Rising to the Occasion
Excerpted from the June 11, 2003 Times-Argus "Talk of the Town" section
Hundreds of supporters turned out Sunday for the Phoenix Fest benefit at Vermont College for victims of the downtown fire that forced 4 businesses to close.
Under blue skies and bright sunshine, vendors set up around the green as The Lindner Brothers warmed things up with Bluegrass tunes.
Many who attended said it brought back memories of the former Midsummer Festival of music that used to grace the college's green. Vermont College, now a part of The Union Institute and University of Cincinnati, Ohio, donated the space.
The musical extravaganza included jazz, bluegrass, folk and rock music in an uninterrupted medley of sound that last nearly 8 hours.
"It just so far exceeds my wildest hopes," said Diane Manion of the Onion River Arts Council. "We raised over $15,000 and there's still money coming in."
The money will go to the employees of the 4 businesses affected by the May 24 fire: Heads Up hair and beauty salon, Play It Again Sam music store, the Country Store and Charlie O's bar.
Attendance swelled to over 500 at a given time. Offerings included barbecue, exotic Italian and French pizza, salads and Asian food.