News Article 2001 - It's Showtime - by Lewis 'Woody' Underwood

People ask us about the level of our anxieties with the events of the Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive rapidly approaching, and our answer now is, ‘Bring them on! We’re ready.’ After 8 months of vigorous planning for this year’s Charity Drive, we are indeed ready for the Big Show to begin. Besides, getting the support of an unprecedented 6 Platinum Sponsors this year from Chonburi Siam Steel Mill Services, Pattaya Mail, Shenanigan’s, Orkide Ekspressen, BJ Services and Siemens Westinghouse, is a great anxiety reducer!

The Jesters’ Children’s Fair is this Sunday, September 16th, which commences at 10 AM in the rear of the Siam Bayshore Resort on the grassy stretch next to the tennis courts. The Sponsored Cycle Ride, which is expecting 200 + riders, will leave from the front of the hotel at the Bali Hai on the beach side at 8 AM (registration starts at 6 AM on site, while pre-registration will occur the day before at Shenanigans on Saturday, September 15th, between 6 PM and 9 PM).

The Fair site, which is next to the tennis courts in the back of the Siam Bayshore, can be accessed from 2 points: The Beach Road or Pattaya 2 Road. The front entrance to the hotel is located towards the south end of the Beach Road across from the Bali Hai Chinese Restaurant on the beach, near where the construction of the new marina is in progress. The rear entrance off the Pattaya 2 is located between the Baiyoke Hotel and OD Bowl and is more difficult to spot unless one is actually looking for it. There are now signs on the power poles near the entrance to make it easier to spot. On the day, there will be a huge arched sign over the entrance with balloons and tall tube sacks powered by fans.

Parking may present a bit of a problem on the actual grounds of the hotel. Though there is parking available inside, it is limited and will most likely be filled quickly with vehicles from event staff, stallholders, equipment transport and rubbish removal. Parking is doable, however, on the Beach Road in the front of the hotel and along the Pattaya 2 Road.

After brief welcoming addresses from the VIP’s, the Fair, with more stalls than ever and a chockablock program of events, will be officially opened. The opening time will most likely coincide with the arrival of the front-running cyclists from the Sponsored Cycle Ride. Live music will ensue followed by the start of the children’s programs.

Special features this year for the kids are a full-length puppet show on stage and Royal Garden Spa and Fitness Center’s Hanna with her aerobics show, mini-Olympics and other fun and games. Simultaneously, hubby, Sean, will be doing his tennis carnival on the court next to the Fair site.

Moreover, once again there will be the climbing wall sponsored by JVK Movers under the shade of the trees next to their volleyball net put up for impromptu games. The bouncy castle and clown on stilts with his balloons will also be present to augment the 7 school stalls, each with their own children’s activities. Ripley’s will also have a stall again this year featuring 4 different games.

The Children’s Raffle booth run by Mike Franklin and the friendly staff from Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital has the greatest list of prizes ever collected thus far, including the giant teddy (Bertie Biker), a child’s size Harley, TV, DVD & CD players, bicycles, etc. Tickets for which will be 20 baht apiece, 200 baht for a book of 12, or 3 books for 500 baht and will only be sold on the day between 10 AM and 2 PM. For a complete list of the prizes, please visit our website. (Note: please remember that for the Children’s Raffle drawing, circa 2:30 – 3 PM, the holders of the winning tickets must be present.)

There is plenty to see and do for adults as well, with a variety of stalls offering international cuisine, handicrafts, used books, knick-knacks, in addition to the Jesters Beer tent, which will be selling donated beer from local businesses. Live music this year will be provided by Rick and Harpic in addition to a one-hour set from ‘flow’, who are on a promo tour for the new CD ‘seeds’. And to top off the day’s event, there will be the resumption of the legendary tug-of-war contest. Yes, the rope has already showed up this year.

Entrance fee to the Jesters Children’s Fair is free for children under 12 and 50 baht for adults, who receive a 64-page fair program guide with one free Children’s Raffle ticket inside.

The weekend after the Children’s Fair will be the Pub Night on Saturday, September 22nd, at Shenanigan’s beginning at 6 PM. This fun night of raffles and auctions interspersed with live music will be the culmination of the Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive 2001. This celebratory evening will see the drawing for the Grand Raffle prizes, the top of which consist of 2 air tickets for Bangkok-Sydney return on British Air/Qantas, 1 air ticket for Bangkok-Vienna return on Lauda Air, 2 air tickets for Bangkok-Samui return with 2-night/ 3-day hotel package, year membership at the Royal Garden Spa and Fitness, year membership at Dusit Resort Gym, TV and DVD set, Tibetan ‘Tiger Skin’ carpet, etc.

Some of the items to be auctioned this year will be children’s paintings from the Fountain of Life Center, engraved mirrors from Stephen Gormley, a large Burmese tapestry donated by McAllister’s, a year membership from Eastern Star Golf and Country Club, the giant pasty from M&M, Formula One collector’s car, and much more.

Also this year, since the Shenanigan’s staff expects to be inundated and the Pattaya Panthers want to generate more money for charity, they will hold a ‘slave auction’ at the beginning of the evening. This unique auction will involve providing rugby team members to the highest bidders to act as personal service staff for the night. Again, for a complete list of raffle prizes and auction items, please refer to our wonderful website constructed by Susie Ngamsuwan listed above. (Note: Holders of the winning tickets for the Grand Raffle on Pub Night prizes need not be present to win.)

The house band, The Zone, as well as Rick and Harpic and Pop’s All-Stars will provide live music on the night. Parking at the Pub Night is not the problem it may seem to some, as the underground lot at the Royal Garden Plaza is open until 2 AM. The stage is now set for both the Jesters Children’s Fair and the Pub Night. So let the show begin!