Mayfest offers something for everyone

40th annual festival continues Sunday

Arabella Haynes of Stuart, Virginia, learns how to properly apply a tourniquet to an arm of a bleeding victim during Mayfest under the instruction of Dale Harold, training officer with the Surry County Emergency Medical Service.

Tom Joyce | The News

Kennedy Daye, a 17-month-old from Winston-Salem seated in her stroller, receives a stuffed animal from Melanie Bertch, left, of a business called Build a Barnyard Friend at Mayfest, but Kennedy is displaying a troubled look over the situation. She is accompanied by her grandparents, Pam Cassidy (pictured) and Dusty Cassidy.

Tom Joyce | The News

Mayfest visitors enjoy an array of culinary delights on "Food Truck Row."

Tom Joyce | The News

This is one of many canines spotted at the pet-friendly Mayfest.

Tom Joyce | The News

A menacing set of (fake) jaws promotes a treat called alligator bites offered at the festival.

Tom Joyce | The News

PILOT MOUNTAIN — A strange scene unfolded during the weekend as crowds filled West Main Street in Pilot Mountain for the annual Mayfest celebration: a young woman apparently clutching a severed human arm.

But upon further review, Arabella Haynes of Stuart, Virginia, was actually holding a mannequin limb while being taught how to stop severe bleeding — including the proper way to apply a tourniquet.

This was occurring under the direction of Dale Harold, training officer with the Surry County Emergency Medical Service. It was occupying a spot among a sea of attractions lining downtown streets for Mayfest, including live music, food and folks selling everything under the sun.

Products displayed by the reported 115 vendor stations included the usual street festival fare featuring craft items, T-shirts and other clothing, jewelry, homemade soaps, candles, knives, paintings and other artwork, plants and more, along with the obligatory bounce house.

But there were also some educational activities to be experienced with a potential for saving lives and otherwise improving the human condition, including the EMS setup operating as part of a "Stop the Bleed" awareness campaign.

Harold said the local agency often appears at public events to provide hands-on instruction and pass out information.

"We usually focus on CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)," he said Saturday. But "Stop the Bleed" is now the key topic as part of an overall outreach program to improve the public's knowledge about that critical situation which also includes local schools.

"This a new approach," Harold added in detailing ongoing efforts by the EMS, now including "Stop the Bleed."

"That's a big part of what we do in coming out here doing public education so they know what to do when the time comes."

In addition to tourniquet techniques, the Stuart woman practiced compression — another way to stem blood flow — using a prop resembling a big block of foam rubber.

A bystander subsequently advised Haynes that she would be the go-to person in case he caught a stray spear to the chest.

Mayfest magic

Other public service agencies were represented at Mayfest, including Pilot Mountain Rescue and EMS, which was selling bottled water for $1 that was sought out as afternoon temperatures rose during the event many consider the kickoff of spring and summer locally.

Also taking up spots along the West Main thoroughfare were the Pilot Knob and Ararat volunteer fire departments, the Pilot Mountain Police Department and others.

The Stokes County Department of Social Service was on hand providing information to the public about how to become foster parents, while Gideon Bibles were being distributed from another location.

And did someone mention food?

After he was spotted meandering through the festival area, Dwight Atkins, a member of the Pilot Mountain Board of Commissioners, declared that the greatest array of food trucks ever assembled for Mayfest was holding court on Depot Street.

A visit to that location proved Atkins to be right, where one could partake of such delicacies as shrimp and grits, fried alligator bites, garbage fries, Cajun barbecue chicken, New Orleans-style beignets (a type of fried pastry) and even something called shawarma veggie falafel (with chicken, lamb and beef).

Atkins otherwise was pleased with the gathering.

"I think the weather is perfect," the town official said as the sun dipped in and out of the clouds Saturday afternoon, allowing an enjoyable outing overall. "I think it's great."

Atkins also applauded the fact that many pets were in attendance at the animal-friendly Mayfest this year, after earlier being banned from the gathering.

Mayfest is the longest-running event in Pilot Mountain, and Tonda Phillips said she believed more people were drawn to it than usual due to Mayfest's 40th anniversary being commemorated this weekend .

"I think the locals will come out more in support because of that," said Phillips, a member of the Rotary Club of Mount Airy and the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce. She was at Mayfest assisting the Pilot Mountain Civic Club — the event's sponsor — as part of a chamber effort to coordinate activities with other municipalities in Surry.

Phillips was selling 40th-annual Mayfest T-shirts.

The event typically attracts more than 30,000 people to Pilot Mountain for its three-day run that concludes today.

Tom Joyce may be reached at 336-415-4693 or on Twitter @Me_Reporter.