Excitement Builds for this Weekend's Gourd Art Festival
Excitement among attendees is building for the 9th Annual International Gourd Art Festival, happening this weekend, June 25th and 26th at the 100-acre Welburn Gourd Farm in Southern California, and close to 500 people have pre-purchased tickets in anticipation of the big event.
(PRWEB) June 23, 2005 -- Excitement among attendees is building for the 9th
Annual International Gourd Art Festival, happening this weekend, June 25th and
26th at the 100-acre Welburn Gourd Farm in Southern California, and close to 500
people have pre-purchased tickets in anticipation of the big event.
“Our
phones are practically ringing non-stop,” says Office Administrator, Daniel
Barajas. “People want to know everything from when the Hawaiian dancers are
performing to how gourds grow.”
Welburn Gourd Farm President, Doug
Welburn, comments, “We’ve never had a gourd festival this big before in terms of
interest and advanced ticket sales. We’re estimated a turnout of 10 or 11
thousand.”
Among the attractions at this year’s festival is the Gourd Art
Competition with over 300 original art pieces, the live entertainment
incorporating gourd musical instruments, and the new Gourd Crafting Arena, where
both adults and kids have the opportunity to create their own gourd
masterpiece.
Hard-shell gourds, which were once considered only useful
for making birdhouses and craft items, have now emerged as a popular canvas for
fine artwork, some selling for upwards of $25,000. With their durable, wood-like
shell, gourds make an extremely versatile canvas ideal for painting, carving,
sanding, dying, pyrography (burning), sculpting, and even for weaving
upon.
The Welburn Gourd Farm, recognized as the world’s largest supplier
of organic hard-shell gourds, is located about mid-way between the cities of Los
Angeles and San Diego in the picturesque valley community of De Luz in northern
San Diego County. The farm is open to the public year round and hosts the
International Gourd Art Festival every June.
Over 50 gourd art
exhibitors, including international artist from Canada and Peru, are
participating in this year’s event. Festival tickets are $7.50 and children 12
and under are admitted free. For more information call 760-728-4271 or visit www.gourdfestival.com.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/6/prweb253922.htm