By Fred Stabbert III
SULLIVAN COUNTY – From start to finish, the pre-July 4 weekend was a bash for Sullivan County.
Heavy traffic, both on the waterways and roadways, were welcome sights to many Sullivan County businesses and especially to Sullivan County Visitors Assn. President and CEO Roberta Byron-Lockwood.
“We’re thrilled,” Byron-Lockwood said yesterday afternoon. “What a great way to start the July 4 celebration.”
Byron-Lockwood said she traveled throughout the county and everywhere she went was mobbed.
“It was very busy – everywhere,” she said. “Everywhere was jammed, even the Delaware River.”
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts played to a full house on Saturday night, and the fans were greeted by a great performance by Dave Matthews and near perfect weather.
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts PR Director Matt McNeil called Saturday’s concert, “Fantastic.”
“It was a perfect night,” he said. “From the appreciative fans to an artist who loves them so.”
McNeil said he was particularly impressed “from a backstage perspective” with how much effort Dave Matthew’s road crew put in to insure that everything went perfect.
“They wanted to know how many were on the lawn and even added extra speakers,” McNeil said. “It was a lot of work, and we are still a little tired.”
McNeil said 16,000 fans were on hand Saturday, making it the second sold-out concert at Bethel Woods this season.
“These were professional rock-n-roll fans,” he said. “They all stayed until the end.”
This weekend, July 7, Bethel Woods will entertain the world-famous New York Philharmonic.
“It’s a big tradition and there are still plenty of seats available,” he said. “It will be a great night to hear your favorite songs and then see a fireworks display.”
Villa Roma General Manager Paul Carlucci said that with July 4 falling on a Wednesday, “it’s a little bit harder” getting guests to come up for the entire week.
“We’ll have 1,200 guests on property July 4,” he said. “Not a full house but a very good crowd.”
Carlucci said the five outdoor pools were also put to good use last weekend and the hotel is also planning fireworks on July 4.