Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Promotors expect good turnout at Forest Festival

Organizers of the 2004 Gurdon Forest Festivals are expecting at least the 1,100 or so attenders this year and maybe even more.

Billy Wells and Paul Shaver are co-organizing the festival, sponsored by the Community Development and Entertainment Club (CD&E). Terry LeMay is in charge of entertainment on the big stage.

Wells said, "We are now up to 130 booths and counting. It is looking like the response this year is even better than in the past. This is our 24th Annual Forest Festival here and people really turn out."

For anyone still needing a booth, they can visit Wells at the flower shop in Kuhn's Hardware on Main Street.

"We now know our grand marshal for the parade. It will be Dave Jones, the Snark of the Universe of Hoo Hoo International out of California," Wells said. "All of the schools will participate in the parade, even nursery school and Head Start. There will be several class reunions going on this weekend. Our forest festival is a homecoming of sorts."

In addition to the parade at 10 a.m., with participants lining up at the Old Bell High School (the old middle school) on 5th Street at 9 a.m., and the entertainment slated from 10:30 a.m. until the end of the street dance about 10:30 p.m., Wells reminds those attending not to forget the auction at 4 p.m.

"The auction helps the CD&E. We never really know what we will have until we get to the Main Stage at 4 p.m.," Wells said. "The stage, in front of Austin's Variety Store, will be full of items our booth participants and others donate. We will only go about an hour, as the Halloween Costume contest, open to everyone, is at 5 p.m.

"Among other things, CD&E helps fund Girls and Boys State trips and usually awards some sort of scholarship for a senior. The amounts of contributions vary with available funding."

In addition to the traditional contributions, this year's car show has a different twist. It is not a CD&E function, but rather sponsored by Close-Up. Some of the cars will participate in the parade.

Dinah Buck, of Thomerson Drug Store, has a son, Derek Buck, a junior, who is one of the 18 involved in Close-Up this year and involved in fund-raisers for a spring break trip to Washington, D.C. to observe governmental functions "up close."

Dinah Buck said, "The ones going are juniors and seniors and there are several efforts throughout the year to defer costs. Parents usually have to pay about half, which is $500 to $600 for each child. So these fund-raisers are important."

Buck said the show will be behind Gurdon State Bank off of Main Street and admission is free. She said when the show was held there in past festivals, there were 50-60 cars. All proceeds this year will go to the Close-Up students. There will be popcorn and sodas available. There will also be a Close-Up booth, offering a muzzleloader and a 27-inch color television.

"This is our first car show for Close-Up," she said. "It is called an Open Show and Shine."

Awards to be given include: Best of Show  a certificate of excellence and $500 cash (chosen by the participants, one vote per registered vehicle); and the People's Choice, a trophy chosen by public ballot.

As to prizes, there will be cash to participants by random drawing; and appreciation gifts, dash plates to the first 50 cars registered.

The registration fee is $20, with registration starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30. Come to the parking lot of First State Bank. For more information about the car show, call Kenneth Anderson at (870) 353-2970.

Wells said, "Come on out to our festival and have a great time. We will have entertainment for people of all ages."