Terre Logsdon – Record-Bee staff
LAKEPORT ? Although the weekend began a little cooler and more windy than was hoped for, many businesses and residents reported that the weekend was a good one for Lake County.
“We had quite a few visitors this weekend,” reported Linda Armstrong, manager of the Lake County Visitor Information Center. Armstrong said that most visitors asked for suggestions on where to eat, but more often, on what to do.
One thing that over 6,000 people did this weekend was attend the “Konocti Presents” concerts at Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa. President and General Manager Greg Bennett said the weekend was “Outstanding as usual. The weather was a little bit nippy, but it was our 17th one.”
The resort was fully booked all three nights of the weekend, he said, and the concerts, despite the cold, attracted 6,000 people. “It was a great way to kick off the summer!”
Agreeing with Bennett about the weather and the great kick-off to summer was Melisa Fulton, executive director of the Lakeport Regional Chamber of Commerce. “We could have used a little bit warmer weather,” Fulton said, but the parade in downtown Lakeport was well attended and the Kiwanis Craft Fair was very successful.
Having a successful craft fair helped the owner of the Lakeport English Inn, Karan Mackey, who held an antique sale on Saturday. The inn is located across the street from where the craft fair was held, “so Memorial Day weekend is always busy for me,” she said.
Also busy was Disney”s Water Sports, in Lakeport. Roy Disney, co-owner, said that even the cooler weather didn”t keep people from renting a craft to get out on the lake. Popular were fishing boats for families, ski boats and wave runners.
“We also rent kayaks and paddle boats,” Disney said, “and they were a big success this weekend. They”re a quiet and serene way to view the wildlife, without the noise of an engine,” and Disney reported that many people rented these watercraft and headed to places like Rodman Slough to see herons up close after they had given them a brief orientation to the attractions of Clear Lake.
Many other people were attracted to the lake shore ? but still wanted an outdoor experience in Lake County. “All campsites at Clear Lake State Park were reserved prior to the weekend,” according to park aide Shelley Derr, who reported that they had a good crowd that was very family-oriented.
The Best Western El Grande Inn reports that families were the mainstay at their Clear Lake hotel. Manager Anna Ocon said they, too, were sold out all weekend and were very busy in the restaurant with families who were visiting to see the concerts at Konocti Harbor.
Joey Luiz, tasting room manager for Shannon Ridge in Clear Lake Oaks said they had “one of the best weekends ever,” which was helped by their case sale, which had been advertised along Highway 20 and drew people in.
Luiz reported that the visitors to the tasting room were half locals and half out-of-towners. “The local crowd was larger than usual. It was an excellent, excellent weekend.”
Amelia Phillip, cook for The Skyroom at Lampson Airfield in Lakeport, said that Sunday was normal for their brunch, but Monday was busier than expected.
The only reported downside to the weekend was the toll on county parks. Dana Smalley, park superintendent, reported that the clean-up of trash continued Tuesday at many area parks.
“This particular year was kind of bad,” Smalley said. “There were lots of cans and broken bottles ? looks like a lot of drinking occurred. Cans are one thing, but bottles can be horrendous.”
He also reported that household trash had been disposed of in park dumpsters.
“It will take three times as long as normal to clean up after this weekend,” Smalley said. “It goes with not only the holidays, but as the weather warms up.”
The cleaning of the parks should get easier, however, as the ban on drinking alcohol ? not just alcohol in glass containers, but all alcohol ? begins June 1 in Lakeport and June 9 countywide, no matter what the weather.
Maryann Schmid, owner of The Lodge at Blue Lakes, said, “Nobody cared about the cool weather! They just wanted to have fun,” and thousands of visitors to the county and residents did just that this weekend ? they had fun.
