I've never had to suffer such an agonizing wait to get the entertainment I was looking for as I did on Sunday and Monday. For months on end, I patiently waited for the start of the Daytona 500, the Great American Race.
Several of my relatives made the trip down to Daytona Beach, Fla., but it wasn't in the budget for me this year.
As I sat in my dad's living room in Kennedy watching his house and dog for him while he was at the track, I was disappointed when the skies opened up and dumped water all over the 2.5-mile oval Sunday.
Article Photos
Highlights And Happenings With Scott Shelters
As the diehard fan that I am, I waited patiently as workers tried to dry the track, but Mother Nature just wasn't having it, and the race was postponed.
NASCAR pushed the start of the race back to noon Monday, which wouldn't have been a bad deal for me. I had planned to work Monday night to cover the opening night of Chautauqua's Got Talent and could've watched the race before I went to the event.
Then, of course, it rained more, and the start time got pushed back to 7 p.m., the same time Chautauqua's Got Talent started. I knew I wouldn't see the race live, so I called my relatives at the track and asked them not to call me during the "did you see that?" moments. With a little help from my grandparents, who agreed to tape the race for me since I don't have any sort of fancy digital recording device, I planned to watch the race as soon as I got home from work Monday night.
Following Chautauqua's Got Talent, I sat at my desk writing the article on the event for Tuesday's paper as I waited for the results to come in. Then, of course, my phone began ringing off the hook and the newsroom erupted in race-related noise shortly after Juan Pablo Montoya pulled off the difficult task of crashing his car into a safety vehicle during a caution flag.
That was when the element of surprise that I hoped to experience while watching the race began to unravel. It took workers so long to fix the track after Montoya caused an explosion by running into a jet dryer that I actually caught the end of the race live, which I didn't really want to do but could not resist.
Then, my grandpa hooked me up with the taped race, and I took it home. I immediately watched the race from flag-to-flag - skipping the two-hour delay - and finished up at about 4 a.m. Tuesday, nearly 40 hours after I had expected the race to start. I finally went to bed, feeling happy to have finally seen the Daytona 500.
If you're looking for entertainment this weekend, I hope no one keeps you waiting for two days. Here's what's happening:
HIGHLIGHTS
Tricia Brock, Bright Light Parade To Play Gateway Center: Presented by Family Life, "The 4:twelve Tour" is coming to the Gateway Center on Sunday at 2 p.m. The event is geared towards teens and youth groups, and will feature live rock music, Christian teaching, human obstacle courses, jousting, bungee runs and more.
Tricia Brock, from the Christian alternative rock band Superchick, will be performing, along with rock band Bright Light Parade. Brock's sound has been compared to mainstream artists such as No Doubt and Avril Lavigne.
Youth ministers Zane and Kandy Newton from Oklahoma will be keynote speakers.
General admission tickets are $18 in advance and $22 at the door. The price includes a pizza dinner. Group pricing is available for groups of 10 or more. Order tickets online at fln.org/tickets or by phone at 800-927-9083.
Chautauqua's Got Talent To Continue Monday: The second round of Chautauqua's Got Talent will be held Monday night at 7 in The Spire of Jamestown, located at 317 E. Third St. The 17 remaining acts will continue to compete for the $500 cash prize and a promotional press kit, including a website.
Tickets are on sale at Jamestown Savings Bank Arena and the Labyrinth Press Company for $6 pre-sale and $7 at the door per night, or $20 for a pass to all nights. Find and "like" Chautauqua's Got Talent on Facebook for opportunities to get discounts on tickets. The competition will be held Monday nights at The Spire through March 26.
HAPPENINGS
TONIGHT
Blue Grass Jam: 7-10, Celoron Legion, 26 Jackson Ave., Celoron. All area bluegrass musicians are welcome to sit in and play.
Driftwood With Well Worn Boot: 9, Mojo's, 104 E. Second St., Jamestown. Driftwood plays folk and bluegrass, and Well Worn Boot is a regionally touring rock band.
FRIDAY
Bill Ward: 6-9, The Lakeview, 13 Water St., Mayville.
DJ Jimmy Whispas, Pressure Sensitive: 9:30-2, The Q, 104 W. Second St., Jamestown.
The Rough: 10-1, The Lakeview, 13 Water St., Mayville.
SATURDAY
Howard Buck and the Rustic Ramblers: 8-midnight, Celoron Legion, 26 Jackson Ave., Celoron.
The Willow Creek Band: 9, Fountain Bowl, 3316 Fluvanna Ave Ext., Jamestown.
WEDNESDAY
Comedy Night: 6:30 doors open, 7:30 show starts, The Q, 104 W. Second St., Jamestown. Table and bar reservations must be made. Admission will be $8 per person. For more information or to reserve a table or bar seat, call 483-6256. Matt Bergman will open and Paul Morrissey will headline.
The Entertainment Events Preview highlights concerts, festivals and other happenings in the region in each Thursday's paper. Suggestions for submission can be sent to Scott Shelters by emailing sshelters@post-journal.com or by calling 487-1111, ext. 253.