Image via WikipediaHeat doesn’t wilt happy fans as HullabaLOU gets under way
By Jeffrey Lee Puckett
jpuckett@courier-journal.com
Mike and Heather Bridwell stood in front of the Fleur de Lis stage on Friday at the inaugural HullabaLOU Music Festival at Churchill Downs, not quite wilting in the heat but certainly not ready to do calisthenics.
Many of the thousands in attendance were being extra careful as temperatures rose, but none had a better excuse than Heather Bridwell.
“I'm trying to stay cool for three — I'm carrying twins,” she said. “I'm drinking lots of water, lots and lots of water, which means I have to go to the bathroom a lot.”
Bon Jovi was going to make it all worthwhile for the Bridwells, who had driven from Shepherdsville for the first day of the three-day festival. The crowd was steady throughout the afternoon and early evening, but never overwhelming. Around 50,000 fans are expected over the course of the weekend.
“All the studies we looked at told us that Fridays are the softest day, so at this stage we're really pleased,” said Steve Sexton, president of Churchill Downs Entertainment. “We're going to learn something every day. A festival is a living, breathing, fan-friendly event.”
With forecasts calling for the hottest temperatures of the year, the big question was how fans would handle the heat as they gathered to see more than 65 bands, including Kenny Chesney, the Dave Matthews Band, Al Green, the Doobie Brothers, the B-52s, Jason Aldean and the Zac Brown Band.
When Friday's bands began playing at 1 p.m., a steady breeze took the edge off the heat. That changed as the day wore on, the temperature rose to 96 degrees, and the infield, where four of the festival's five stages were situated, began to bake.
As of 6:30, workers at Churchill Downs' first-aid stations said they'd had no heat-related problems. People were actually drinking as much water as beer, they said.
“It's been a very smart crowd for this heat,” said Dana Davidson, a nurse at one of the infield first aid tents. “We've given out a lot of Band-Aids. Lots of blisters, like at Derby. At Derby, it's women with high heels. Here it's sandals.”
Chris and Karen Dunn, of Louisville, were well-prepared for the heat.
They brought collapsible chairs with built-in sunshades and portable water misters. They had schedules planned for all three days, criss-crossing from stage to stage.
“We bought these chairs just for today but already had the misters,” said Karen Dunn, 55. “The people inside were nice enough to fill them up with ice for us.”
“This is really exciting for a first-year event, to have all of these big names,” she added.
HullabaLOU has been thought of as an event for an older demographic, since many of the bands are staples of classic rock radio. But there were plenty of 20-somethings — and even younger — running around, thanks largely to the power of Bon Jovi.
Eddie Alagna, 24, and Sarah Bondy, 21, were happy to see Train and Colbie Caillat, but New Jersey's Bon Jovi was the reason they came.
“Love Bon Jovi,” said Alagna, of Louisville. “This is my first big festival, and it's been great.”
“We watch a band and when we get overheated we head for the air conditioning,” said Bondy, also of Louisville.
“We'll keep going until we're exhausted,” Alagna said.
Misting tents were set up strategically in the infield, offering 20,000 square feet of instant cool, and were well-attended all day. Mike Weems, 39 and a festival veteran, cooled off in one between bands with Jessica Weems, 19, and Fawn McAnally, 22.
“Considering we're used to festivals, it's not bad,” said Weems, from Frankfort.
“It's bad for me — I'm shaking,” said McAnally, from Cincinnati. “Me and heat do not get along.”
Musicians also had a few heat issues. The B-52s' Kate Pierson, for example, said it took a lot of extra hairspray to keep her bouffant up.
But Lexington's Jeff Duncan, who performed with Thumper and the Plaid Rabbits on the Fleur de Lis stage, didn't care how hot it got.
“When I squinted my eyes, all of my dreams came true,” he said. “For 40 minutes it was like we were on the festival circuit.”
By Jeffrey Lee Puckett
jpuckett@courier-journal.com
Mike and Heather Bridwell stood in front of the Fleur de Lis stage on Friday at the inaugural HullabaLOU Music Festival at Churchill Downs, not quite wilting in the heat but certainly not ready to do calisthenics.
Many of the thousands in attendance were being extra careful as temperatures rose, but none had a better excuse than Heather Bridwell.
“I'm trying to stay cool for three — I'm carrying twins,” she said. “I'm drinking lots of water, lots and lots of water, which means I have to go to the bathroom a lot.”
Bon Jovi was going to make it all worthwhile for the Bridwells, who had driven from Shepherdsville for the first day of the three-day festival. The crowd was steady throughout the afternoon and early evening, but never overwhelming. Around 50,000 fans are expected over the course of the weekend.
“All the studies we looked at told us that Fridays are the softest day, so at this stage we're really pleased,” said Steve Sexton, president of Churchill Downs Entertainment. “We're going to learn something every day. A festival is a living, breathing, fan-friendly event.”
With forecasts calling for the hottest temperatures of the year, the big question was how fans would handle the heat as they gathered to see more than 65 bands, including Kenny Chesney, the Dave Matthews Band, Al Green, the Doobie Brothers, the B-52s, Jason Aldean and the Zac Brown Band.
When Friday's bands began playing at 1 p.m., a steady breeze took the edge off the heat. That changed as the day wore on, the temperature rose to 96 degrees, and the infield, where four of the festival's five stages were situated, began to bake.
As of 6:30, workers at Churchill Downs' first-aid stations said they'd had no heat-related problems. People were actually drinking as much water as beer, they said.
“It's been a very smart crowd for this heat,” said Dana Davidson, a nurse at one of the infield first aid tents. “We've given out a lot of Band-Aids. Lots of blisters, like at Derby. At Derby, it's women with high heels. Here it's sandals.”
Chris and Karen Dunn, of Louisville, were well-prepared for the heat.
They brought collapsible chairs with built-in sunshades and portable water misters. They had schedules planned for all three days, criss-crossing from stage to stage.
“We bought these chairs just for today but already had the misters,” said Karen Dunn, 55. “The people inside were nice enough to fill them up with ice for us.”
“This is really exciting for a first-year event, to have all of these big names,” she added.
HullabaLOU has been thought of as an event for an older demographic, since many of the bands are staples of classic rock radio. But there were plenty of 20-somethings — and even younger — running around, thanks largely to the power of Bon Jovi.
Eddie Alagna, 24, and Sarah Bondy, 21, were happy to see Train and Colbie Caillat, but New Jersey's Bon Jovi was the reason they came.
“Love Bon Jovi,” said Alagna, of Louisville. “This is my first big festival, and it's been great.”
“We watch a band and when we get overheated we head for the air conditioning,” said Bondy, also of Louisville.
“We'll keep going until we're exhausted,” Alagna said.
Misting tents were set up strategically in the infield, offering 20,000 square feet of instant cool, and were well-attended all day. Mike Weems, 39 and a festival veteran, cooled off in one between bands with Jessica Weems, 19, and Fawn McAnally, 22.
“Considering we're used to festivals, it's not bad,” said Weems, from Frankfort.
“It's bad for me — I'm shaking,” said McAnally, from Cincinnati. “Me and heat do not get along.”
Musicians also had a few heat issues. The B-52s' Kate Pierson, for example, said it took a lot of extra hairspray to keep her bouffant up.
But Lexington's Jeff Duncan, who performed with Thumper and the Plaid Rabbits on the Fleur de Lis stage, didn't care how hot it got.
“When I squinted my eyes, all of my dreams came true,” he said. “For 40 minutes it was like we were on the festival circuit.”
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