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Business & Tech

Avon Heritage Duct Tape Festival Satisfies Sports Nuts

Lots for sports fans to see and admire

The eighth annual this weekend might have parents of college age kids or wives of the sports nut a little on the edge.

Not because it was risqué, but because this year's theme, "Real Fans Stick Together" and Grand Marshal Miss America, drew plenty of curious fans to the festival that also featured unique sculptures, including a bowling alley and putting green.

"I was amazed at what you can do with tape," Robert Harrison of Lancaster, Penn., said. "I'm a sports nut, and when I heard about the theme this year had to make the six hour trek. After seeing the (duct tape-displayed) locker, I'm thinking of doing the same in my basement. This is impressive."

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Without a doubt the highlight of the Duct Tape Festival Saturday was Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan, this year’s parade Grand Marshal.

"I was ecstatic when I heard about it and it is going to be one of the highlights of my year," Scanlan said of being part of the annual festival. "This is something that I never thought would happen, its just something out of the ordinary, that really for me stemmed from something that many years ago, crafting with duct tape, that was really one of my passions and I am glad I stuck with it, because to be here, is really amazing."

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The 18-year-old who was asked to come to the festival by representatives ofShurTech, the makers of Duct Tape, said she gained an interest in the brand from watching the prom contest.

Her interest grew after collecting the tape at her local Walmart, where she made things from a steering wheel cover for her car to skirts. She said her parents also encouraged her.

"I'm the middle of seven kids, so they knew that out of all the kids everybody is different and crazy in different ways, so they actually encouraged it," Scanlan said. "This was one of the things I actually enjoyed. So they appreciated that and embraced that and it really helped me become confident."

Following the parade and an appearance on the main stage Saturday, Scanlan went to a tent where she signed autographs in a room adorned with outfits made out of the new college line in a set up that was perfect for every man cave.

 Miss America said she was intrigued by the creations.

 "It is ridiculous, and some of the people who designed them specifically made Nebraska jerseys and things too, because I am from there," Scanlan said. "And it is so cool to see everything they have done, and I got to judge the prom contest as well. It never ceases to amaze me of the things they come up with because the possibilities really are endless."

Asked what her favorite sports team was, Scanlan immediately pronounced her love for Nebraska.

 "The Huskers of course. We bleed Husker red in Nebraska," she said with a big laugh. "I definitely have gotten a lot of ideas from this room, and when I get home next year will be crafting away. They already have given me some Husker Duct Tape, but I'm sure I will be calling them up for some more very soon."

 The Husker tape is part of a new line of Duck Brand duct tape that caters to college sports fans.

"It's brand new, we have 40 teams we are rolling out this year for football season this year and we'll have it all year long," Bill Kahl, executive vice president of marketing said. "We are pretty excited about it. We've had it a couple of months now, but this is the launch for this football season.”

Kahl smiled at the thought of how the new line will transform dorms and basements and even tailgate parties around the nation.

"We had a guy working on it and thought it was a great idea," Kahl said. "And as you can see from the man cave tent, get a chair from Goodwill, a couple of rolls of duct tape and you have a tailgate item."

Although not one of the 40 schools yet, Kahl promises that in the near future, an Ohio State brand will become available, and expects it to be a big seller. Kahl said he hopes the debut of the Buckeye tape will be soon.

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