EVERETT – The confusion that’s surrounded the Salty Sea Days festival since last summer’s controversy over city funding is continuing on the eve of the 34th annual event.
A Saturday night fireworks show that was promised isn’t going to happen.
Also, Everett Salty Sea Days Association “transition director” Marion Pope is claiming that her group has nothing to do with the waterfront carnival that begins Thursday – even though the general manager of a Portland, Ore.-based carnival company said her organization is demanding $19,500 in fees.
And although Pope insisted the association has a temporary board of directors, she declined to reveal the names of any members.
In previous years, Pope and the association oversaw all festival events. But Pope, who stepped down as executive director during last summer’s controversy, said the group this year is only organizing Saturday’s parade. After the city in October ended its $70,000-a-year subsidy for the festival, the group found it financially impossible to organize the other events, she said.
Funtastic Traveling Shows and sister company Amusement Consulting Services were hoping to negotiate a five-year contract with the Salty Sea Days board to run the festival. But they never found out who – if anyone – sat on the board, said Funtastic co-owner Ron Burback, whose companies have operated the carnival almost since the festival began.
Since Burback and his colleagues gave up trying to negotiate with Salty Sea Days in early May, the companies have been scrambling to put together the waterfront carnival. The $19,500 fee is stipulated in a previous contract, Funtastic general manager Bill Blake said.
The continued tumult at Salty Sea Days has cost the event its fireworks show. The Salty Sea Days Web site lists the Dwayne Lane group of auto dealerships as the sponsor of a show Saturday night, but Sheila Countryman-Bean, marketing director for Lane, said her company has never been approached to sponsor this year’s event.
“We would have considered it,” Countryman-Bean said. “It’s been a tradition for us to sponsor it. But there’s been no communication. We were hoping someone would contact us.”
Burback didn’t know about the lack of fireworks until The Herald contacted him Tuesday. “I’m shocked,” he said. “She told us there were going to be fireworks. You just don’t do those things.”
Pope said the fireworks show is on the Web site because she assumed it would occur. Pope also was confident there will be another Salty Sea Days next year, adding a new board will form.
Reporter David Olson: 425-339-3452 or dolson@heraldnet.com.
Salty Sea Days
The Salty Sea Days carnival will run during the following times at the 10th Street boat launch:
* 4:30-11 p.m. Thursday
* 4:30 p.m.-midnight Friday
* Noon-midnight Saturday
* Noon-8 p.m. Sunday
The carnival will feature rides, food, arts and crafts vendors and a disc jockey.
The grand parade will begin at Colby Avenue and 26th Street at 11 a.m. Saturday, go south on Colby, east on Wall Street and return to 26th Street via Wetmore Avenue.
The Seattle Outboard Association Limited Hydro Races will be from noon-6 p.m. June 12 at Silver Lake.
The Rusty Relics Classic Car Show will be 9 a.m.-4 p.m. June 13 at Legion Park. There will be about 300 cars, ranging from antiques to modern sports cars, said Bev Wold, co-coordinator of the show.
The Salty Sea Days Web site says that the Hui Wa’a O Puget Sound Spring Regatta will take place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. June 13. Representatives were unavailable for comment. That group’s Web site also says the regatta is June 13 but does not list a time.
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