More than 3,000 showed up in tiny Mayport village for Ferry Fest which was organized in less than a month
Save the Ferry task force wanted to send message to state DOT that there is huge support for the ferry in this area, to try to convince them they should change their minds and fund the ferry next fiscal year
It was billed as a Ferry big party, live music, food, entertainment at the event
MAYPORT, Fla. -- It was billed a "ferry" big party, and a huge crowd showed up in tiny Mayport Village to show their support for the ferry.
It was called the Ferry Fest. There was live music, food and fun. It was organized in less than a month by the Save the Ferry volunteer task force, put on to show state government the ferry deserves it's financial support.
"We wanted to show the DOT[Department of , and the governor's office that the people here in Jacksonville support the ferry," said event chairman Mitch Reeves. "And you can see by the crowd here, it's just unbelievable what we have here."
JAXPORT will contribute $200,000 to run the ferry through the next fiscal year beginning October 1. The city of Jacksonville will too if the city council approves it Tuesday night. The FDOT has denied funding so far.
"They have not shut the door, and the secretary just wants more information, and has asked for it and we are supplying to him right now, so we are keeping our fingers crossed," said Elaine Brown, chairman of the Save the Ferry task force.
Chuck Singleton rides the ferry all the time and would be heartbroken if the ferry goes away. He has a message for the DOT.
"Get off your wallet and take care of us people in this little town, this little village. This is part of our heritage. If they kill this, A1A is finished, it's incomplete. The ferry completes A1A."
Liz Hana and Celeste Ayers recently started a new company called Local Loyalties and they helped sponsor the event.
"It's important that we keep it, it's nostalgic, it's historical it's a huge part of this society here, " said Ayers. "And if we lose that , then I think we've lost a big part of ourselves." Ayers added," I love riding the ferry because you see dolphins, it's a great thing to ride with a child."
First Coast News