Downtown with a twist
Toolbox
By Cristina Kumka Herald Staff - Published: August 23, 2008
Attention Rutlanders: You've made the history books.
A game of Twister, played on the world's largest polka dot board in the middle of Center Street Friday night, is Rutland's newest claim to fame.
Residents and visitors are expected to have set the record straight in the Guinness Book of World Records at the city's last seasonal weekend event Friday Night Live, for playing on a blue, yellow, red and green spotted board measuring 102 feet long and 39 feet wide.
The 2005 title, previously maintained from a small town in the Netherlands for a board nearly 15 feet smaller, will be no more after photos and news clippings of the Rutland game are sent to the publication, according to event organizer and Downtown Rutland Partnership Executive Director Michael Coppinger.
The activity and food-filled event was initiated last year by the Partnership and debuted this season on June 20.
Rutlanders of all ages came out Friday to twist and shout and bid adieu to what many called a much-needed "thing to do" this summer.
"This should be a tradition," said 14-year-old Rutland High School student Aaron Roucoulet.
Roucoulet, along with his friends Owen Hyjek and Dylan Gunnip, said they came to the glorified street fair every Friday night and took lasting memories of a great summer home with them, not to mention the good live music and free goods.
The classmates walked down Center Street, displaying free fly swatters, pins and Frisbees they picked up at vendors before joining more than 50 other locals in stretching, sweating and spinning, all in the name of Twister.
Barbara Rakow, Hyjek's mother, said she hoped to see the vendors and the event again, for her son's sake.
"It's good that they had something to do," Rakow said.
"The football games are starting. Maybe the vendors could come there."
For the vendors, mostly Center Street eateries, the novelty of Twister didn't compete with their mission — to promote their business or make more profit.
For many local businesses, each Friday night proved fruitful during an otherwise lagging summer economy.
Nearly all the tables set up outside Sabby's Pasta House were filled with patrons and farther down the road outside Clem and Company, a couple sat and drank beer.
For Lisa Steckler, of the Rutland Turning Point Center, the mission was to attract potential foster parents and Friday Night Live helped toward the accomplishment.
"I've been here as part of the Rutland County Foster Parent Association for people thinking about becoming parents," she said.
"A lot of people have shown interest at this event. It's a great opportunity for that."
But on Friday, Twister dominated. It was all the rage among Rutland residents and visitors, young and old.
One onlooker said, under her breath, "If I got down, I wouldn't get up."
Another passerby mentioned, "It's bigger than I thought it was."
Rutland's Kevin Lenfest, 52, left the board after the third round, beads of sweat dripping off his forehead.
"It was tough. That's a little more stretching than I thought it was."
Paint from the polka dotted board stained Lenfest's fingers. He called it "memorabilia."
The game appropriately capped the whole intent of Friday Night Live: To bring people together to enjoy their city's downtown, according to Coppinger.
"I've seen faces here tonight I haven't seen all summer," he said.
"It's good to see all the kids out."
Contact Cristina Kumka at cristina.kumka@rutlandherald.com.
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