Friends of the Festival Office Relocation
From Commercial Network Magazine, November 2003
By Pete Chaney
Friends of the Festival and Riverbend are a celebration of the Tennessee River and Chattanooga. What better place to have the Friends office than on the river, literally on the river?
Plans are in the works to have the office located on a barge being donated to the organization by TVA. It will be connected to the Veterans Boat Dock of VFW Post 4848 at 1491 Riverside Drive.
D.C. “Chip” Baker, executive director of Friends of the Festival, Inc., said the barge is expected to arrive at the Mussels Shoals TVA facility “any day.” It will be inspected there and repairs planned.
The organization had offices in the Civic Forum on Market Street until the area was razed to build a parking lot. They currently are located in a portion of the Signal Apparel Building on Manufacturers Road.
“Everyone is excited about the move to offices on a barge,” Baker said. “We can’t set a time table until we determine how much renovation must be done.”
Frank McDonald is the architect for the project. The vessel measures 120 feet by 30 feet and has a building on it. It has 34,000 square feet of space. Examination will determine if the building can be used or must be removed.
Offices, possible two stories high, will be built onto the barge. Access will be to the VFW dock after renovations to the site to accommodate the needs.
Electricity, water and sewage will be connected. Handicapped access is on the agenda.
A lease was signed with the Wilkes T. Thrasher VFW Post 4848 in June. Rent will commence when the barge is in place.
One advantage to the barge, according to Baker, is that during the Riverbend Festival it can be towed to the site of the festivity, allowing the office to be part of the scene.
This is actually the second barge. The first one was being towed to Mussels Shoals and a target date of October 2003 was anticipated. An accident in towing damaged the front end and it had to be abandoned.
TVA has been in process of moving the barge from Memphis through Paducah to Mussels Shoals.
“We have to go down and look at it,” Baker said, “to decide what has to be done. The original plan was to build from the deck. But the building now on it might be usable.”
It will be taken to Serodino boat shop for examination, which will include a complete inspection with a audio gauge.
He would like to have the floating office ready in time for next year’s Riverbend. This will be the 24th year of the festival and will run from June 11 to 19.
Baker said they were in process of shopping for talent now, which continues from September until March when acts are expected to be confirmed.
Eight full time employees work year around for the organization. Don Sharp is in charge of operations and Dixie Fuller handles talent booking.
Others with the firm are Administrative Assistant Barbara Agee, Marketing Director Sally Becker, Public Relations Director Sandy Hunt, Sales Director Tina Skaggs, Finance Director Donica Brandum and Volunteer Coordinator Patty Meadows.
In addition to Riverbend, the Friends of the Festival each year manage The Trail of Tears and the Ocoee River observances. They also assist other organizations in projects.
Financial impact of Riverbend on the Chattanooga area economy is estimated at $18-million a year.
Sharp, a retired air force veterans, has expertise in fireworks displays and lends his talent to various groups. Fuller, son of former Hamilton County Commissioner Flop Fuller, was road manager for the Alabama Band.
Baker said his whole staff was anxious to relocate on the barge office and to be near VFW Post 4848. He said the officers and members of the post had been “most cooperative” and anxious to have the barge attached to the dock.
Modifications to the dock will be made as needed. The Veterans Dock now is 40 feet by eight feet.
Friends of the Festival is quartered at 200A Manufacturers Road, Suite 103, Chattanooga, TN 37405. The phone is 756-2212, with the fax number 756-2719. Email address for Baker is chip@friendsofthefestival.com. The Website is www.riverbendfestival.com.