No festival again in Lynchburg as bateaux set off today

LYNCHBURG -- For the second year in a row, downtown Lynchburg will not float its own festivities today when the James River Batteau Festival launches from the city.

For about 20 years, Lynchburg held a carnival-like "Festival by the James" to coincide with the launch of the bateaux for their eight-day journey from Lynchburg to Richmond.

Last year, bateau festival participants and many spectators were surprised that Lynchburg didn't have its own festival.

This year, other than a couple of vendors selling bateau-related items, the downtown community has no specific plan to market to the hundreds of visitors drawn by the bateaux. On Wednesday, some downtown business owners didn't know the festival would start this weekend.

Buddy High, this year's James River Batteau Festival chairman, said it is disappointing that Lynchburg won't have an event.

"The 15 years that I've been involved with it, Lynch's Landing and Lynchburg always had a big thing going on," he said. "Last year, they decided they wouldn't do anything."

"That was sorely missed last year," said Andrew Steger, manager of the Depot Grille downtown. "Last year, it seemed like it was just not that big a deal."

Angela Hamilton, executive director of the downtown revitalization agency Lynch's Landing, said the group did not plan to host a carnival with the bateau festival after the Jamestown 400th anniversary celebration in 2007.

This year, putting on an event is not feasible because of construction at Riverfront Festival Park, she said. Lynch's Landing officials are considering holding it in future years.

High said he would like to see Lynchburg revive its celebration of the festival:

"The more people you can pull in, the more money they can spend, the more money that can be generated for the community."