DEDICATION OF PERMANENT EXHIBIT IN THE MEDFORD LIBRARY

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September dedication honoring Pat Blair, Artist

And Advisor of The Children's Festival. 2016

A NEW QUEEN IS SELECTED FOR 2016

QUEEN KARIN DAILEY REIGNS FOR HER SECOND

TIME AS QUEEN!

Karin was selected by her peers to serve this second term because of her extraordinary dedication to the Storytelling Guild and The Children's Festival.  Karin served as Queen in 2003 as well.

THE 50 TH CELEBRATION July, 2016

An amazing collection of memorabilia was pulled together for an Exhibit and reception that was held on June 24, 25, 26, & 27th.

A Celebration Committee was formed for this event prior to the 50th Annual Children's Festival.

 Queen Karen Dailey presided over the reception and greeted invitees. 

Over100 invited guests were in attendance. All of whom have worked over the years to make the Children's Festival a wonderfully special event.

Four of my six grandchildren came to see the exhibit.  

They have all volunteered during past festivals and attended every year when they were younger. 

All six have participated.  It's such a joy to me to see how much they love the festival!  This year two were in Europe or they would also have been here for this occasion!

50 YEARS OF DRAGONS . . . THE BEGINNING

 

Pat Blair has illustrated all

50 Years Of Children's Festival!

Although the the first few years did not have Fred The Litter Critter, dragons played an important role in the early years of Children's Festival.  In 1969 the theme was "Medieval  Faire" and we know that during medieval times dragons were believed to exhist.  My first attempt at dragons was to construct a 7 foot tall, nine foot long dragon of papier maché.   And the following year when we made the theme A Reniassance Faire, of course we wanted a dragon.  I designed a 9 ft tall, 12 ft long dragon which would be a litter eating dragon to assist us in keeping litter picked up.  We wanted dragon to be attractive and friendly to children.  I approached Dick Walsh, Administrator of Oregon College Of Art

Which was located in Medford and that time.  Mr. Walsh took my design and he and his students at the College of Art constructed the dragon shape with a wood and chicken wire armature and shaped it with papier-mâché.  It was fitted, with a mouth that had a spring operated closing.  A tongue on and  attached to the lower lip/jaw opened when pulled downward.  Litter was then dropped down a chute as the mouth closed.  The dragon had a speaker system that allowed an operator housed a distance away from the dragon to speak to the child feeding the drag  and would thank them for the "yummy food" and ask for more.  

The Festival Director at that time was Jeannette Paulson.  She and the Storytelling Guild created a dragon naming contest.  Children were encourage to submit a name for their Children's Festival Dragon that was mounted on a two wheel boat trailer.  The children who won the naming contest were  Jim, Bill & Patti Moore,  Children of Ann and Tam Moore.  "Fred The Litter Critter" was an immediate hit and Britt Gardens was immediately clean and clear of litter as children picked even the smallest bits of litter to feed to Fred!

Once Fred was in place we began using Fred as the mascot and logo and my almost 50 years of Dragons career was launched.

Costuming and/or props have always been an important part of my dragons. Conveying a message as to where the dragon is and what is actually going to happen is a good rule to remember when working with children. They love knowing what is going to occur! I think that is a part of giving children the security they need. My dragon always lets the child know what is going to happen in some form or another whether it is with a balloon, a costume, a hat or some other recognizable thing. Children "get it" when sometimes adults haven't a clue as to why a dragon would be dancing with a balloon in hand or floating away in a hot air balloon! Children accept the dragon's antics as natural and allow these things to happen! A child would say: "Of course a dragon can do anything . . . just like me!"

Photo from 30 years ago TWENTIETH CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL CELEBRATION

CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL TO CELEBRATE IT'S 50th FESTIVAL IN JULY!

Storytelling Guild presented an Exhibit/Reception of the Artwork Created by Pat Blair over the past 50 years depicting Fred The Litter Critter and the themes  of Festivals from all 50 years.  

The Exhibit was shown at The Rogue Gallery and Art

Center, 40 South Bartlett Street in Downtown
Medfor for three days.  The Exhibit opened June 24th.
A special reception was held for well over invited guests attending.   The exhibit continued June 25, 26, and 27th.  When the general public was invited.

Committee Members: 

Kaylie McKee, Mary Patridge, Karin Dailey, Annie Michels, Cecile McKee, Bonnie Hall and Pat Blair

Children's Festival

Dates are July 9, 10, & 11th and for the 50fh time was held in Britt Park in Jacksonville, Oregon. 

Teresa Stumpenhaus , Co-Director for the second time around. 

Hollie Arnold, First experience as Co-Director

CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL QUEEN FOR 2015

Queen Mary Patridge

2015 HEROES UNITE!

The Once again Lona Dillard and Lara Knackstedt have challenged all who love the Children's Festival to Step forward in a united effort to overcome unexpected issues that create barriers that must be 

cleared before the path to the 49th festival is cleared.

Negotiations and Resolving complaints, properties issues and calendar scheduling were resolved and now, with Children's Festival Heroes United, the children of our Rogue Valley are once again the

Winners because of these SUPER HEROES!

 

QUEEN SELECTED FOR 2014

QUEEN ANNIE MICHELS

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN!

                 CREATE A SPARK!

The 2014 Children's Festival Kickoff Event was held at the Smullin Center on February 20th.  That may seem early to begin activities for the festival that doesn't happen until mid-July but there are miles and miles to go before we wake those sleeping dragons!  The Co-Directors, Lona Dillard and Lara Knackstedt have been hard at work since November gathering their volunteer force from past festivals and recruiting new to the festival first time volunteers. 

I have once again created the graphics that will be used for programs, posters, bookmarks , flyers , pins, badges, and T-shirts.  I just love The Children's Festival!

        

REMEMBERING BOB WILSON

A Memorial Service for Bob Wilson, our long time Children's Festival friend who passed away in December was held in Talent, Oregon , On January 26, 2014.

Bob was a regular performer and wandering minstrel with his guitar playing -partner entertaining our festival goers with his violin. He called it "fiddling around". The duo played folk music and reels.    Bob, a classical violinist played the viola with the Rogue Valley Symphony for many years. His day job was as Head Librarian of Ashland's   Jackson County Library.  

Bob's wife, Claire-Barr-Wilson, a professional artist/sculptor, is the creator of our very own popular Rosabelle dragon and our newest addition the baby dragon recycling container.

A NEW QUEEN IS SELECTED FOR 2013

             Queen Cindy Braden

The 2013 Children's Festival has selected 

Cindy Braden as Festival Queen for 2013-2014.   Queen Cindy will reign over all festivities leading up to and during the 47th Annual Children's Festival beginning with The Rogue River Rooster Crow Parade on June 20th.   She will also appear in 4th of July parades in Eagle Point  and  Central Point, Oregon.   Queen Cindy has been involved in The Children's Festival and Storytelling Guild for the past 8 years.  Cindy was Co-Director of the festival in 2010. 

SUE BATES HAS PASSED AWAY

Sue Bates, one of the original Children's Festival five passed away on May 2, 2013 from complications of A.L.S.

Sue was one of the original Storytellers for the Storytelling Guild and alternated with four others doing weekly storytimes at the Medford Library Children's Room.  Sue was a favorite storyteller and was always bringing something of interest for our 'tots to five' group!   On occasion she would bring in "Jake the snake" who was a family pet Boa Constrictor for the children to pet.  Jake was small and lived in a cage in her son Jeff's room.  Always a good sport, Sue even let the Children's Librarian (me) have my turn at petting the snake!

For the first Children's Festival, Sue acted as the gatekeeper/ treasurer to take in the .25 cents admission that was charged to adults only that first year!  Children got in free.

Sue quietly took care of business and was always available to take on a job at hand whether it be doing stories, counting quarters, painting backdrops, running a booth with her own children, Kim, Jeff, Shannon and Meredith and giving encouragement and at the same time building confidence for other women.  She never expected the limelight, nor sought center stage but she was a star!  Sue traveled extensively serving as a mission worker for her church group in many third world countries and was always photographed with the children wherever she went.  She will be missed!