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Cityfolk Festival attracts anticipated crowd over weekend

The festival organizers hope that fans will help close the funding gap for next year.

Michelle Streeter-Ferrari and her daughter, Sofia, 1, enjoy the music of Chicago Samba on Sunday, July 5, at the Cityfolk Festival Family Stage.

Jan Underwood Michelle Streeter-Ferrari and her daughter, Sofia, 1, enjoy the music of Chicago Samba on Sunday, July 5, at the Cityfolk Festival Family Stage.

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By Amelia Robinson, Staff Writer Updated 6:18 AM Monday, July 6, 2009

Oh sure, Rachael Boezi attended Cityfolk Festival on Sunday, July 5, for her kids’ benefit.

The Troy resident did plenty of hip-shaking herself.

“I love this festival,” she said after swaying and bouncing at a conta dance in the Reynolds and Reynolds Dance Pavilion. “It’s just a great way to hear live music and to expose the kids to music they wouldn’t hear otherwise. It is just fabulous.”

Boezi and her kids — Will, Jamey and Anna Boezi, ages 11, 9 and 5 — were among the horde that attended the three-day music, art and cultural festival during the Fourth of July weekend at RiverScape MetroPark.

John Harris, Cityfolk’s executive director, said that despite rainy weather Saturday, the three-day festival’s attendance was on target to reach an 80,000 to 100,000 projection.

Cajun, hip hop and samba sounds kept younger and older bodies gyrating and bopping this year.

But economic pressures have placed the prospects for Cityfolk Festival 2010 in jeopardy, Harris said.

Corporate donations, which account for about 60 percent of the roughly $400,000 needed to stage the volunteer-driven event, are down about 50 percent, Harris said.

“We’re going to have to find the support,” he said. “If the festival is important to people, they will help us keep it going.”

The festival has become a tradition for Karla and Mark Biteman of Kettering.

The newlyweds consider it the ideal place to people- and pooch-watch. They pointed out a horselike German Shepherd with a bandaged ear and a pint-sized pup in a pink and black twirly dress pushed in a stroller.

Crenee and Rick Salone of Clayton nearly missed this year’s festival, forgetting it concluded Sunday.

The sounds of gospel and Mexican banda music drew them in as they headed home after breakfast at the Marriott Hotel with sons Ricky and Michael, ages 7 and 3.

“We said ‘let’s turn around,’ ” Rick Salone said, adding that he’s long appreciated the fun found at Cityfolk’s annual event.

The festival’s large assortment of food — corn on the cob, grilled sausages, Cajun shrimp, giant fried pork tenderloins, overstuffed tacos, to name a few — tempted the family’s taste buds.

“We’re coming back later to eat,” Crenee Salone said, regretting her brood had already eaten. “The food looks so good.”

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Hey rob, it's a music and culture fest, and a free one at that. It's not a carnival. And good lukc trying to find any festival or event with cheaper pop or beer or most food. No one was chargning $10. BTW, Centerville couldn't get close to performer talent for ther festival if they tried. But go and hang with your fellow Klansmen if you hate Dayton so much if you so please.

retary ciders
12:55 PM, 7/6/2009

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I will never attend another Dragons game the same night as the festival. While it was nice to stay and see the fireworks, the traffic afterward was terrible. Traffic control was non-exsistant. We waited 45 minutes just to leave the parking lot. While we sat there, a group of 7 young adults (headed back to the westside) packed into a car beside us and smoked weed. The stuff was so green that the odor smelled like burning brush. But this is Dayton, what did I expect, hookers? C'ville here we come!

BIG Dave
10:32 AM, 7/6/2009

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There needs to be a better job of directing traffic after the fireworks downtown...it was awful getting out...i spent more time tring to get out than i did enjoying the show

jon
10:16 AM, 7/6/2009

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Come to Centerville - no crime, crack heads, murders, panhandlers (with or without a license), plenty of police and fireman, and the Mayor does not wear a silly hat with mismatched glasses. Went to both - hands down Venterville was better. Oh and the fireworks Dayton had for 13 minutes...eeh. 31 minutes in Centerville!!

Come to CENTERVILLE
9:33 AM, 7/6/2009

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City Folk has become a tradition for my family. As the an adult who is the youngest of four, City Folk offers my family an experience to gather, some of us from out of town, and enjoy a great weekend in the city in which we grew up. Thank you to all the volunteers and officers that makes this great tradition happen! Keep City folk Downtown! It's a strong pull for our community.
For those complaining about the traffic, maybe it would have been managable if you came downtown from time to time!

Joe
9:20 AM, 7/6/2009

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