The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-12
Festival Association Has Spent $4,000
Preparing for the Double Event
of the Week.
BEAUTY OF ENTIRE FIELD
DECORATIONS AND EXAMINATIONS
ARE ABUNDANT.
Description Of the Festival Field and
the Horse show Arcna-FestivaI
Field Attractions.

The fall festival and horse show will be
formally opened tomorrow night. With
the opening Of the gates the Indianapolis
Fall Festival Association and its staff OF
committees will have completed their work
and the rest will be with the public. That
the preparations for the festival and horse
show have been ample is demonstrated by
the appearance OF Festival Field and the
show ring. The magnitude of the festival
enterprise and the horse show may be best
stated, probably, in the matter OF dollars
and cents. with the opening of the gates
and the daily items of maintenance the
Festival Association will be obligated for
total outlay of approximately $4,000 This
in itself is a small fortune. but the invest
ment is predicated upon the confidence OF
the association in the people Of Indianapo-
lis and the immediate vicinity. The pur-
pose of the association has been at all times
TO provide high-class, well-managed en-
tertainment. and in doing this the rule has
been to get the best at its fair price. This
rule has applied equally to the minutae as
the big items.
The result of this policy will be submit
ted for public approval tomorrow night.
That this approval will be spontaneous and
generous is not to be doubted, for, intrin-
claim to worth and value Past expert
ences were the chief guide posts OF the
ISOLATION. 1t was conceded at the outset
that the festivals of the past two years
were not on the popular basis. The use
of the downtown streets involved hasty and
incomplete preparations, without the adj
vantage Of sufficient area. Besides, the oc-
cupancy OF a number of streets brought
discomfort and dissatisfaction to portion
OF the people and produced some friction.
To avoid these the committee selected the
nearest available site for holding both the
festival and the horse show. Festival Field
Is the old show ground. 1t contains twen-
ty-one acres and is adaptable TO the pres
ent uses. To consider such an area meant
an enormous expense to inclose II, for
wooden fencing was necessary, although
the committee had at first planned to use
canvas but inability to procure material
caused the abandonment OF this idea. Such
an area brought another great source of
expense. 1t must be decorated; consequent
ly there were over one thousand fiagstaffs
each six feet high, bearing the illumina-
ton, the red and yellow and white and
green confalon and American flags that
compose the features Of decoration. The
fence Is lighted and decorated in this man
ner around the entire Enclosure. The horse
show meant another great source of ex-
pense. Grand stands of ample capacity
must be built. To build them, even for
temporary purposes. meant practically the
same cost as for permanent use. With con-
fidence that the public would approve and
patronize the horse show the committee ex-
pended about $4,000 in providing the finest,
securest and most comfortable out-of-door
horse show arena that is to be found in the
country. The size OF the grand stands and
width Of the arena involved extraordinary
expense for decoration and illumination.
THE APPEARANCE TO-DAY
A visit TO Festival Field to-day will con-
vince anyone that no matter what the out
come of the enterprise may be the asso-
citation has not failed in its purpose. The
spectacle is one TO inspire the fullest con-
fidence. 1t is scene of life and color, Of
symmetry and beauty. 1t possesses every
characteristic that il should possess to be
comprehensive of its various features.
Let the visitor alight from the street
car at the entrance to Festival Field. He
will find the route TO this entrance marked
by decorations of the street car poles; the
entrance itself will at once prove an invita-
ton to enter. 1t is three-arch gateway
of art Loveau design, painted yellow, with
red trimmings and decorations. Over II
there is a row of grotesque heads; above
this trellis work supporting urns from
which natural vines depend. The interior
of festival field Is no less inviting. The
promenade is 100 feet wide and a half mile
in length Its width is marked by an inner
and an outer oval OF electric lights and
flagstaff decorations. Beyond the outer
line are the tented attractions that are to
please popular demands. In the center are
the free attractions that are to amuse dur
ing the idle hours. From festival field a
roadway leads to the east grand stand of
the horse show and provides a direct en-
trance TO that entertainment 1t should
be here stated that Festival Field and its
attractions are a separate entertainment
from the horse show.
block from the entrance to Festival
Field is the horse show entrance. IL is
made OF Roman columns and is provided
for brilliant illumination. 1t leads into a
foyer where another row of large Roman
columns arks the outward edge of the
arena promenade. To the right of this
foyer is the clubhouse. A rustic structure
OF inviting appearance. and intended for the
use OF all the holders of season tickets.
Beyond the second row of Roman columns,
the arena appears as a vast spectacle. A
space 100x3O0 feet is inclosed in white fences
the top ratings OF which are covered with
white muslin. The surface OF this arena
is covered with tan bark. a material that
prevents dust and noise and contributes
to the ease and security OF the horses while
performing. Ii is also restful TO the eye
being a rich brown and the odor from II
is pleasant.
OTHER FEATURES
The promenade that surrounds this arena
Is twenty feet wide and gradually raised
toward the grand stands. so that those who
secure general admission may have equal
advantages in Witnessing the performances
of the classes. over this arena three rows
OF electric arc lights. ten in each row. and
each having a candle power of 1900 are
suspended. These lights in their final test
last night show that the supply was more
SUFFICIENT for the purpose making
every object distinct at any distance. Inc
grand stands that parallel with the
length OF the arena, are faced with decora-