Arroyo Grande Harvest Festival
30-SEP-05
The Arroyo Grande Harvest Festival occurs mostly in the village of Arroyo Grande.
But the Saturday morning parade begins at Halcyon and Grand, and I arrived there
to photograph some of the parade staging activities. There were bands, trucks,
tractors, horses, and dancers. I made a few photographs, but better opportunities
came later in the day.
The six photographs here at the top of
this page are representative of events of the day.
With Snap and
Flag Girl are from the parade staging area.
Clemens (John Clemo) is a Mark Twain impersonator who told the story of the Celebrated
Jumping Frog and other anecdotal events and opinions of Mr. Clemens. The girl of
Icebox stands in the kitchen of a home restored and preserved by the local
historical society. At top right is George Walker as
Woody, giving an excellent presentation of songs and tales by
Woody Guthrie. Below him is
Dance! photographed during a stage performance. These were not the only events
and activities during the Harvest Festival. They are the ones that I saw and
photographed during the day on Saturday. The event began Friday evening and
continued through Saturday afternoon. It is a local event. You won't see rows of
national vendors, and entertainment is comprised of local talent within the area.
George Walker did a very enjoyable impression of Woody Guthrie. He sang songs and
told stories of Woody in a relaxed manner as though they were his own. His demeanor,
cap and overalls produced the desired effect. I don't know how Woody Guthrie
dressed, but the stories and songs we heard suggested that what we saw was not far
from the truth. Well done! I'm pleased to have caught a few representative moments
on film. I especially like
Stories and
With Feelin' because of the expression and emotion they reveal. There should
have been more people there to see him perform. The location was good for him, and
for photography, but I think it was easily missed.
When I photographed
Icebox, above, the girl's mother said that she would soon be doing a butter
churning demonstration on the back porch. She was joined by another and they went
about "doing chores" together. She looks very natural in
Grace of Another Time, as though she were doing something she does once a week.
I enjoyed the opportunity to photograph them engaged in activities of earlier
times.
Hangin' Out (circa. 1800?) seems very natural. It is a photograph of a mundane
event, but the sense of an earlier time is strong enough to make the photo fresh
and interesting. This one is not about the girls; it is about a lifestyle.
The Harvest Festival was a success, with something to offer people
of all ages. That is a community event. Credit goes to Vivian Krug (whom I met
during the event), co-chair and publicity director for the Harvest Festival.
Congratulations to her and others who made it happen!
