Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Forest Festival Is Largest Ever

By JOHN MILLER

Gurdon's Forest Festival was the largest ever, according to festival director Freddie Horne.

Horne said the people came in spite of the off and on rain, sometime heavy, with more than 5,000 paying a visit to Gurdon for the event.

He said the Community Development and Entertainment Club (CD&E) auction did well with Hoo Hoo International paying $160 for a ham, then donating it to the Gurdon Senior Adult Center, and a 50 pound bag of peanuts selling for $90.

In addition, the antique car show was also a success as some 48 vehicles were entered this year.

A new event proved to be popular and was not affected by the wet weather. This was the dunking booth, which was erected to help raise money for the South Clark County Rescue Unit.

This unit will be operated under the guidance of the Gurdon Fire Department.

Members of the unit spent time in the booth, while recruiting other volunteers to help with their fund raising efforts.

Horne said the log loading contests again proved to be popular and successful.

There were 121 arts and crafts booths on hand for the festival, Horne said, the most ever. In spite of the rain, visitors examined the goods on hand for sale.

Food vendors were kept busy as well. It seemed the rain whetted people's collective appetites and sent them scurrying for something to eat, as well as shelter.

"It was a success," Horne said. "I was surprised at how many people came in the rain. We had a good turnout."

The dance, moved from Main Street to the Gurdon Middle School gym, was successful as well. Horne said between 400 and 500 people filled the gym, with everyone having a good time.

Just because the festival is over for this year, he said, doesn't mean the work is complete.

While the final figures are being tallied, Horne has already begun work on the 1998 Forest Festival.

Cards for arts and crafts booths have been filled out and are being mailed to get the vendors back next year. Actually, some of the vendors didn't bother waiting until the 1997 festival ended before paying for space for the 1998 event.