By CATHERINE ELLERTON
Moapa Valley Progress
“Yoh” “Del” “Ay” “De” “Li!” “Yoh” “Del” “Ay” “De” “Li!”
The sounds coming from the audience were a bit strange. But the Jackson Family Band and Cloggers, better known as Mama’s Wranglers, were attempting to include the audience in a yodeling sibling rivalry. This talented musical group has a dinner theatre in Henderson but also attends functions such as the annual Moapa Valley Pomegranate Art Festival which was held on Friday and Saturday last week at the Clark County Fairgrounds.
As the enthusiastic attendees wandered throughout the grounds sampling the various types of pomegranate jelly and the delicious honey or fudge treats, they were able to visit with a variety of vendors. These offered a range of products from a Pottery Workshop, taught at Busy Bee Pottery in Beaver, Utah, to a unique dog bed being built from foam insulation, plaster, chicken cooping, newspaper, fiberglass and fleece. The creator of this interesting bed, Beads, Bags and Beyond from Las Vegas also creates all types of handmade gifts.
Also down Vendor Lane we took a moment to discuss the Custom Knives made by Logandale resident Mark Peterson. And stopped by JimBee Photography where an eagle’s eyes in a large photo eerily followed passersby.
In the Fine Arts building, the Christmas gift shopper could browse through artworks of the MV Art Guild members and on to the woodworking, bird houses, Christmas decorations and various clothing and blankets.
One might even take a moment to watch the Kid’s Art Workshop which kept yougsters busy throughout the festival.
The fragrance coming from the food court drew visitors into the world of kielbasa by the Sr. Center Chefs, teriyaki bowls, tamales, pulled pork at Great Basin BBQ, lemonade, Kettle Korn and frozen yogurt fruit cups.
It was time to take off again for the entertainment area to catch the close harmony of the female singing group. And if one preferred dancing, that was offered by the Kountry Kickers Line Dancers to the children’s groups of Dynamite Cheering and the Movin’ & Groovin’ Dance Group and the Desert Dance Academy.
Remembering that raffle tickets had not been purchased, one could race back to the main entry gate to do so. On the way you could take a moment to visit the Lost City Museum booth where they were busy into their Christmas Raffle and the November Stained Glass Exhibit of Angel LaCanforna from California. Or you might stop at the Moapa Valley Library Booth where you found out about the November 17th Nature Detectives Program.
It was then you learned that the Festival’s Pomegranate Quilt made by Maggie Nicholes was won by Jim, Chay and Indigo MacDonald, new residents to Logandale from San Francisco. What a great way to welcome them into the Valley!
As one sat back and viewed the many vendors, the entertainers, and the support of an enthusiastic public it was a warm moment to remember that in 1955 Max Bunnell began the idea of a community art show.
In 1959 the idea of a community art guild was conceived. In 1996, Guild member, Zona Tobler began the idea of an Art Festival which began in the parking lot of Home Hardware, grew to the Old Logandale School and finally to the Clark County Fairgrounds.
I leave you with this thought by Cowboy Poetry Reciter Delmar Leatham of Baxter Black’s “Rudolph’s Night Off.” As the story goes, one Christmas Eve Rudolph turned up lame. Santa put out an urgent call for something to guide him through the night. Perhaps, a plane? That is when Billie, the goat, came to see him. Everything electrical the goat ate showed up as a bright glow on either his horns or his hide. Santa said to feed him a lot and before they took off that famous night, the poor goat burped and he gleamed bright as could be. That night is remembered for the falling stars which could have been from poor Billie’s exhaust! I must admit I will be looking at the heavens above with just a bit more scrutiny this Christmas Season.
