In the end, it was a joint effort. The contest to rename MARCaritaville, the popular annual fundraiser for Meadville Area Recreation Complex, combined three of the 73 entries received to form a brand-new name for the event.
Henceforth, celebrants will feast and dance the night away at MARCaribbean: One ReMARCable Night.
For suggesting the MARC-aribbean (MARK-uh-rib-ee-uhn) part of the new name, Meadville attorney Gregory Keenan, a resident of West Mead Township, was named winner of the grand prize: four tickets to MARCaribbean: One ReMARCable Night and his choice of a pool pass for this summer or a rink pass for the winter of 2010-11.
For the ReMARCable part of the new name, former Grand Kahuna candidate Dana DeArment of Vernon Township, who submitted “Summer’s Most ReMARCable Night” and Joanne Dederick, who submitted “The ReMARCable Beach Party,” will share a newly created second-place award. Both will receive two tickets to MARCaribbean: One ReMARCable Night and their choice of a pool or rink pass.
This year’s event is scheduled for Aug. 13.
Keenan and DeArment are both familiar faces at the MARC, Assistant Director Chris Nuzback said Thursday. In fact, Keenan’s son has worked at the pool, and DeArment’s son and daughter are both active skaters.
“I really appreciate everyone’s submission,” Nuzback said. “There were a lot of good ones.”
In response to a threatened lawsuit on behalf of an apparently outraged Jimmy Buffett, Meadville Area Recreation Authority announced in December 2009 that the name of the annual fundraiser at Meadville Area Recreation Complex — the MARC in MARCaritaville — would be changed.
For pop-rock entertainer Buffett, Margaritaville (yes, the two names are spelled differently), grew from the name of one of his greatest hits (1977) into lines of merchandise, restaurants and cafes. That name and — and any variation deemed threatening to the Buffet empire — are staunchly protected against copyright infringement. Buffett’s attorneys made their displeasure known to Meadville Area Recreation Complex administrators in a letter late last year.
Since the cost-conscious facility already has all the necessary props for an event where the wearing of tropical-casual attire and plenty of silk-flower leis was encouraged and whose grand finale was the crowning of King and Queen Kahuna, the event’s organizing committee asked those participating in the re-name-MARCaritaville contest to stick with a tropical theme.
Other popular submissions included “A Polynesian Pool Party,” “Poolside Paradise,” “MARCdi Gras,” “MARC-apalooza” and “Kahuna-palooza.”
“I liked ‘Kahunaville,’ but someone else already copyrighted it,” Executive Director Mike Fisher said sadly.
Kahuna
candidates named
Nuzback also announced the 2010 King and Queen Kahuna teams: Dr. David Booth and his wife, Carrie; Sharon and Chuck Sorg; LeRoy Stearns, running with both a dog and a cat mascot; Tiffany and Ed Leech; and Chris Nuzback and Jimmy Gilbert, a past Kahuna candidate who had so much fun last year that he begged Nuzback to find a way for him to do it again.
When it comes to the hotly-contested Kahuna race, “the true winner is the rec complex,” Nuzback said. “That’s what it’s all about. But it is fun to do.” The Kahuna contest is expected to kick off with a splash next week.
As for the party itself, tickets are $25 per person — and they’ll be on sale soon.
Only 600 tickets will be printed, so those who fail to order early traditionally find themselves having to find something else to do on party night. To order with a credit card, call MARC at 724-6006 or mail checks to Meadville Area Recreation Complex, 800 Thurston Road, Mead-ville, Pa. 16335.
Mary Spicer can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at mspicer@meadvilletribune.com.
