Winter Festival will skip a year

Chairwoman Susan Waller says, despite the city’s offer of help, the festival can not be held in 2007.

By: Linda Seida
   Like the Shad Festival almost two years ago, another longtime tourist draw is suffering serious growing pains.
   The Lambertville-New Hope Winter Festival has been canceled for 2007, its 11th year, because of a lack of volunteers.
   "Several key committee chairpersons have taken on more responsibilities in their daily lives and could no longer devote sufficient time to the Winter Festival," Chairwoman Susan Waller said in a written statement.
   Lambertville Mayor David Del Vecchio said Friday the city is prepared to offer help if it would help keep the Winter Festival going.
   "We’d be happy to talk to anyone about playing a greater role," Mayor Del Vecchio said. "We’d be happy to explore that."
   When a lack of volunteers in recent years placed the award-winning Shad Festival in jeopardy, the city lent a hand by having Public Works employees help with the setup. Additional changes also were made to keep the festival alive when its longtime chairman, Steven Stegman, stepped down.
   Ms. Waller has not yet had the opportunity to speak with Mayor Del Vecchio, she said Tuesday. But she does plan to discuss it the festival with him as well as with New Hope Mayor Laurence Keller.
   However, Mayor Del Vecchio’s offer would not be enough to keep the event running in 2007, she said.
   "It’s a very difficult year for us to accomplish that," Ms. Waller said. "We just simply don’t have enough volunteers to accomplish the entire scope of the event," including "a myriad of administrative and hard grunt work" that takes place throughout the year in preparation for the festival.
   The 2007 festival cancellation came with "very, very, very mixed emotions," Ms. Waller said. "We did not make this decision lightly. Nor do we want anyone to think there will never be another festival."
   The Winter Festival originally was scheduled for Jan. 31 through Feb. 4.
   "Speaking frankly, I was a slow convert to Winter Fest," Mayor Del Vecchio said. "But I think that it’s a nice boost for residents and businesses in the middle of winter. I think residents like it because it gives them something to do in the middle of winter."
   The annual chili cook-off was one of the most popular events of the festival. It typically sold out. So, too, did Friday night concerts and pre-concert galas that featured big-name performers on the stage of the Stephen J. Buck Memorial Theater at New Hope-Solebury High School.
   The Winter Festival raised approximately $25,000 over the past five years. The money went to local police, fire and rescue squads, schools and community organizations.
   Ms. Waller put out a call for volunteers to help with the 2008 Winter Festival.
   "Rather than put on a festival that didn’t live up to the standards that have been set for the past 10 years, the Winter Festival board of directors and committee chairpersons decided that this would be a good time to regroup and devote time to making Winter Festival 2008 bigger and better than ever," Ms. Waller said in her written statement.
   Volunteers may e-mail Ms. Waller at [email protected] or call (215) 862-5067.