Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-06-21
VENETIAN NIGHT
WAS BIG HOLIDAY
FEATURE FRIDAY
IMPENDING RAIN ONLY Oh
STACLE THAT MARRIED EN-
TIRE SUCCESS OF EVENT

This city's second big Venetian
night celebration is now history, and
but for the impending rains of last
4 Friday night would have brought
record d-breaking crowd to our fair
1 city. Regardless of the latter fact
about twenty automobile loads Of peo-
/ pie from Ionia, an equal number from
Greenville and several from Saranac
! besides the other nearby towns, came
/ to help swell the crowd to an approx
mate totol of five thousand. Everyone
was enthusiastic in praising the work
of the decorators and the program
committee, and also the attractive
work of the people in the water pa
geant.
/ Hundreds Of Japanese lanterns were
I hung through the park, following the
course of the boulevard and also she'd
ding mellowed light through the broad
expanse between the drives. The paw
+ ilion was embroidered with innumer-
1 able lanterns and az series of colored
/ lights showered the middle with radi-
ance. The tiled pavilion at the rivers
edge was decorated with many lam
/ terms, parasols and fans, and here
\ the band was stationed to furnish mu
7 ic for the crowd. Across the river
/line of colored lights stretched along
! the bank and mirrored their beauty
in the clear depths. A searchlight,
I located on the top of factory '.'B" and
operated by Robert Olds, was con-
stantly played along the waters sur
face and all through the park. With
due respects to all other decorations,
nothing shown during the evening
was prettier or thrilled more than the
large flag hung on the East Main
street bridge and the reflection it
cast in the water when illuminated by
the searchlight.
Jessie and Helen Presley won the
first prize of ten dollars for the best
decorated boat. They had the whole
craft encircled with blossoms and
branches of trees. On the front were
/ four large butterflies. The second
prize, five dollars, was awarded to
Mrs. A. B. Hull, who had boat made
4 to represent large swan. From its
beak two ribbon lines extended back
to the occupants seat. The third
prize, was given to Wallie Helm, who
decorated his canoe to represent pre-
paredness. On the main deck was
mounted cannon, an aeroplane, an
eagle and other things meant to lend
color to the same idea.
The Maypole, in charge of Miss Ula
Grace, was wound on the lawn, adj
iacent to the red silk mill and east of
( the river bridge During the event
the band played and colored lights
were thrown on the dancers. Follow
\ ing the dance large float was towed
up the river carrying the fairies and
7 queen of the night IL was anchored
across the river from the park land
ing and from this point was shown nu-
merous tableaux such as Pocohontas,
Preparedness. Mutt & Jeff, Nydia, and
Flora. The lights for Illuminating
the tableaux were thrown from the
south bank of the river with a search
light, and also by an ingenious ar
rangement and distribution of lights,
made possible by the use of a large
storage battery on the float. The
tableaux were under the immediate
direction of Mrs. NJ A. Reed, assisted
by Mrs. Iva Hull, Miss Florence
Washburn and Miss Jessie Leonard.
| On the park shore moving pictures
were shown by the Empress theatre
management, and these could be seen
from all parts of the grounds. The
concessions booths, operated by all
the churches of the city, did not enjoy
as liberal patronage as would have
come to them had the weather been
more favorable. The receipts, $45.-
90 went to the city hospital
The electricians who were largely
responsible for the entire success of
the evening deserve much credit, and
the board of commerce takes pleasure
in publicly making acknowledgment
of their appreciation and thanks the
services of Robert Olds, John Sager,
John Andrews, Edgar Stanton, Ar
thur Waite, Frederick Kohn, Robert
Joens and to the other mechanics who
aided in this work, namely, Arthur
James, Chas. Coon and Frank Simons.
An enormous amount of material and
labor was required to produce the eff
fective spectacle. To work out and
complete the electrical display in the
park. over $4,000 feet of wire were us
ed 700 Tungsten lamps and 500 Jap
anese lanterns were hung. all within
the limits of the park. In addition
to this, much wiring and lights on the
opposite bank of the river.
The welcome sign which hung at
the entrance to the park made all who
saw it glad they had come. It was
worked out and made by John An
drews.
With the present years experience
to guide in making arrangements the
Venetian night feature may be ex-
pected to become a big annual treat
for this city.