Popeye Picnic celebrates 36th year
<span>With new inflatables, new carnival rides and its usual full schedule of events, the Popeye Picnic enters its 36th year with the theme of "Popeye for President."</span>
<span>While 2015 is not an election year, the buildup to next year's presidential election has already begun, as has the push for Popeye's presidential campaign.</span>
<span>"Since it's election year coming up and everybody was getting ready to announce they were running for president, we figured Popeye is as good as any of them who are running," said Popeye Picnic Chairwoman Debbie Brooks. "As Mike (Brooks) says, he doesn't have to have security and all that and he wouldn't be any worse than any of the other ones who have thrown their hat into the ring.</span>
<span>"We've never had a political theme either and thought 'This is great, let's do a political theme.'"</span>
<span>Mike Brooks is Debbie's husband and treasurer of the picnic.</span>
<span>"You don't have any security issues with Popeye," Mike Brooks said. "You don't have to worry about anyone attacking Popeye."</span>
<span>On the subject of what makes Popeye a good presidential candidate, Debbie Brooks said she feels it's the character's strong morals.</span>
<span>"We figured he'd put a can of Spinach in every cabinet and be part of the Spinach Party," Debbie Brooks said. "We're always tossing around different ideas and we thought this was a good one this year."</span>
<span>Another change from previous years is State Street will not be closed to traffic. Debbie Brooks said organizers have been told there will be pedestrian crossing signs in place.</span>
<span>"Most of the stuff is free, that's what makes the picnic really good," she said. "Our only complaint was the street not being closed this year, but the coal trucks will not be running."</span>
<span>With State Street open, the majority of the picnic grounds will between State Street and Spring Street in front of Peace Lutheran Church.</span>
<span>"We've got a new stage that's being built for the bands," Debbie Brooks said. "You've got your (pro) wrestling down there, inflatables, petting zoo, everything will be in the middle part over there.</span>
<span>"It will seem like it will be more compact with all of the vendors."</span>
<span>The picnic will also have a newer carnival this year, with 12 rides.</span>
<span>"It's not the same carnival that's come the last three years," Brooks said. "This was one here four years ago and they only had eight rides at the time, but they added four more."</span>
<span>This year's musical performances will be by Mary's River Band, Barton Holler, Well Well Wells and Steve Kirn.</span>
<span>A new performer this year will be juggler, comedian and escapologist Stewart Miner, who will be performing on Saturday and Sunday.</span>
<span>"That will be interesting," Debbie Brooks said. "He's going to be like Houdini and stuff with trying to get out of the straightjacket and trying to get out of the crate with chains and stuff like that.</span>
<span>"There will be three shows on Saturday, but that will be juggling and comedy," Debbie Brooks said. "Sunday, we'll have the escapology, so you'll have to come to all of them and they're free."</span>
<span>Brooks originally told the Herald Tribune there will be no fireman's muster this year, but Chester Fire Chief Marty Bert said during last week's meeting of the Public Safety Committee that the Chester VFW reached out to his department to host the event Saturday afternoon.</span>
<span>Weather-wise, it looks to be a great time for an outdoor event. Daytime highs for all three days are forecasted to be in the upper 70s, with lows in the low-to-mid 50s under sunny to partly cloudy skies.</span>
<span>"As long as the weather holds out, we'll be good," Debbie Brooks said.</span>