And joining me today on weekend focus is my special guest John McCombs. How are you today John? I'm good. Hey, good I'm glad you came in we're talking about the lock 13 River Fest coming up It's held on the banks of the Ohio River at Riverfront Park in Maccon every summer talk to us about when it is this year This year's dates are Friday July 8th and Saturday July 9th Friday will be from 4 to 11 and Saturday noon to 11 perfect and John talk to us about anybody that maybe hasn't been it's a river Fessed before the lock 13 River Fest.
What does it entail? I know I've got some details in front of me here But this is just a tip of the iceberg and we've got lots of entertainment lots of different events going on highlight everything let people know What it's all about it's a Festival like you said down at the riverfront Park Maccon is it'll be our second year just live music good food Lots of activities for kids and adults and just a good good, you know Social place, you know see all your old friends people you grew up with in town and stuff So we're looking forward to it and John talk to me How did lock 13 River Fest how did it come about how many years are we talking here and how did it all start? This is the second year and we kind of back back in a day They used to have the fire department had a street fair every summer Well as along with a lot of communities in the valley and they've all kind of gotten away from it And we wanted to bring that back Just to get the community, you know bring a little bit of community pride back There's not a lot of things anymore up and down I remember in a community I grew up the street fairs the fire department used to have They don't have it anymore So there's nothing now and this is a great way what you're talking about kind of bringing that community together and it's back again Right. Yeah, it's a it's a lot of work I can see why you know a lot of people have quit having it's a lot of work takes a lot of time a lot of volunteers But well John if it's like one of those things like everything else everybody wants it But no one wants to put in the hard work, right?
Right. So talk to us about some of the events different things that will have coming up starting with July 8th You mentioned what time everything kicks off highlight some of the events on July 8th Then we'll talk about the next day. Okay on Friday July 8th, we're up around 4 p.m. With Smoke Daddy playing live from the music tent I'll play for about an hour and then we'll have our opening ceremony We'll have some guest speakers and Some special guest arrival.
We'll have the WVU Mountaineer There from 4 to 7 on Friday, so we there to help us with the opening ceremonies, okay? After that smoke daddy will play for a little while longer and then we have McMack and native Brett Mitchell come on stage. Okay from 6 30 to 8 and And then from 8 to 11 we have Zane Run playing. I was really looking forward to them I yes, how did you get everybody?
I was at a lot of work to line everybody up to get them to take part in the event It was some work, but I'm in the I work in the bar business. So you know you have a lot of connections a lot of bands and stuff like that so it was wasn't too bad to get people to It's not it's not July 8th anything else that I miss on the first day on the first day I also have in Black Diamond Studio wrestling. Okay, that should be a big cry draw for a good draw last year Especially for the kids and it was it was even raining last year during the show and people didn't you know stop people from coming out and Enjoying it so we actually have two shows this year when have on Friday Friday evening at 7 and then Saturday at 3 o'clock we'll have like a matinee show, okay And John I also understand shirts are also available for sale people can pick those up and that all goes back and helping Do what you guys do? How can people purchase a shirt?
Where are they still available? Yes? Plenty shirts available. We haven't available with the Mac and City building in the city pool as well.
Okay, and we hope we will have shirts On site at the festival. So okay, and John talk to us on July 9th What's that things will be going on at the lock 13 River Fest in Mac and Riverfront Park in Mac and for anyone out there listening Isn't so quite familiar with where we're talking about that's where it is in Mac and July 9th What are some of the highlight some of the activities going on July 9th to be really fun? Okay, that's the all day and We'll start out Saturday at noon with a cornhole tournament put on by the Mac and baseball Association, okay? That's a big draw, too There's divisions for for youth adults and and adult and youth you know teammates, so that should be fun for all ages in a Then at 2 p.m.
We're having a kayak race out on the river which I'll be really looking forward to I Think it'll be lots of fun Nobody in the valley really does anything like that especially on the river, so Hopefully we can start a big you know a new big thing here in the valley with with this kayak race I don't want to my for I guess that comes on show Jesse master Vick. He is in the kayaking big time So I bet you you'll find him taking her designs up What else if any of speaking up signing up if anybody wants to take part how can they get in touch with you guys John? They can reach us on Facebook at lock 13 River Fest page Can be reached on Twitter at lock 13 River Fest You can email me Lock 13 Fest at gmail.com perfect So there's lots of ways people can get in touch with you any other any other events going on July 9th I know you said that's a big full day. Yes, then after the kayak race we'll have the Saturday show of the black diamond studio wrestling Mm-hmm, and then three forty five we have a hot dog eating contest Will you take part in that John?
No, I do know I was gonna ask you if you did last year how many hot dogs you pounded down there? Oh forget how many the winter had last year, but it was it wasn't anything like you would see watch on TV You know, but yeah, we had some good local eaters that really had fun, you know And actually people that entered the hot dog contest entered the pie eating contest an hour later, so oh wow kind of stuff But so at four forty five will be having a pie eating contest as well and these are free to sign up You know just show up and It's always the people that you you always have your sights on your your thing I bet that guy or gals gonna win that and then you always think it they look like it It's always the ones that surprise you that when there's one test so it's never the ones you think but so that sounds like a lot of fun Yes, and John what else we you know again I let people know where you guys are located in case anyone's out there listening and they're not quite sure on The parks on the banks the high river in Macon West Virginia. That's about five miles south of Wheeling and Five or seven miles north of Moundsville pretty easy to find if you're coming north or south on route to when you get to Macon Take the 12th Street or the industrial park road exit and head west towards the river perfect Anything else you want to highlight why we got here John our Saturday entertainment will kick off at four o'clock with new age Adenas, okay, we have Miller Smith and major from 638 30 and then we'll close out Saturday with a crazy horse being from 9 to 11 And John something else I want to ask you family family friendly everybody of all ages can come out So no one has to worry about that right now. I know family friendly we want you know from newborn to However old you can get I make it a whole town celebration whole community whole Ohio Valley Anybody that can hear us is welcome to come on down now I understand John you guys are looking for some pictures from the festival last year Why is that and if anybody has any how can they share them with you?
They can share them on her Facebook page or or you know send it to us through email We're dropping off at the city building. We just want to kind of like said this our second year We want to build this thing into something really big and we want to be able to you know capture all the memories and you know build on the future with with some photos from the past again We're talking with John McCombs here the lock 13 River Fest coming up at River Park in McMaken on July 8th and 9th and John Let people again talk talk to us about if anybody wants to sign up for any of the activities you talked about again I give us how can we find your Facebook page? I find us on Facebook at lock 13 River Fest Yeah, I'm like our page and you have any questions you can send us a message on there and we'll get right to you Perfect any sponsors anybody you can think of you want to thank John while we've got you here Because I know it takes a lot of effort to put this event off Yes, it does and we're still looking for sponsors every day I mean, I'd like to thank Granview Park has helped us out with some prizes for the kayak race Wailing tent nonning with with some of the tents they give us a little bit of break on that Mike and Coley from State Farm Insurance would like to thank him bear credit union There's a lot of people for Azure engineering. Yes, there's there's a whole list and I'm probably missing some but we'll be sure to advertise And you know make sure your names out there absolutely Yeah, and if anybody's out there again get a hold of you through Facebook page any businesses anybody you guys can probably use everything Anybody with food I would imagine things what types of things could you use?
Yeah, we're still looking for some food vendors some craft vendors Volunteers volunteers is a big thing that you know It doesn't this thing doesn't go on without without the volunteers that we have so If anybody wants to sign up or show up and help out or has any Food or craft vendors that they know of just having a good hold of us And I think our prices are fair for the event and you have a good chance to make some money Yeah, definitely and I'll point out to what you said last year at rain So we know rain or shine we're hoping for the the shine part right we want we're hoping Mother Nature cooperates a little better this year But it will go on the show goes on regardless right and John again I'll give us a date since where people can check out the river fest coming up Friday and Saturday July 8th and 9th In the Riverview Park in Mac Meckin West Virginia perfect John is there anything else you want to add today? I'd like to just Thank some other sponsors sure obviously the city Mac Meckin we We do a lot for the festival as far as you know holding it and putting everything together Mac Meckin volunteer fire department is gonna be joining us you know to kind of bring back some of the old vibe from the old Street Fair So I'm making recreation committee and there's some other groups Mac Meckin women's Club There's a lot of community organizations that are helping out to You know benefit themselves in the festival in the town Perfect well John I appreciate all of your hard work to people could they'll see you running around down here too, right? They sure will you won't miss a moment right you do any of the kayaking anything? No, I don't have a kayak I plan on getting one someday, but I'm gonna be organized to raise some putting on so I got a You kind of you got to kind of be the one that's working during this you kind of don't get you enjoy it But not the same aspect is what's up.
You know something myself or anybody else right down there What you're enjoying it in a different way? Yes? I enjoy it though even through the hard work I mean it'll it'll be fun nice to see people out You know talking laughing smiling have a good time watching the kids run around it's it's a pleasure and John while I got here Since you know you said this is the second year for the lock 13 river fest Where do you guys hope to go from here? I mean continue to grow bigger and better every year, right?
Yes, we We really want to get our riverfront developed that Mac Meckin we have a Great open space, you know, we think it could really rival any town in the valley So that's another one of the reasons that we started the festival and we moved it from in town to down to rivers to showcase our beautiful riverfront So, you know money's raised we've we've invested some money down there already and we hope to continue to do so That's great. So anybody that says there's nothing to do around here We're given them plenty, right? That's right and anything else John Yeah, there'll be like I said that lots of things were due for people of all ages and we have face painting kids games and flatables for the kids We will have bingo both days, which is always a good draw. We'll have the classic Macan Street fair games So any admission John for anything the mission is free.
Okay You know it'll cost you to you know have do some of the activities and stuff But I mean if you don't have any money and you want to come down you can still have a good time I guarantee it there's still lots to go on to it for instance if anybody's wondering the kayak race There is a registration fee for that But like you said a lot of things are free so you like you said even if no one has any money come on down have a good time Yes, and that's coming up on July 8th and 9th as we've been talking here with John McCombs the event organizer The Lock 13 River Fest at Riverfront Park in Macmacon and every summer of second weekend of July again July 8th and 9th and John Let us know what time on July 8th and 9th everything kicks off on July 8th Friday everything kicks off at 4 We'll go to about 11 p.m. And then on Saturday. We'll go from noon to 11 p.m. Perfect and John any final thoughts while I got you here today on the show All right, I don't have any I just want to invite the people the valley in the Tri State area to come out and see what we're all about Well, you're a new face a new voice on the show And I hope I hope you want this won't be your first and last time here And you're welcome to come back anytime and and want everybody to get out there on July 8th and 9th come on out to Macmacon To lock 13 River Fest.
So John, I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to be here today. Thank you Thanks for having me