Ninth Annual Phineas Festival

The Cultural Alliance will present its ninth annual Phineas Festival this year in the Community Services gym and surrounding parking lot at Repplier Park. There will be staged entertainment throughout the day by individuals and groups of all ages performing musical, song, stand-up comedy, and dance numbers.

There will be craft booths for children, Santa and Mrs. Claus, booths offering original art and crafts by local artists, along with commercial vendors. Food booths will be offering food for a variety of tastes. The unique and original arts and crafts to fit all budgets will be available for holiday shopping.

The Banning Art Gallery will hold an art class for children at the festival, similar to the one done each Saturday through the “Young Artists Workshop” at the Gallery. Volunteers from the Gallery say they are hopeful some of the children who participate in this activity will become interested in become a part of the workshop. A children’s art class at the spring festival was very popular throughout the day. A similar response is expected at the Phineas Festival.

A new feature this year will be the “Mayors of Idyllwild,” Mayor Max, Deputy Mayor Mitzi, and Deputy Mayor Mikey, all golden retrievers, in booths acting as ambassadors and greeters at the festival.

The Phineas Festival will be held on Saturday, December 6, 2014 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Festival will end with the “Living Christmas Tree” singing Christmas songs at the LifePoint Church across the street from the Park at 7:00p.m.

The Cultural Alliance executive director, Carol Newkirk, says they are seeking more entertainers, specifically singers, comedians and musicians for 15 minute slots on stage. She also advises that with the layout this year in the gym and in the parking lot there is still room for vendors who want to sell their crafts, merchants, food booths, and non-profit organizations who wish to promote their services. Those interested should call The Cultural Alliance at 951-922-4911.