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This year's Sponsors
News Net Photos from the 2009 Wistaria Festival
Photos by Others from the 2009 Wistaria Festival
David Felt
Jorge Vismara
Media Day, 3/4/09
Docent Training, 2/28/09
2009 Press/Advertising/Marketing
KOLA 99FM and this year's
Festival - includes links to audio broadcasts and advertising on KOLA Radio
Press Release re:
Sierra Madre Emergency Communications Team
Press Release re:
DoubleTree Hotel Fundraiser for Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team
Press Release re:
Entertainment
Press Release re: Local
Dining
Press Release re:
Participating Vendors
Press Release re: Special
Postal Cancellation
Press Release re: Vine
History
Press Release re:
About Festival
Press Release re: FAQ
2009 Press Kit
Window Poster and
Full Page Ad - Mt. Views Observer 2/28/09, 3/7/09, 3/13/09 - Flyer
Copyright 2009 Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce, vine photo Copyright 2007
Bill Coburn
Full page Ad
- Beacon Media 3/5/09 Copyright 2009 Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce,
vine photo Copyright 2007 Bill Coburn
1/2 page
Ad - Beacon Media 3/12/09 Copyright 2009 Sierra Madre Chamber of
Commerce, photos copyright 2007 Bill Coburn
Banner Animated
.Gif Ad - Beacon Media and Mt. Views Observer websites, Copyright 2009
Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce
1/8 page Ad -
Pasadena Weekly, Copyright 2009 Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce |
Sierra Madre
Wistaria Festival Draws Thousands to Sierra Madre
(click photo to enlarge)
A crowd estimated well in
excess of 10,000 people flocked to Sierra Madre on Sunday, March 15th,
enjoying live entertainment, shopping in the local stores and along the
closed downtown streets featuring the wares of more than 150 arts and crafts
vendors, and dining at the local eateries and the food booths in Memorial
Park.
Nearly 3,800 people
made the trek up to the
town’s famous Wistaria
Vine, the 115-year old wonder ce rtified
for many years by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest
blossoming plant. Nell and Bob Solt and Dan and Dana Dorrance, owners of
the two lots on which the massive vine is located, once again generously
opened their properties to the thousands who streamed in from all over
Southern California and beyond to take in the majesty of the vine, which was
in full bloom.
Bill Coburn, chair of the
Wistaria Committee for the Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce which annually
puts on the event, congratulated the volunteers and staff that made the
event a success. “This is truly a community event. We had more than 150
volunteers that took part (or all) of their day to welcome the visitors.
Many of the vine docents are old hands, having volunteered for years, and
this year’s co-chairs Halcyon Koerber and Lisa Spigai-Perez did a great job
of preparing the new docents and making adjustments to streamline things as
the day went on and the lines got longer. Mario Lalli from Café 322 booked,
scheduled and oversaw the set up for all the stages for the two dozen
musical acts. Bus Volunteer co-chairs Sue Levoe and Carol Canterbury were
under a lot of pressure as the lines got longer, but they handled it all in
stride, as did the bus docents and people working the lines. The volunteers
in the ticket booth also did a great job selling tickets and handling the
will call window,” he added.
“Susan Henderson and her
son Fred, with help from Tom Canterbury in the morning, oversaw the food
vendors and non-profits and kid activity vendors up at Memorial Park. Thanks
are due to volunteer coordinator Rosemary Morabito for recruiting and
organizing the volunteers that manned the barricades and the information
booths. Last minute sign-ons Ron and David Brandley prevented what could
have turned into chaos when early morning drizzle washed away the chalk
lines and numbers that marked off the assigned vendor booth spaces. Susan
Clifton did a great job as the City liaison and coordinated the Gold Line
shuttle, as well. There are so many people that made this event a success.
And I can’t say enough about the job done by Tiffany Bailey, the Chamber’s
administrative assistant, who oversaw the selection and coordination of the
vendors, administration of the TUP with the City, presale ticket
distribution and so much more. She’s been working on this event since last
year’s ended, and has already begun working on next year’s. Thank you, to
everyone in the community that brought this whole event together.”
The Wistaria Vine began as
a one-gallon potted vine purchased and planted in 1894. It has grown to the
extent that at one point it covered more than an acre of land, and has been
estimated to have in excess of 1.5 million blooms when in season. At one
point, the house on which it grew was crushed under its weight. The first
festival was held in 1918, and through the years, funds raised by the
festivals have benefited the war effort, the Red Cross, and local
organizations such as the Volunteer Fire Dept., the Woman’s Club, and its
current steward, the Chamber of Commerce.
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