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.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL-2011


After a very successful three days, Queen Cameron closed the festival.

I cannot believe it's over!

All that fun, and all that wonderful weather just

FOR THE CHILDREN!

The 2011 Children's Festival's theme, "Read Around The World", encouraged kids to see, do, and explore arts and crafts and activities designed with children in mind. The scene was wonderful to observe.

I spent three enjoyable sessons at the Lost Parent's Tree and was fortunate to have dear friends from the Storytelling Guild and Children's Festivals past join me. These were:

Karin Dailey, Lynn Kellogg, Sue Dalke, Cathy Theen, Becky Versteeg, Peggy Tomlins, Marilyn Gradwell, Bonnie Hall, Linda Higgins, Andrea Mobley, Susie Wright, and Darla Foley. (I missed attending on Tuesday Morning because I was teaching a watercolor class). Former Festival Queens, Diane Newland and Karen Foster were sitting at Lost Parent's Tree location then.

The tree, by the way isn't a tree at all but the sound tower for the Britt Stage. It is perfectly situated right in the center of everything on the upper hill. From our vantage point we have coveted center stage seating for the performances and looking around we can see the upper hill down to Storytelling Tree, etc. We cannot see Mother Goose Land from there but Queen Cameron and her attendants stopped by to say hello and to tell us all was well in Mother Goose Land!

This map of our Festival was created in 1977 Landscape Architect, Jurgen Hess.

http://www.storytellingguild.org/uploads/3/5/3/1/3531517/historic_festival_map.jpg

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Books come alive | MailTribune.com

Thursday, June 16, 2011

2011 CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL QUEEN CROWNED

PRESENTING QUEEN CAMERON McCANDLESS


Queen Cameron McCandless will reign for the entire year, representing the Storytelling Guild and Children's Festival

Queen Cameron will reign over THE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL which happens

July 10, 11, and 12th at Britt Park in Jacksonville, Oregon.

Her duties officially began today with her coronation. 2010 Queen Terrie Kirkpatrick presented her with her Royal Crown, Robe & Septer and read the Royal Proclamation.

There were Twenty Past Queens in attendance to honor her at this special occasion. In addition many of the Past Directors of The Children's Festival were invited to the ceremonies and to a special picnic luncheon given by Queen Terrie and The Social Events Chairpersons, Maggie Donovan and Nicole Ford.

Past Festival Queens in attendance:
Ruth Schwada, Bonnie Hall, Becky Versteeg, Pat Blair, Verdell Coleman, Janice Cox, Karen Foster, Suzanne Yaru, Karin Dailey, Diane Newland, Linda Higgins, Lynn Kellogg, Sue Dalke, Marilyn Gradwell, Cathy Theen, Ilma McKern, Darla Foley, Judy Gambee, Andrea Mobley, and Terrie Kirkpatrick. Most of these will be volunteering at the Lost Parent's Tree during the Festival. Do drop by to say hello as you make your way down to the Queen's Court to visit Queen Cameron!

STORYTELLING TREE PLAQUE

The Co-Directors for the 2010 and 2011 Children's Festival, Anne Billeter and Teresa Stumpenhaus presented a SPECIAL AWARD PLAQUE to
Margie Cicerrella, Francine Conner-Coash, Anne Guevara, and Kim Wolfe to honor their service for many years as Jackson County Library Staff who operated the Storytelling Tree at the Children's Festival. The plaque will be hung in the Storytime Room in the Medford Library.

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