Bayside Festival Brings Out Big Crowd, but Was It for the Cup?

Young son in tow, Martin Gabey climbed to the top of the concrete pavilion on the Broadway Pier on Sunday and inched his way close to the gleaming, silver trophy on display beneath a red striped tent.

“There it is, Jeremy,” Gabey said to his 4-year-old boy as the two peered at the glass-encased prize. “The America’s Cup.”

Despite his obvious interest in the display, Gabey did not make a pilgrimage to view the cup because he’s a sailing devotee. In fact, he thinks the whole campaign by San Diego to host the 1991 America’s Cup race is a “big bunch of hype,” beneficial only to those who stand to make a buck off it.

“I came down today because I collect photographs of trophies,” said Gabey, a San Diego construction superintendent. “I’ve got one of the Stanley Cup, the Prince of Wales Cup and even a shot of an old NFL trophy from Vince Lombardi’s time. I figured I’d add this one to the lot.”

Daylong Extravaganza

Whatever their motive, thousands of San Diegans spent Father’s Day roaming the Broadway and B Street piers, scene of a dawn-to-dark extravaganza designed to rally support for the city’s bid to win designation as the site for yachting’s most prestigious race--the America’s Cup.

Beginning at 7 a.m. with a triathlon that drew more than 800 competitors, the San Diego Waterfront Festival featured bands, exhibits, games--even llama rides--and wound down at 9 p.m. with a splashy fireworks show.

On display at the festival’s hundreds of booths were goods and services as unrelated as chiropractic and scuba equipment. There was a sand-sculpting competition, face-painting and a place to give blood.

Police reported no major problems other than the usual traffic and parking headaches, and a few complaints from people hoping to catch a glimpse of Stars and Stripes, which is in Sardinia with skipper Dennis Conner for the 12-meter world championship sailing races.

Organizers, meanwhile, said a few missing signs and a backed-up toilet near the cup display were the toughest troubles they had to tackle during the bayside fete.

Crowd estimates ranged from 30,000 to 80,000; at midday, it was shoulder-to- shoulder on the pier planks and virtual gridlock in the tented beer garden. The food booths--which hawked everything from abalone chowder and pasta salad to sno-cones--also were besieged.

Near day’s end, Don Harrison, deputy director of the festival, declared the event “a great success.”

“It’s a happy crowd, you can tell by just looking at them,” Harrison said as a stream of browsers paraded by. “This is San Diego’s biggest party.”

Even the weather cooperated: The day brought clear skies and a stiff wind that scoffed at naysayers worried that San Diego lacks sailing conditions worthy of world-class yachting.

Ambivalent on Races

It was unclear, however, whether those amid the throng lining the two wharves were America’s Cup boosters or just folks looking for something to do on a sunny holiday.

Although Sen. Pete Wilson (R-Calif.) made an upbeat speech vowing that San Diego “is not only America’s Finest City but the only place for the America’s Cup,” few people seemed to pay much heed. As the senator spoke, the line to tour the Juneau, a 570-foot long Navy amphibious transport vessel docked at the Broadway Pier, was more than 100 deep.

“I’m sure a lot of people just came down to have a good time, eat and get some sun,” said Mark Title, volunteer coordinator for the Sail America syndicate. “A lot of San Diegans are ambivalent about all this. They want the race here because they’re proud of their city, but a major issue for San Diego is growth, and the America’s Cup will undoubtedly draw more people.”

Still, those hawking “official” Stars and Stripes paraphernalia reported brisk sales in everything from $7.50 pins to $19 jackets and $13 posters. And Mark Daniels, who presided over a 10-foot replica of Stars and Stripes with a hull used to hold donations, said the public interest was overwhelming.

“I’m amazed to see how excited little kids are about it all,” said Daniels, a mortgage banker and Sail America volunteer. “One kid who must have been only this tall told me he’s got the whole last (America’s Cup) race on tape. My God, I don’t even have a VCR!”

Whatever the depth of the public interest in both the race and San Diego’s chances at being named as the 1991 defense site, local civic leaders are definitely on the bandwagon. In addition to Wilson, Mayor Maureen O’Connor, Councilman Bill Cleator and county Supervisor Brian Bilbray were all on hand to tout the city’s virtues and whip up enthusiasm for the race.

To hammer home the point, the politicians sent off tongue-in-cheek messages to dignitaries in Hawaii, another hot contender in the fight to host the next race.

“The messages say that we understand Hawaii and Hawaiians are very interested in yacht racing and in the America’s Cup, and are very anxious to be part of the festivities,” Bilbray said. “And so we wanted to cordially invite them to visit San Diego and feel free to enjoy the race and celebration here in 1991.”

The missives will be delivered by sailors Sandy Purdon and Dr. Richard Virgilio, who have embarked on a solo sailing race to Honolulu, a journey of 2,300 miles that is expected to take from two to three weeks.