With the temperature hovering near 90 degrees and the humidity about the same, last weekend turned out to be perfect for the City of Waukegan to throw its second annual Beach Bash. An estimated 6,000 people flocked to the lakefront, some to enjoy the sun and surf, others for the food and music.
About 100 teams also signed up for the daylong beach volleyball tournament. Lynn Theehs, who spends most of her summer weekends playing in beach volleyball tournaments, spent the day directing Waukegan`s competition. ”I stand there watching and I keep wanting to get out there and play,”
she said.
The two-person volleyball teams were divided into men`s and women`s divisions. Within each division, players chose to compete in one of three skill levels. ”Most of these people have played before, so they know their skill level. Some of them are really good, really into the competition, and others are just out there to enjoy themselves,” said Theehs, who also coaches volleyball at the University of Wisconsin/Parkside.
Ken and John Holzer of Wheeling were among the players who braved the hot sun to participate in the tournament. ”It`s good exercise, good competition, and it`s fun,” John Holzer said. The brothers play on volleyball teams of various sizes but find the two-man competitions the most challenging. ”You play on the same size court, but there are only two people to cover the entire area,” Ken Holzer said.
Sporting a Waukegan ”Back to the Beach” T-shirt, Mayor Haig Paravonian took a break to enjoy a bratwurst and predicted the crowd would grow even larger as the day went on. ”We`ve got a good day for this,and we`ll get a lot more people,” he said.
Among the other activities were ”Best Tan” and ”Best Bikini”
contests, which drew small but enthusiastic crowds to the stage area. The biggest crowds, however, were to be found in the lines at the soft drink and beer booths, where thirsty beachgoers sought liquid relief from the heat. The only real hitch in the day was a technical one. Four bands were scheduled to play, but electrical problems delayed the start of their performances by several hours.
