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March 29, 2024 12:50 am
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Colorful and Fruitful Festival

By CATHERINE ELLERTON

Moapa Valley Progress

The Moovin’ & Groovin’ Dance studio performs to a crowd of their adoring fans on Saturday at the Pomegranate Arts Festival. PHOTO BY VERNON ROBISON/Moapa Valley Progress.

The 23rd Annual Pomegranate Festival was held on Friday and Saturday, November 2-3 at the Clark County Fairgrounds in Logandale, Nevada.

The Festival opened its doors this year to over 100 vendors. Joy filled the air as the many artists and craftspeople came together to share their artistic visions with each other and the many visitors from southern Nevada, Utah, California and points beyond.
Las Vegans Karen and Steve Dzierzewski of Boozabilia share their many objects such as clocks and lights made from old bottles.

John Kolb of Ivins, Utah displayed Wizard Nebulas, his unique hand-crafted glass objects. Kolb studied his craft at a glass blowing factory in Venice. This was his sixth year at the Pomegranate Festival.

From ‘Busy Bee Pottery’ to Moapa Valley Desert Critters by artist Susan Perez, then on to ‘Canvas by Cassandra’ from St. George, Utah and ‘Fit Any Personality’ from Whittier, California, there was much to see.

Shoppers go through the various wares on display and for sale at the Pomegranate Art Festival last weekend. PHOTO BY VERNON ROBISON/Moapa Valley Progress.

The Moapa Valley Amateur Radio Club was in attendance. When this reporter stopped by their booth, they were on the radio with London. They also talk with people from many locations, including Japan, Mexico, and Canada.

Other service organizations represented were the Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Moapa Valley Performing Arts Council, Lost City Museum, the Overton Library, and the VFW.

Two local authors were present at this year’s Festival. Larry Moses, author of The I’s Have It, a Story of WWII and the Battle of the Bulge with the 84th Infantry Division, has been involved with the Festival for many years. Jana Ward, a member of the Moapa Valley Art Guild, displayed her first book, Artist Lost/Heiress Denied. Ward explained that many years ago she found a portfolio of artwork at a yard sale and became intrigued by the artist Hertha Furth who lived in the first half of the 20th century.

The Fine Arts Building was filled with vendors. Items from jewelry to sewn crafts and Christmas items were among the many booths. The Pear Tree Llamas booth drew many of those involved with knitting and crocheting. The owners raise their own llamas in Midway, Utah.

There were many artists and photographers present. Among all these colorful, intriguing items was the ‘Art Attack’ table where members of the Moapa Valley Art Guild helped youngsters learn about art.
Four-year-old Bethany and six-year-old Kylianne Solomon discussed their favorite colors. Kylianne likes red and Bethany likes pink and purple. Their drawings displayed these likes.

High school freshman Romeo Elenes is enrolled in an art class in school. He enjoys the skill and may use it in future endeavors. He was working on a picture of a pomegranate.

As one wandered through all the vendors inside and out, it was essential to taste-test the variety of pomegranate jelly and juices from the original to Bam Jam to Holy Habanero. It was absolutely necessary to try the fudge from Grandma K’s Kitchen.

For more substantial fare, there were about a dozen food vendors from Bone Appetite BBQ Grill and Great Basin Cooking Co. to Cinnamon Glazed Nuts and Pop’s Kettle Corn, from Baked Potatoes/Roasted Corn and Twisted Lemon to the Senior Center Eats and Iwalani’s Hawaiian food.

Fairgoers had the opportunity to sit a spell and enjoy the entertainment of the hour. James & Phina, a Violin Duo, began with the Canzonetta by Charles Dancla. The Senior Center Kountry Kickers Line Dancers were popular with the crowd. Delmar Letham, who was not only the master of ceremonies of the day, but also a Cowboy Poet, took to the stage. He recited poetry about chickens and the best way to keep them laying, and an audience-participation poem about the Pomegranate Festival and kissing a mule.

The Grant M. Bowler Elementary School Choir began their segment with “Grand Old Flag.”
On Saturday, The Moovin’ & Groovin’ Dancers and Dynamite Cheerleaders wowed the audience. Later, the Moapa Valley High School Jazz Band had the audience in the palm of their hands. The Cheerleaders and Kountry Kickers continued the afternoon’s entertainment which closed with the amusing Cowboy Poetry of Kenny Marshall and Mahoney Perkins as they talked of Cow Attacks, Paul Bunyon and the Blue Ox, and Reincarnation.

Perhaps the mood and feeling of the participants and fairgoers was best summed up by long-time vendor Cheri Cottino from Las Vegas. Cottino has been taking part in the festival for over 30 years. She plans to retire and sit back and relax a bit. From her mother, Barbara Whipple Fehr and other family members, her family has been involved since the beginning as some of the founding members. She said her last year brought happy but sad moments. “It is beautiful to see what it has grown to be,” she said.

The Pomegranate Art Festival continues to thrive under the guidance of the Moapa Valley Art Guild members, and the Scholarship Program has also grown. Of course, pomegranate jellies have gained their own acclaim.

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