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.

Saturday, December 31, 2016

DEDICATION OF PERMANENT EXHIBIT IN THE MEDFORD LIBRARY

September dedication honoring Pat Blair, Artist

And Advisor of The Children's Festival. 2016

Saturday, July 30, 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.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

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!

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

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!"

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Photo from 30 years ago TWENTIETH CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL CELEBRATION

Monday, May 9, 2016

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

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