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| A musical tradition comes back By Stacy Trevenon--[ stacy@hmbreview.com ] Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 11:56 AM PDT Back in the 1960s it was called "La Honda Days." In 1989 a group of local business people revived it as the La Honda Country Fair, a local shindig and music festival. The name changed a little but nothing else was much different: it was a festive time for local residents to come out and enjoy music, dancing and one another's company under blue summer skies. In 1999 it became a fund-raiser for the La Honda Elementary School. It's raised more than $8,000 for teachers and school programs in art and music through the nonprofit La Honda Educational Foundation. During the 2004-2005 school year the foundation gave $60,000 to the La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District, most of which funded an extra teacher at La Honda elementary in efforts to keep class sizes down. This year's proceeds will probably boost art and music in the schools, say planners. It underwent a brief hiatus last year, but now it's back: The 2006 La Honda Faire and Music Festival is scheduled for all day Saturday, June 24 and Sunday, June 25. "We wanted to continue the tradition established by the La Honda Fair," said event co-coordinator Tom Burden. It returns to La Honda Gardens, a redwood-ringed open space behind shops across from Apple Jack's. Admission is free, but no pets, please. There'll be lots of food, music by local or regional bands, and room for dancing. Bring the kids - there's plenty for them too. The gates open at 10 a.m. and the music should continue past 6:30 p.m. both days. Besides music, there will be 30 to 40 arts and crafts booths to peruse, Burden said. The wares they will offer will include jewelry, ceramic art, soaps, clothing and other fabric crafts of batik, silks, tie-dye and hand-crocheted work. There will also be art and photography. Food that will be available throughout the day includes German and Asian fare. The nearby La Honda House café will be open too. No alcohol will be sold at the event, but visitors may bring coolers or stop by the restaurant or local store, purchase beer or wine and bring that into the fair. Soda and water is available inside. Visitors are also encouraged to bring blankets and low lawn chairs. For kids, planned activities include face-painting, a jump castle and greeting-card-making. An art contest was held at La Honda Elementary School last May, and all of the entries will be posted at the fair. The winning entry, a sunset drawn by second-grader David Riva Gomez of La Honda, will be featured. That design will also go onto kids' T-shirts sold at the fair. For more information about the event, call 747-0640. AT A GLANCE What: 2006 La Honda Faire and Music Festival Where: La Honda Gardens, behind the enclave of shops in downtown La Honda When: Beginning at 10 am. Saturday, June 24 and Sunday, June 25 Cost: Free Information: 747-0640 A lively lineup of music for Faire Many of the bands that will take the permanent stage at La Honda Gardens are well-known on the Coastside. Others are regional. The lineup is as follows: SATURDAY 11 a.m.: Boyd and Derek, Americana duo; 11:40 a.m.: Ren & Skimpy, folk and blues; 12:30 p.m.: Curtis Turner, folk rock, originals; 1:30 p.m.: Hip Pocket Jazz Quintet; 2:30 p.m.: Seconds on End, jam band; 3:30 p.m.: Jack Mullins Band, rock; 4:30 p.m.: Old Browne Shoe, with local regular Bundy Browne, reggae, blues, funk; 5:30 p.m.: Pacific Vibrations, reggae. SUNDAY 11 a.m.: Jim Johnston, acoustic folk; 11:40 a.m.: Chagua, folk rock; 12:30 p.m.: Lisa Kelly Band, folk rock; 1:30 p.m. Banana Slug String Band, not doing children's music this time but jam rock and originals; 2:30 p.m.: Lighthouse, blues, funk, reggae; 3:30 p.m.: David Elias and XING, folk rock and originals; 4:30 p.m.: Mark Reid Band, rock; 5:30 p.m.: Gary Gates Band, rock. |