Yeah, seven or nine of the
pleasant morning, Mark Wittenberg
is here from Harbor Fest.
Yes, it's coming back.
You know, they always what's
that thing they have out on the
West Coast?
Conchita.
What is that?
Coachella?
Something like that?
Cochia.
Cochia, Coachella, whatever.
That's nothing.
We got Harbor Fest here in
Racine.
And the money it costs to get into
Harbor Fest is like one
scintilla.
Oh, he cost to go to Coachella,
Cochita, whatever that is out
there.
We don't kill.
We got Harbor Fest here.
And Mark, thanks for coming in.
How long has it been since Harbor
Fest was around in Racine?
2007 was the last time it played.
And it's back.
It's back with a vengeance.
Okay, give us the dates for Harbor
Fest now.
June 13th, three o'clock to
11 o'clock in June 14th.
Noon to 11 p.m.
Bet you're praying for this
weather that we're having today.
We are.
We are hard.
For sure.
This is it.
This is like perfect weather.
And this is we're going to be
we're now.
Festival hall downtown Racine.
Now in the backyard, right?
That's correct.
Two stages.
Beautiful location on Lake
Michigan.
They play in the backyard, but
right on the lake front there.
Absolutely.
Two stages.
Constant music.
Correct.
And give us some of the
bands you got.
Well, on Friday we have a
tribute band.
Four or tribute band feels
like the first time.
And we also have a
sticks tribute band in the
sticks.
And we.
We've kind of mixed some local
talent with some regional
talent.
And then on Saturday, we've
got headliner Bella Cain, which
is always a big draw for this
area.
And then my favorite.
And I've watched this group
play.
It's a heart to heart breaker.
It's a heart and pat
Benatar tribute band.
And then we've got some
additional talent.
And then on Saturday, we've got
headliner Bella Cain, which is
really great.
And then we've got some
additional local and regional
players earlier in the day.
So we've got some good
headliners.
It's going to be a lot of
fun.
Hope that foreign attribute
band plays jukebox hero.
Yeah.
You got it.
And the pat Benatar band.
Heart breaker.
It's a heart breaker.
Yeah.
You're good.
No, I'm not good.
I know the songs.
I can't sing them though.
Okay.
But one of the big things
you need is you need volunteers
to work.
Here's your chance to get
behind the counter like a
big shot and volunteer for
Harbor Fest.
And you need to put it on
your resume that you worked
at Harbor Fest.
You volunteered.
So how do people get involved
with this?
And what kind of volunteers
do you need?
Yeah.
We need volunteers, beverage
servers.
It have to be 21 years old.
We also need a couple of bartenders
people who have the mixology
experience for our VIP
location.
But we've got to mix a different
jobs on the ground, ticket sales,
those types of things.
And you can get involved by
collecting the products.
And you can get involved
by contacting us at Racine.
I'm sorry, contact at
Racine Harbor Fest.
You'll probably be talking
managing all the volunteer
work for us.
Or you can call me directly
and my phone number would be
available on the webpage.
Boots, drugs, live music.
And here's a term that's
really kicked in in the last few
years.
And I just doesn't roll off my
time.
A merch.
Not a merch in that.
A merch table.
Say it out there.
We do.
A Harbor Fest merch.
And I guess for the bands as
well, right?
No, the merchandise area is
all kinds of local vendors
that are going to be providing
items that tie to Wisconsin
or the theme of music.
It's pretty cool.
What's what some of these people
are doing with the music
theme and the outdoor theme
and the Wisconsin theme.
And they're all locally produced
products.
So we're kind of excited about
that area.
Yeah.
Okay.
If we'll get to the tickets,
give us some of the food
options that you expect to be
there.
Well, that's a great,
great call.
Jeff Marsh, one of my other
partners owns charcoal
grilled.
And so charcoal grill will be
represented there.
And that's the smell of charcoal
grill.
So what do you say?
Well, we have you in here.
If I would have got him in here,
we could add samples set up
in here this morning.
That was him.
Yeah.
You picked the wrong guy.
For sure.
Anyway, charcoal grill.
We got a local pizza,
Durango pizza.
We call him pizza man.
And then we have food trucks
representing Mexican Asian,
American fair, Italian beef.
We have shaved ice.
And my favorite.
And I know it's going to be
your favorite based on our
earlier discussion is delicious
desserts.
Oh, yeah.
All right.
Now we're talking.
Oh, that food is sounding good.
And I had that breakfast this
morning.
Yeah.
So everything sounds good this
morning.
Whoa.
This is the easiest way to do it.
Now again, this is one of
these things that came around
the last few years.
Food trucks.
Because you don't need a
kitchen set up for them.
They bring their own kitchen.
They bring everything.
They line up the trucks.
You go up to the window
and you get your food.
It's really good.
There's a lot of food trucks
there.
We have seven food trucks there.
Oh, sure.
charcoal grill have their own
food truck.
They're not doing a food truck.
They're going to do their
typical what they do at
state fair or summer fest.
They're going to have their own
area, which will not be a food truck.
Because they have a full kitchen
in festival.
They will have a kitchen.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That was fantastic.
great thing is to get in
your kitchen with that wonderful
smell of barbecue.
They killing me.
Yeah.
OK, got to go up starved.
All right.
Tickets now.
The ticket price is I mean,
it's less than going to a movie.
Well, we went into this knowing
that we were not going to
charge a lot of money for
harbors Fest.
We really just wanted to get
it up and running.
We're not for profit
organization.
We decided to sell tickets
for eight dollars in advance,
10 dollars day of.
And even the drink tickets.
We had a few dollars for a
16 ounce beverage.
And we just want people to come
down and enjoy themselves.
And support the
Racine area, but also
support support the sponsors.
I'm sorry, the charities
that we have established for
this event because we'll be
giving away up to 15% of our net
profits.
Oh, really?
Yeah, Sylvester has
outreach and also
the Racine County
Food Bank.
Well, that's a good idea.
Yeah, thank you.
That's a non greedy non
capitalistic approach.
I like that.
Now also, if you come
with my advice,
you say, oh, I kind of
stay at a hotel.
You give me discounts,
right?
Most of the hotels in the
area, if you just call them
and you mention Harbor Fest
or you go on to our website
and link to the hotel,
you will get a discount
for Harbor Fest.
So, yes, and we also
have a super VIP ticket
if you're interested
with the Delta Hotel.
You can get the whole weekend
for VIP tickets two nights
at a hotel, food, drink,
and all that for a special
price.
So, but you have to contact
us directly.
To be able to get that one.
I think I know the
secret handshake.
Yes.
That's what you get.
So, what's the VIP treatment?
Well, VIP treatment.
You got three VIP viewing
areas, both stages, as well
as in the VIP lounge area.
And you get food
from charcoal grill.
And you also get a VIP bar
access to it.
So, that is a special deal
and there's $75.
For a VIP ticket per day.
But the look
would you get?
And you get the Lincoln box.
The Abraham Lincoln box.
You get the special VIP
treatment.
It's actually a very cool
location right along the
lake.
Wow.
Hold on.
Hold on just a second here.
We're talking to Mark
Wittenberg, one of the co-directors
of Harbor Fest coming to town.
June 13th and 14th in
festival park.
WRGN will be at Harbor Fest.
Maybe I have our presence
out there.
You know, it's right down
the block.
I mean, we can walk the
equipment down the street
there.
Just put a backpack on and
drag a wagon with us to get
down there.
Mark Wittenberg is here.
He's one of the co-directors
of Harbor Fest coming to town
at festival park.
June 13th and 14th.
You can get tickets now
at the gate.
At the gate.
Or you can get them online,
if you'd like.
And also a lot of local
businesses and bars are
selling tickets, including
some of the hotels
are selling tickets.
So, just check them out.
And it's only $8 in advance,
$10 at the door.
Correct.
I mean, it's very inexpensive
to go.
I mean, you can't.
We went to a fast food
place yesterday.
I couldn't get anything
under $10.
And that was, you know,
that was, you know,
the burger and fries
and the drink.
Yeah.
And this is a whole day of
fun and adventure and
music and food.
10 bucks to get in.
Wow.
That's good.
June 13th and 14th.
Give us a little history.
Do you know the history of
Harbor Fest when it's first
started?
And do you know any of that
stuff?
Yes, I do.
We met with the team that
had a lot of fun.
Yeah.
Well, you asked me the last
time.
I remember it's here.
Like it's with you.
And attorney once they've
never asked a question.
You don't know the answer to.
Go ahead.
I don't know it as well as Gary
Sukho does because Gary had
involvement with it.
But I can tell you that it ran
for just short of 20 years.
Ended in 2007.
And towards the end of the
time of Harbor Fest, it was
being attended between eight
and 9,000 people per day.
And they were having
headliner bands like
38 special and Joe and
the black hearts.
They had some big names.
And we, if we're successful
and bringing this back year
after year, and people
support it, we're looking
to bring in a better
talent every year if we're
so fortunate to get the
support of the recene area
and people wanting to come
and enjoy Harbor Fest.
So this is a test run.
And you want to get a lot of
support for this because
that means it stays year after
year after year.
And if you get this beautiful
weather like you have to do,
we've had, we're pretty
lucky with the weather
around here lately.
Didn't have a rough winter.
And I'm looking what's going on
around the rest of the country.
And they always say,
well, you know, winter is
a cold.
Yeah, but the rest of the
year is gorgeous.
So let's not knock the weather
here.
Beautiful right on the
lakefront.
I'm very fortunate to live
at a block from the lakefront.
A block and a half.
And when I drive it in the
morning, I take a main street
down.
And when I hit down by
14th street, I see the sun
coming up over the lake.
It is cool.
It puts me in a good mood
in the morning.
And the best party is when
it's the winter months, I
get here at 530.
It's pitch dark outside.
It's not dark anymore.
No.
But in just one month, it'll
start to get darker.
It's time to believe that.
In the one month, we're going
to start getting darker
idea.
So for people just tuning in
because we do a morning show
and people tune in.
They get up and they,
we're talking about.
All right.
We're talking about harbor
fest.
Mark Wittenberg is the
co-director.
So the dates are June 13th
and 14th.
One of the, when does it
What are the hours?
Yeah.
On the 13th, it's open from
three o'clock in the afternoon
to 11.
And on Saturday, it starts at
noon.
But for those that are going
to be participating in the
lighthouse run, we've offered
to allow those runners and
them to get in ahead of us.
They can get in for three
from 11 to noon.
And enjoy because our food
vendors and our merchandise
vendors or your
merch vendors will be
available early in the
morning on Saturday.
So come make a day of it
with us.
That's right.
It's also flag day June 14th.
It's going to be a big
day.
Yeah.
Wow.
I forgot.
That's the lakefront.
The, um, the lighthouse
run that day.
So here's a little trick I
learned as a little kid
watching Hecklen Jekyll
cartoons on TV.
Now, Hecklen Jekyll.
Nobody knows who they are
anymore, but they were the
talking magpies.
They used to call them.
They were like crows, I
guess.
And when they needed to get
into some place and they
didn't want to pay or
then credentials, they used
to walk in backwards and
say, bye.
See you tomorrow.
See you tomorrow.
Bye.
See you tomorrow.
See if that works here.
It's just trying to walk
in backwards.
I think our security guys
might catch that, but I'm
not sure.
Well, I'm not if they didn't
watch Hecklen Jekyll
as a little kid.
They wouldn't catch that.
Okay.
Let's go for the bands again.
People tuning in.
You've got some great break.
You got a tribute band.
You got belly cane.
Let's talk about the dates
and the times for the bands.
Yeah.
Well, first on, uh, in the
afternoons, we are, we
really went after some local
and regional players.
In fact, we have one local
band on Saturday.
Stone Theory, who's a
local favorite,
weird science is another
local favorite band.
But on Saturday night,
hard to heartbreaker is one
of my favorites.
And I've, I've also heard
Belican is an outstanding
country music band.
Oh, yeah.
But on Friday night, we have
a foreigner and a
sticks tribute band.
And they're going to be
dueling each other on the
two stages.
Oh, really?
You'll be having, you'll
have to pop back and forth
to be able to listen to your
favorite jams.
Lady.
There you go.
You're singing again.
No, I can't sing it.
I could.
Now, but the big news is
you need volunteers to help
out.
And this is your chance to
help out.
And the money, some of the
money is going to charity.
So here's a big chance to
help out.
If you want to be a
volunteer, what special
trades do you need to be
a volunteer?
Well, you don't really
need any.
We'll just show up.
We are going to have some
pre-training a day a couple
of days before, late in the
afternoons for those of
you who work.
But if you do volunteer,
here's the big tip.
You get a, you get a
free harbor fest t-shirt.
And, and even better than
that, you get into the, you
get into the event both
days for free as long as
you're wearing your harbor
fest t-shirt.
Look at that.
All right.
The benefits are mounting
up.
You know, there was somebody
posted this picture.
I guess it was a McDonald's
or Burger King.
And it was a help wanted
side on their marquee.
And it's a looking for people
that show up on time.
That's what we're looking
for, Don.
You got it.
You got it.
You got it.
You got it.
You got it.
You got it.
You got it.
You got it.
Well, that's great.
So again, people want to
be a volunteer.
How do they go about the
process?
What is it?
I think go to our website.
And they can look for the
email address for you.
They'll sign up.
Gary Sukho has been
monitoring that.
And, or contact me through
my phone number, which is
also on the website for
tickets.
Because that's how you get
to this super VIP
ticket.
But you can buy both VIP
tickets and regular event
tickets online.
We're just trying to send
you to as many of the
local businesses as we can
because then you don't
have to pay the credit card
fee.
Oh, that's right.
I pay cash for everything
anyway.
So that's good for me.
All right, eight bucks
in advance.
$10 at the gate.
You can't beat the prices.
Again, it's June 13th
and 14th Harbor Fest.
Now, you say, well, you
can remind me this every
single day.
We're going to remind you
because we got lots of
tickets to give away.
I've got tickets.
Kurt Ballman.
I think has tickets to
give away.
Dan Marcus has tickets to
give away.
Everybody's giving away
four packs of tickets.
You got to listen for those
to win.
But, say, but I got eight
people I want to bring with
me.
Well, you could win four and
buy four.
I mean, you could do that.
That works.
But this is great.
You bring it back Harbor
Fest.
You want it to be a success.
So next year, you can do it.
How many years did you age
putting this whole thing
back together again?
It's been an interesting
year for all three of us.
Three people trying to pull
this off has been
advancing the journey.
Give the names.
Gary Sukko, who's
we're all neighbors.
And we just live in the same
neighborhood.
And we truly just wanted to
try to do something to help
the city of Racine.
So it's one drunken party
night.
Let's get Harbor fed back.
You are so spot on.
After we can do it.
You just told the story
after three cocktails.
We convinced ourselves we
could do this.
But I think we've learned that
the three of us alone.
It's a pretty big job.
And we'll probably
expand into the future with
a few other people.
But we do have a sub,
some subcommittee members
underneath us.
Paul Vance, who's our security
guy, which has been a wonderful
addition to our team.
And we've all brought in
family members to help us
too.
So we're going to pull this
off.
We won't be perfect.
But it'll still be a lot of
fun.
Bring a family member.
You got to drive his
license.
Yes, I did.
Good.
Drive this broom around and
clean up the place.
Correct.
Thank you, Mark.
We're coming in.
Thank you.
We appreciate it.