The heart of Grand Island was a happy place on Saturday, thanks to Corey McGowan who planned and pulled off the very successful Fall Festival/Taste of Grand Island with assistance from former GIHS art teacher, Lyn Laman. Thanks to Cory and everyone involved in the planning of this great event and for the hours and hours of beautiful art work on the mural on the back of the Boulevard plaza, a huge and improvement on the Baseline Road landscape.
Florida residents, artists Terry Klaaren and his wife Dori (Hardman), Grand Island High School graduates, spent much time here to say the least and it is Terry's expertise that turned the plaza walls into a work of art and Island history.
Among those who worked on the many aspects of the mural and the festival are the high school students who spent weeks helping with the painting of the mural. Others were the plaza owner Don Singh; Bob Rovison, a major donator of time and money; Stan Clifford who donated all of the paint for the mural project; and Islander Colton Wright, mural videographer.
The Festival scene on Saturday, October 13, 2012 was filled with at least 50 booths offering everything from Pizza and wine to Island history and pet supplies and the vendors agreed that they were well received and the Festival was good for business. Music throughout the day included several bands and a DJ. Entertainment from time to time included some excellent music from the Grand Island High School jazz band. By walking the main strip along with three other rows of shops as far as DeGlopper Park, you were bound to run into friends and neighbors. At times the crowd was enormous and parking places were taken as far away as Fantasy Island and Contract Interiors plaza, and also in Sidway School parking lot and all of Baseline Road.
All agreed that it was a great event, great for the Island, a fantastic time and all are looking forward to next year.
See Jodi Robinson's Fall Festival photos and there will be more by Mary Stewart posted next week.