Asheville News

Bele Chere, Day 3: Filling the empty space

Jason Sandford July 27, 2008

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

It’s Sunday morning, and the Bele Chere pain of it all is settling deep into the bones. The sore feet, the bleary eyes, the aching shoulders. And just that empty feeling left when the party’s over. We all came together. We sun-burned and drank and yelled at the street preachers and drank some more. But was it all worth it?

Speaking of the street preachers — those dudes really kicked up the Bele Chere scene a notch. You saw ’em, right? With their gory signs that were pretty offensive. A lot of people that I normally think would ignore these guys really got in their face this year, and I think the cops eventually asked them to leave the festival.

In other police action: the Bele Chere police shut down Ashvegas from selling his T-shirts on the street. Turns out I didn’t have the proper permits. But then, neither did the street kids who were busking down on Patton Avenue, or the guy selling terrariums in little whisky bottles, or all the other illegal activity that was going on. But I’m sure the Bele Chere police shut them all down.

State agents nailed one booth for selling counterfeit handbags. And state Alcohol Law Enforcement agents were hitting the streets hard Saturday night, handing out tickets to people who were drinking their own beer — and not the properly permitted Bele Chere beer — on the streets.

But that’s all behind us. Today is a new day. The fun begins at noon, and it’s another chance to come together, enhance the sunburn, drink (water) and fill that empty Bele Chere soul space.

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Bele Chere, Day 2

Bele Chere dude

4 Comments

Native August 3, 2008

<>And yell I did at the street preachers. They preached like the Pharisees of Christ’s day, making a public spectacle of themselves in the name of God (Matthew 6:1, 5), while turning away many otherwise honest hearted people. While I’m not a Christian, I can smell a hypocrite from a mile away.<>

Oh yeah! You can smell Pharisees a mile away. So I guess John the Baptist was a Pharisee.

Mark 1-4 John the Baptizer was in the desert telling people about a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 All Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went to him. As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 6 John was dressed in clothes made from camel’s hair. He wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He announced, "The one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to bend down and untie his sandal straps. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Mark 1-14

After John had been put in prison, Jesus went to Galilee and told people the Good News of God. 15 He said, "The time has come, and the kingdom of God is near. Change the way you think and act, and believe the Good News."

Oh Yeah! It seems "anyone" coming to preach the Gospel of Repentance would be considered a Pharisee by you.It’s tough being told home truths.

2nd Timothy 4:3

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,

Yep! Sounds about like those at Bad Smell (Belle Chere) And many sitting in the pews of the nations churches.

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Green Dragon July 31, 2008

One of the haters has over an hour of preachy stuff on his blog, and even <a href="http://thunderpigblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/any-way-you-like-it-unless-you-are.html">links to you for mocking them</a>.

The christians are really coming on strong these days…somebody needs to knock ’em back a notch or two.

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A. July 28, 2008

And yell I did at the street preachers. They preached like the Pharisees of Christ’s day, making a public spectacle of themselves in the name of God (Matthew 6:1, 5), while turning away many otherwise honest hearted people. While I’m not a Christian, I can smell a hypocrite from a mile away.

To be condemned by such hateful minds is to be in fine company.

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Miss Daisy July 28, 2008

Boo! I looked for a t-shirt on Friday and Sunday.

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