Area gearing up for annual Thunder in the Valley

By BRIANNA LAUTTAMUS, staff writer

WINTERSVILLE - The annual Thunder in the Valley festival is slated to take place Friday and Saturday, and organizers are excited about what they have in store for festival-goers this year.

Tom Straka, festival chairman, noted officials have had a few "minor setbacks" this year in the planning process, but they are ready to hold the festival in its new location at Treasure Island Market Place.

"We had to move from the (Jefferson County) Air Park to the Treasure Island flea market this year because we couldn't let off fireworks at the air park," Straka said. "But after I found that out, I went to work right away on a new location because I'm not going to let this festival die."

Straka added the new location will allow attendance to be greater.

"It's going to work real well for us, I'm sure," Straka said. "The flea market is central. I believe the move will be good for us. This will probably be a permanent site, as long as we can work with the flea market."

Festivities will kick off at 6 p.m. Friday with Thunder Alley Paintball, train rides and a silent auction to select the Saturday celebrity paintball participants.

"The paintball is new this year," Straka said. "The winner of the auction will run back and forth to be shot at with paintballs on Saturday."

The paintball game will take place between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, he noted.

Possible paintball participants are Indian Creek Local School District board member Daniel Bove, Wintersville councilmen Robert Martin and Jason Mattern and Mayor Bob Gale.

Also on Friday, festival-goers can enjoy open karaoke from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., as well as food and craft vendors.

The festival will begin at 4 p.m. Saturday with the celebrity paintball game and a performance by vocalist Paul Grant from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. A karaoke contest will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The World of Life Church will perform from 8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., followed by the Fossils from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The festival will end with the annual fireworks display at 10 p.m.

"We're very excited about this year," Straka continued. "Next year we want to make it even better. We've got rides and games in the works for the children. As soon as this one's over, we'll be starting on next year's festival right away."

(Lauttamus may be contacted at bsadler@heraldstaronline.com.)