Watching the Olympics outdoors proves popular in Mt. Airy

There is nothing like watching television outdoors. With help of a video projector and a giant inflatable screen, several hundred people watched NBC’s delayed broadcast of the 2012 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony in the garden of Mt. Airy’s Lovett Library.

“What a great way to enjoy the ceremony,” David Tarity from Roxborough said. Tarity was one of several hundred people who turned out for the event, which began Friday evening at 7:30 p.m.

“We are trying different things, when people come out to support we do more,” said organizer Anuj Gupta, executive director of MAUSA.

Although Gupta doesn’t think people will come out to see a Winter Olympics broadcast but says he hopes to do other television broadcasts in the future.

Food was scarce

Eighth district city-councilwoman Cindy Bass and her husband Scott came to watch the show. But she like many other people were forced to wait a long time for their food. With only one food truck, Bass was told she could not order until the food truck caught up with a backlog of previous orders.

More then 10 people were waiting for food at that time. After being asked why Mt. Airy USA didn’t provide more food trucks, Gupta replied that he didn’t want to over-promise the amount of business to potential vendors.

Looking for the Roxborough Olympian

Amongst the many viewers are Lilly and Katherine Anderson from Mt. Airy to see Lilly’s uncle, Glenn Ochal. If you watched the ceremony close enough you might have seen a glimpse of Ochal, a Roxborough native participating in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Men’s Rowing Team. He and his team will race on Monday, early in the morning.

The outdoor broadcast of the Olympics was hosted by Mt. Airy USA and the Trolley Car Diner as part of the Moonlight Movies summer series.