Arts fair Americana

This annual Whitefish festival is an enduring Flathead favorite

Mary Yeats and Lynn Scalf attend the Whitefish Arts Festival with the same strategy each year - scope out the venders, break for lunch, then buy items that catch their fancy.

"We come every year," Scalf said. "It's fun to see all the different artists in this area, and there are artists here you just don't see anywhere else. I think it gets better every year."

Scalf, of Kalispell, and Yeats, of Whitefish, are Whitefish High School alumnae, and use the annual arts festival to see old friends and enjoy the food and entertainment.

"I wouldn't miss it. This setting [at Credit Union Park] is much nicer than Central School lawn," Yeats said as she ate her lunch at the edge of the pond.

The annual festival was relocated to the park near the train depot when reconstruction of Central School began.

For 27 years, the event has exuded Americana.

This year, young ballerinas danced to the soothing lyrics of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World." Nearby, a small dog wearing a red, white and blue hat bounced across the lawn. A grandson pushed his grandmother along, stopping to ask if she wanted a glass of lemonade.

"This is a nice-sized show. It's worth coming back," said Toni McCarthy at the Beads and Threads display.

McCarthy, of Camas, Wash., has exhibited at the Whitefish show for four years and likes the atmosphere.

"The promoters are top quality; they treat their vendors well," she said.

Cross Currents Christian School took over the arts festival early on and uses it as the school's largest fundraiser. Festival coordinator Brenda deNeui said the motive is to share Christian values with everyone in the festival.

"Goodness, kindness and mercy should be reflected in the show," she said.

With that in mind, about two-dozen volunteers work throughout the show, giving breaks to vendors who need to grab lunches or step away for a while. There are treats at registration and free water throughout the three-day show.

"I personally make sure I check with each vendor once a day," deNeui said.

Mike Oliver, owner of Distinctive Burl Design, said the Whitefish show is the only Montana arts festival he attends. He was thrilled to have a gallery owner buy three pieces of burl wood furniture during the first day of the show.

Peter Ramberg's vibrant display of photographs won the judges' Best of Show award. The Wisconsin-based artist's Memory Makers Photography drew a constant stream of praise from passers-by.

"We hadn't done the Best of Show for a few years," deNeui said.

The Whitefish festival aims to display a variety of arts and fine crafts.

"This year we went to more of a juried show," deNeui said. "It's been loosely juried, but more often it was first come, first serve. We want the art to be creative and well-displayed."

A free prayer tent was on the grounds for the first time this year, staffed by members of Christian Life Fellowship.

"We're praying over people, giving them a little something they might need," Kimberly Nixon said. "It's just loving and blessing people."

Shelley Garefino, another prayer-tent volunteer, said the outreach is part of the church's mission.

"We just think it's important that the church go beyond the walls," she said.

Festival-goers were blessed with fine weather (except for a late Saturday cloudburst that was short-lived) and an exceptional variety of exhibits that ranged from high-end oil paintings to goat-milk soaps.

Cribbage boards made from antlers seemed to be a crowd pleaser.

"My dad would go crazy over that," a young girl exclaimed, digging out money for the unusual cribbage board.

About that time, an older group of girls took the stage, decked out in cowboy hats, Western wear and bells on their boots that jingled as they stepped through Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Were Made for Walking."

Parents beamed, and for one fine Saturday afternoon, all was right with the world.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.