THE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL and Friends of Fred The Litter Critter

THE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL is held every summer in Britt Park in Jacksonville, a small historical village located just outside of the city of Medford,Oregon. Fred-The-Litter-Critter is the mascot of the Storytelling Guild of Medford, Oregon. This Blog is a 50 year history of THE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL managed by Pat Blair, Past Director and Advisor for the festival. Pat still does the art work for the festival t-shirts, programs, posters, etc.

Thursday, December 31, 2009

NEW CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL DIRECTORS ANNOUNCED!

Anne Billeter Cindy Braden Teresa Stumpenhaus

Announcing the dates for the 2010 CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL:

July 11, 12 and13th.

Such a busy and exciting year awaits the newly selected Co-Co-Co Directors of the 2010 Children's Festival!

They are: Anne Billeter, Cindy Braden and Theresa Stumpenhaus

It will be fun and exciting to find out what these three busy people have planned for Children's Festival 2010!

About the Children's Festival

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

IT'S A FAMILY TRADITION!

This year

Maia , Chair of The Macaroni Necklace Booth, with her "Crew".

(Her Mom was a member of the crew too but Maia was in charge). 2016

Maia, volunteered at the Tye Dye Booth in 2014.

Charlie and MacKenzie rode on Rosabelle with their Grandmother in the

4th of July Parade in Ashland in 1999.

Sascha, Miranda, Maia & Caitlin (+one other friend) in 2012.

MacKenzie with Grammie, Queen Pat, in 1996.

Maia, Makaela, & Caitlin at 2013 Festival

Charlie, Sascha, Caienna, MacKenzie & Maia

SAscha, Caienna, Caitlin, & Maia in 2006.

MacKenzie & Charlie in Eagle Point 4th of July Parade on Rosabelle

1996

Friday, June 19, 2009

The Women Behind the Magic | Joy Magazine - MailTribune.com

"The Women Behind The Magic." Medford Mail Tribune, June 2009.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

ALL HAIL THE QUEEN!

2009 Queen Darla Foley

The Annual Queen's Picnic and Queen's Coronation was held today at Holmes Park. Because the newly selected Queen could not be present at the picnic. Queen Darla was crowned a week earlier at the home of the 2008 Queen, Judy Gambee

Candid shots of Queen Darla as she visited Her Royal Subjects

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

OUR DRAGONS ARE READY TO ROLL!

......ROSABELLE IS READY!

AND SO IS PEBBLES!. . . . . ................... PARADE DATES ANNOUNCED FOR OUR DRAGONS TO APPEAR!

The two most favorite dragons in all of the Rogue Valley will be making appearances BEFORE the Children's Festival dates. ~~~~ SATURDAY, JUNE 13th JACKSONVILLE, OREGON'S 150TH YEAR CELEBRATION & PARADE 10:00 AM~~~~~~~ SATURDAY, JUNE 27th ROGUE RIVER, OREGON'S ROOSTER CROW PARADE 10:00 AM~~~~~~~ SATURDAY, JULY 4th 4th OF JULY PARADES: CENTRAL POINT AT 8:30 AM & EAGLE POINT AT 10:00 AM. Come and greet the dragons as they come out of their year long hibernation! They'll be so happy to see old friends and especially happy to greet new friends!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

GETTING THE WORD OUT . . .

What a fun day we had yesterday! Leanne Wood who is doing the publicity promotion for the 2009 Children's Festival arranged to have eight past and present Children's Festival Directors, Queens, or Storytelling Guild Presidents meet with her and John Darling of the Mail Tribune. They were: Diane Newland, Verdell Coleman, Pat Blair, Judy Gambee, Annie Michels, Mary Patridge, Marjorie Overland, and Susie Wright. Leanne suggested that Mr. Darling interview the group in order to get enough historical and present flavor of the Children's Festival, The Storytelling Guild and why we do what we do.

John Darling took pages and pages of notes, asked questions which prompted responses and turned on the memory machine. It was so exciting to me to hear those responses and to know that over the past 43 years the "reason why" each person has become involved is the same! FOR THE CHILDREN was the answer no matter what year an individual was involved. His article will be in the Mail Tribune's JUNE ISSUE of JOY MAGAZINE! Watch for it!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

2009 CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL: POWERED BY YOUR IMAGINATION! JULY 12, 13, AND 14TH.

Children's Festival Co-Director's Annie Michels and Mary Patridge held the Annual Kickoff Brunch for the 2009 Children's Festival . It was held today, Thursday, February 19, 2009 at the Medford Library in the large Community Conference room.

The theme for 2009: POWERED BY YOUR IMAGINATION, CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

The dates for the 2009 event are: JULY 12, 13, AND 14TH. So mark your calendars now!

Reports from Co-Directors, Annie Michels and Mary Patridge are that every Major Chair position is filled. The charge to these individuals was to: "Create! Build! Invent! Entertain! and to pump up your imagination and let your minds run wild at the 2009 Children's Festival." Now each of those Chairpersons is in the midst of recruitment of activities and booth chairpersons. If you would be willing to give some time to make this Festival " the best one ever!"

Please contact Annie at 772-0726 or Mary at 858-9099.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Another successful year!

Annie Michels and Mary Patridge,

Co Directors of 2009 Children's Festival

Congratulations to Annie Michels and Mary Patridge for the wonderful job they did as Directors for the 2008 Children's Festival! Amazing how much can be accomplished when you work hard and smile a lot! These two wonderful women spent endless hours planning together either on the telephone or at one house or another making sure that everything was covered! They recruited a terrific set of Major Chairpersons who backed them up all the way! 2008 Major Chairs were: Andora Hammonds, Lona Dillard (Arts & Crafts); Ilma McKern, Patt Colwell (Book Booth); Mary Beth Rudisile (Decorations); Teresa Stempenhaus (Donations); Judy Gambee, Lauren Bambee, Susie Prulhiere (Dragon Deli); Steve Braden, Eric Dillard (Dragons); Cindy Braden, Maggie Carrico (Festivities); Sarah Lee, Kathy Hayek, MaryBeth Buonassissi (Gatehouse); Jason Williams (Grounds); Kristen Couch, Kelly Witters (Hospitality); Leslie Klecan (Mother Goose Land); Karin Dailey (Printing); Suzanne Yaru, Patricia Merry (Properties); Helen Olshausen (Publicity); Maggie Donovan (Purchasing); Lynn Kellogg (Queen's Court); Anne Billeter (Science); Patti Diehl, Jill Waldron (Social Events); Catherine Goslin, Christina Oden ( Stage); Marilyn Gradwell (T-Shirts); Leanne Wood (Treasurer); and Regula Pepi, Marcia Simon - AAUW Co-Chairpersons. Now on to 2009! Annie Michels and Mary Patridge (now seasoned veterans) have been working for several months already with great results! As of today (1/26/09) Annie reports that they have filled every Major Chair slot and we are still 3 weeks away from the 2009 Children's Festival Kickoff Brunch when the theme for the festival will be announced. What WILL this dynamic duo have Fred doing this year?

STORYTELLING GUILD PRESIDENTS TO DATE (In alphabetical order)

Barrett, Carolyn
Brazier, Barbara
Buckley , Marjorie (Boyer)
Coleman, Verdell
Conner-Coash, Francine
Cox, Janice
Cushing, Judy
Dailey, Karin
Dillard, Lona
Donovan, Maggie ( 2 terms)
Dunlap. Lori
Foley, Darla
Foster, Karen
Gambee, Judy
Gradwell, Marilyn
Haberlach, Bette
Hall, Bonnie
Hess, Susan
Higgins, Linda
Hilts,Cherie
Hunt, Barbara (2 terms)
Kirkpatrick, Terrie
Lawler , Bunny
Matthews, Jackie
McHugh, Marsha
Michels, Annie
Mobley, Andrea
Moran, Teri
Mostue, Emily
Newland, Diane
Overland, Marjorie
Patridge, Mary
Paulson, Jeannette
Roberts, Holly
Roberts, Sue
Schiveley, Tudy
Schwada, Ruth
Strahm, Mary
Stumpenhouse, Teresa
Swartsley, Sharon
Theen, Cathy
Tomlins, Peggy
Versteeg,Becky
Wright, Susie
Yaru, Suzanne

THE QUEEN'S SHOES

Once upon a time. . ., before many of you were born . . ., a lonely little Queen lived high on a hill in Jacksonville. Her kingdom lay before her.
Each day she would wait and wait for someone to visit but they never came. The lonely little Queen would stare down and look only at her shoes. . . She was so sad.

The Queen wondered why not one person came. "My shoes", she thought, "are just too large for me to fill!"
The little Queen thought and thought about what she could do for the people who lived in her Kingdom. "I need to do something exciting!" She said.

Each day she would plan a lovely lunch with biscuits, jam and tea for her visitors to eat, but alas, everyday she ended up eating her jam and biscuits alone.

As the years began to pass and the Queen was not getting any younger, she thought to herself, "I MUST find a way to encourage my subjects to visit me!" So that very day she went to see the wise old woman, Mrs. Myra, who lived in the town library. Mrs. Myra was kind and good and knew so many things. The Queen was certain Mrs. Myra could help.
"My shoes are too big for me to fill and I want to have some fun!" she complained to the kindly old lady.

Mrs. Myra thought and thought and began to look around her little store of books for an answer. She looked in the corners and under her tiny desk. She moved about the books stacked high on her desk and those put away in their proper places too. She searched for a book about. . . red shoes .... blue shoes. . ., and as she looked she hummed a little tune. You see, Mrs. Myra was happiest when she was helping someone with a question! The happy little lady finally settled on a book about ...... BIG SHOES!

AHA!. . . Mrs. Myra said at last. "We are in luck and I have an idea!"
"It says here". . ., said Mrs Myra, ". . . that you need to do something important!" . . ."You will invite the CHILDREN! . . .They love biscuits and jam and always enjoy a party!" . . ."If you invite the children", exclaimed Mrs. Myra, "their parents will come too!"

That's just what the Queen did. She sent out invitations across the land to a party . She planned and worried, worried and planned until the big day came. She was ready! Of course she had biscuits and jam and also tea, . . .but what would she do if ALL the children came? . . .Would they want to just sit and have tea with the Queen? . . .Her head said no but her heart wanted them to come and to have a good time.

Quickly she RACED back to see Mrs. Myra. . . Mrs. Myra said, "I think
the children would love a story!" "Why not tell them a story or two?"
and the little Queen said she would. "That was such a good idea", thought the Queen, "I shall remember to do that always!"

As the Queen planned she realized that perhaps the parents would not like her stories. Once more she began to worry. . . Again she hurried to see the friendly, wise and wonderful Mrs. Myra. "I am so worried", said the Queen, "I just know my party will fail unless you help me find something for the parents to do too!"

"Not to worry," said Mrs. Myra, "You will ask each parent to help you." "You know, BUSY HANDS ARE HAPPY HANDS", exclaimed Mrs. Myra, (clapping her hands together). As the Queen hurried away
Mrs. Myra called after her. "Don't forget to find someone to help you set the table and clean up after the party!"

The little Queen had everything ready just in the nick of time! Children and their parents came from all across the Kingdom. The children played, ate biscuits with jam, listened to stories and watched a puppet performance. They even saw a play!

The parents were so busy they didn't have time for tea.
Knowing that the children might become restless after eating biscuits and jam with the Queen, the first parents to arrive had brought their own entertainment!

. . . The Queen, . . .(learning that she could be wise like Mrs. Myra) . . ., requested the parents to perform before the Queen and all of the children. . . Since this was the proper thing to do, the parents agreed.

The Queen's shoes were indeed very large and the little Queen thought to herself, "It is not easy to fill them. It will take a special person with just the right sized heart to fill these shoes!"

The Queen was pleased though as she thought about who could fill her shoes which were still too big for her feet.

In this Kingdom this Queen and the Children are so very lucky to have found a bond of women who have HEARTS of just the right SHAPE and FEET just the RIGHT SIZE!

She was so confident and knew that any one of them could fill her shoes.

The Queen was happy and her party such a success that she sent out a decree to all people in the Kingdom. It read:

DEAR ROYAL SUBJECTS

Any one of the loyal women of this Kingdom can be named Queen for one special party each summer. . . That queen will reign over the party which will be called from this day forward . . . THE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL. Once it has been proven that the newly chosen queen can wear the shoes given to her, the new queen shall reign over the land for the next twelve months and become from this day forward Lady of the Court!

Signed, Her Royal Majesty
Queen of the Festival Kingdom

FROM THAT DAY UNTIL THIS DAY ERE HAS BEEN A NEW QUEEN EACH YEAR AND
AN ANNUAL CORONATION OF THE NEW QUEEN
HELD WITH THE PAST QUEENS ALL IN ATTENDANCE.

Story by Pat Blair