September 25, 2008

Scenes from the Art & Wine Festival

Good times, tradition reign at annual Art & Wine Festival

By Shana McLean Moore
Staff Writer

The Almaden Valley Women’s Club’s (AVWC) efforts to organize and execute a festival attended by more than 20,000 visitors did not go unnoticed by the enthusiastic attendees who consider this festival a must-attend event on their social calendars.

Almaden Country School students draw a crowd to their crazy hair booth. Above right: Sabrina Whitman and Nora Danning show off their crazy hair in front of the student art displays.

Members served up another round of good times and tradition for their community Sunday at the 32nd annual Almaden Valley Art & Wine Festival.

Smiling guests ran the range from lifelong visitors to first-timers vowing to return again. “I used to come to this festival with my mom,” said Missy Smith. “I grew up in the Montevideo area and have been coming to this festival for 20 years. I don’t live in the neighborhood anymore, but I come back specifically for this,” Smith added.

On the other end of the spectrum, Sean Anderson was a first-time visitor to the festival who found the event to be first class. “This is one of the nicest art and wine festivals I have been to,” he said.

Almaden teens were just as impressed. Sabrina Whitman and Nora Danning, both 17-year-olds attending Pioneer High School, found their fun in the crazy hair booth sponsored by Almaden Country School. “We come here every year—the hair booth is our favorite part,” they said, with the testimony of a head full of pipe cleaners and pink and blue stripes for backup.

Eleven-year-old Maddie Carlson came with her whole family, which makes it a tradition every year. “I like it because my brother and I get to joust and go in the jump house,” said Carlson. Maddie’s mom, Janine Carlson, said their family comes out to “see all the people and enjoy the entertainment, food and the feeling of community.”

It’s no wonder the crowds keep coming back with the breadth of offerings arranged by AVWC. With the participation of 116 artists, 10 wineries and a beer garden with DirecTV, there was plenty to see and do for the adult crowd. The children’s area attracted the younger set with a rock climbing wall, face painting, balloon sculptures and hand wax art. Children and adults alike enjoyed the live performances on the entertainment stage by local martial arts schools, cheer teams and dance studios, as well as bands like Louisiana Rain and Highway 4.

This year’s festival chairs are, front row from the left, Lauren Wilson, corporate sponsors co-chair and Maureen Harrington, city liaison; center row, Tammie Peters, scheduling; Zoey North, beverages; Dawn Clarkson, festival co-chair and corporate sponsors chair; Jenny Teixeira, festival co-chair; Kim Pertner, silent suction. In the back row are Kim Moore, entertainment; Carina Armann, parking and electricity; Shalla Villette, beverages co-chair; Sharon Townsend, publicity; Linda Bronson, administrative /information; Christina Bullard, children’s area; Patty Rottakob, glasses co-chair. Sherry Bertolin, treasurer; Bonnie George, artists; Cindy Griffeth, equipment; Karen Bratcher, food /water; Betty Newkirk, glasses; Cheryl Ryan, VIP / AFD; Karen Zimmerman, VIP / AFD; and Landa Keirstead are not pictured.

Proving their desire to keep the festival interesting by bringing in new artists and vendors as well as those favorites who return every year, the club brought in Sara Mordecai, a local artist who participated in the festival for the first time. Mordecai attracted visitors to her booth with portraits painted in bold colors.

“My work begins as chalk art in the streets,” said Mordecai, whose day job is working as Yahoo’s head of the illustration department. “When people see something they like, they normally commission me to create it on canvas. This is the first time I have created replicas in advance to be purchased in a storefront,” she added, pleased with the reaction her work received from festival attendees.

After visiting the art booth, festivalgoers made their way to the food area. In addition to local businesses like Amato’s that provided food, local nonprofit groups raised funds by feeding the hungry masses. Almaden Valley Kiwanis Club, Almaden Valley Rotary Club, Bret Harte Lacrosse Club, Pioneer High School Dance Club and members of South Hills Community Church each worked toward that goal.

The good food was washed down with wine from local vintners who support the festival year after year. In custom glasses designed for the event, attendees sampled wines from Bargetto, Byington, Cinnabar, Cooper-Garrod, David Bruce, Roudon-Smith, Fortino, Guglielmo, J. Lohr and Sycamore Creek vineyards.

The sommeliers for the day were the devoted husbands of AVWC members, who were drafted to pour the wine. Tim O’Halloran, husband of 10-year club member Tori O’Halloran, said he comes out to help each year because “I support my wife and what she is doing. She wants to be involved, do something from a community standpoint and spend time with her friends.”

“We all get so busy that it’s hard to get people together. The festival is a great time to see everyone and support good causes,” added Tori O’Halloran.

Almaden Valley Women’s Club members are all smiles over a job well done. Pictured from the left are Beth Ann Zuvella, Tori O’Halloran and Betty Newkirk.

The good causes she refers to are reflected in the club’s mission to “provide charitable financial assistance to children’s foundations, educational facilities, teen programs and other nonprofit community organizations,” with an average of $40,000 in grants and donations to local causes each year.

The money raised through festival proceeds and the support of corporate sponsors – including such as Skip’s Tires, Alain Pinel, KRTY, City of San Jose Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services, TV 36, Bloomster’s, San Jose Magazine, Del Grande Dealer Group, KLIV, Winepod and the Almaden Times – are channeled toward scholarships that recognize high school students for outstanding leadership in service to their community.

Yet another source of revenue for the festival was the silent auction. The offerings that were taken home to the highest bidders ranged in size from gift cards to local businesses to grand prizes such as a weeklong stay in a beachfront condominium in Maui. Other coveted items included floral arrangements from Bloomster’s, overnight stays at the Hotel Valencia in Santana Row and rounds of golf at local country clubs.

One can only hope that the highest bidder for the spa certificates, which was awarded to one of the AVWC ladies, all of whom were dressed in red and whose yearlong efforts resulted in a festive end to summer for the whole community, came with a well deserved foot massage.