "Gang-Bangers" because there are latino and African Armericans attending.
Again, please don't hate us all.
As I am sure you know, the Marina merchants organized another event called "Summerfest." The booth costs were affordable and was a sellout. You should have left well enough alone and the event would have occurred. But no, petty BS screwed it up. And as far as the gang-banger event known as "Corn Fest" goes, I will park my car on a back road and watch the fireworks, then back home we go. And I believe you are dreaming about the BeeGees playing DB. No one I know in DB remembers that event.