Chill, damp can't halt Whirligig Festival

The Wilson Whirligig Festival had a couple of firsts this year. For the first time in the event's history, it rained. But it didn't rain much, and nearly all of that occurred Saturday morning. The bigger issue was cold — it was the coldest Whirligig Festival yet. When the rain ended Saturday morning, the wind picked up, giving whirligigs a little rotation.

Every previous Whirligig Festival, if my memory serves me, was greeted by bright blue skies and cool but comfortable temperatures, just right for strolling down Nash Street and enjoying the exhibits. The cool temperatures had to hurt sales of ice cream and cool drinks, but the hot cider from the Wilson Woman's Club really hit the spot. The festival attracted the usual array of crafts and food vendors, many of them back from previous years. Nonprofits offered information from a number of booths, and the Wilson County Public Library bookmobile sold used books at a brisk pace. Strolling troubadours added to the festive atmosphere. Because the festival fell four days after the election, political parties were absent this year.

Despite the chill that dampened attendance a bit, the Whirligig Festival showed once again that Wilson is onto something with this gig. Most any town can hold a barbecue festival, spring festival, tobacco festival, bird festival, dogwood festival or collard festival, but few have a connection with and an international audience for whirligigs, the whimsical creations of internationally acclaimed folk artist Vollis Simpson. Vollis had a booth at the festival, and Downtown Development was promoting the Whirligig Park, which will collect, restore and erect the whirligigs now on Simpson's farm, saving them for future generations to enjoy.

Whirligig Park will give Wilson unique identity

National Park Service historian Dennis Montagna likes Vollis Simpson, Vollis Simpson's whirligigs, and the city of Wilson's plan for installing whirligigs on a vacant lot to create a Whirligig Park downtown. I'm not surprised. Simpson's whirligigs are on display at museums and public parks all over the world, and the works are just about universally admired by art curators and others whose artistic opinions are respected.

But when the city and state announced plans for the Whirligig Park, some know-nothings commented (anonymously, of course) on the newspaper's Web site that they didn't want that "junk" in Wilson. I'm sure they feel the same way about Chicago's iconic Picasso outdoor sculpture.

Simpson's whirligigs have already found a place in downtown Wilson, with two flanking the Nash Street-Tarboro Street intersection and another standing guard at the Employment Security Commission building. With only those installations, the whirligigs give an identity to downtown Wilson, setting it apart from other cities that would like to have unique identifier like those whirligigs.

The Whirligig Park can be a real attraction for Wilson — a place to take visitors and a sort of logo for the city. Wilson is not blessed with many natural wonders, and its trademark tobacco, antiques, trees and fine old homes are all things many another city can boast about. But whirligigs? They set this place apart. Montagna should know what he's talking about: Whirligigs are our Liberty Bell, Rodeo Drive, Gateway Arch or French Quarter — the thing that identifies where we are. Thanks, Vollis!

Downtown whirligigs will identify Wilson

Last week's announcement that 32 of Vollis Simpson's giant whirligigs will be moved off his farm near Lucama to downtown Wilson is terrific news for Wilson. Simpson's iconic whirligigs have attracted visitors for decades who marvel at the giant wind sculptures and, unfortunately, make up urban myths about their origins. Simpson has been recognized around the world for his whirligigs, which are considered a high form of folk art.

Some details remain to be worked out about moving the whirligigs. I understand the city does not actually own the two-acre site selected for placement of the whirligigs, for example, and funding has not been announced. But Simpson's whirligigs are so well known and admired (examples stand at the N.C. Museum of Art, the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Collection at Williamsburg, Va., at Olympic Park in Atlanta, Inner Harbor in Baltimore and numerous other locations) that raising money for this venture shouldn't be so hard. With Simpson in his 90s, it's important to nail down this deal now and plan for the repair, refurbishing and maintenance of these whirligigs.

Last week's announcement points to an important fact: Simpson's whirligigs give Wilson a unique identity. Forget about tobacco festivals, barbecue festivals, "bloomin'" festivals, fall festivals, coastal plain festivals, human domino falls, car shows, rubber duck races and all the rest. Scores of cities and towns can replicate those themes, but few, if any, can claim a whirligig as a symbol of local culture. Wilson's annual Whirligig Festival is growing in popularity and guarantees a unique identity for this town. This is the card Wilson has been dealt; it should play it.

New York paper gets it right about Vollis

The New York Times has done a terrific feature on Vollis Simpson, the "outdoor artist" who was recognized about 20 years ago by the N.C. Museum of Art, where one of his tall whirligigs stands. He's also been noticed by a number of other museums and arts aficianodos around the country. His big whirligigs are on permanent exhibit in Baltimore, Atlanta, New York, London and Wilson, plus some other places, I suppose. One of his smaller whirligigs is in my back yard, a birthday gift to my wife several years ago (it was one of the most appreciated gifts I ever gave her).

I was glad the Times article did not mention the urban legends that have surrounded Vollis' work, and in some instances overpowered the truth behind what he had created. Numerous times over the years of my work at the local newspaper, I fielded calls and e-mails from people — a great many of the East Carolina University students — who wanted the low-down on this farmer outside of Wilson who had gone crazy after his daughter was killed in a car wreck on his farm. Driven by his grief, the legend claimed, he built his monstrosities in his pasture as a tribute to this daughter. "None of that is true," I told my callers, though I think many of them didn't believe me. I made a habit of referring them to a Web site created by the Minnesota Science Museum, which was, at the time, the best explanation of Vollis' work.

I also cringed every time I heard someone (usually a longtime Wilson resident) refer to Simpson's whirligig field off Willing Worker Road as "Acid Park." Supposedly, the twirling reflectors put on quite a show if you're stoned, but that moniker disrespects and belittles Simpson's amazing achievement. The New York Times never mentioned "Acid Park." Let's bury that whole line of thought.

Whirligig Festival looks like it's coming of age

Wilson's fourth Whirligig Festival was blessed with just about perfect weather Saturday. Thousands of people crowded Nash Street to see the vendors selling crafts, food and other things. The festival continues this afternoon. Music is part of any good street festival, and the Whirligig Festival was no exception. A variety of musical styles were available. I wanted to hear The Tams, a doo-wop, rhythm-and-blues group from the 1960s. I was not disappointed.

Beneath clear blue skies, in the shade of the BB&T towers, The Tams presented a high-energy, entertaining sentimental journey back to the days of "What Kind of Fool," "I've Been Hurt" and all their other hits, the vocals syncopated by the aerobic dancing quick-steps that could easily be a fitness video. The group even threw in a little James Brown and Jimmy Buffet.

I've attended most of the previous Whirligig Festivals, as well as the other incarnations of Wilson street festivals (remember Saturday on the Town, the Golden Leaf Festival and Another Bloomin' Festival?), and this year's Whirligig Festival had the feeling of having arrived. Whirligigs, created by legendary folk artist Vollis Simpson, give the festival a unique theme — something that's not a food, a crop or a flower that is celebrated in so many festivals across the country. Vollis was there, as were his whirligigs. Four new ones have been erected at Wilson's beautiful new Paul V. Berry Hickory Grove Park, and several additional Vollis Simpson creations spin in the breeze at downtown locations. Miniature whirligigs were available for sale. A number of Wilson homes and back yards display the Simpson originals. The Whirligig Festival may have a ways to go to match Salisbury's Barbecue Festival or Wilmington's Azalea Festival, but after this weekend it looks like it's well on its way.

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Park highlights visitors center that should have been

The dedication Monday of the Paul V. Berry Hickory Grove Park drew a substantial crowd, as was appropriate. The park, which was more than five years in the making, is an amazingly peaceful and appealing setting on the site of the old Coon School annex. The former Coon School, a magnificent 1920s-style high school edifice, is now the Golden Leaf Apartments.

Standing on the park grounds, where four Vollis Simpson whirligigs were spinning in the breeze, my eyes were drawn to the brick bungalow on Broad Street, just a short stroll away. The building had been considered once as a visitors center, but that idea was unceremoniously abandoned. The new visitors center is in a sterile, unappealing strip mall storefront set back off U.S. 264 at the Interstate 95 interchange.

It was obvious during the dedication ceremony Monday that the Broad Street bungalow would have been the perfect site for a visitors center. Visitors arriving there could stroll down to the new Hickory Grove Park, where the city of Wilson had its humble beginnings. They could admire the Golden Leaf Apartments. They could walk across the street to the beautifully renovated Wilson County Public Library and its front lawn, which is a public park. The Edna Boykin Cultural Center, BB&T's twin towers, Imagination Station, downtown restaurants and other attractions are within walkable distances. I could easily imagine visitors to Wilson standing on the porches of the bungalow and looking down toward the park framed by the Golden Leaf Apartments and turning to look at the library's whirligig across the street and at the soaring BB&T towers. It would make quite an impression.

Meanwhile, out by the interstate, visitors to the new visitors center can stand out front and admire convenience stores, national chain fast-food joints, nondescript motels and passing cars. Oh, and a sign that says "Wilson, 8 miles." What a calling card Wilson has!