Visions of Gourds 2021

 By: Sylvia Nelson

The Folsom 2021 Festival was exciting and fun. It was wonderful to see old friends and make some new ones too after our long isolation.

We had six judges and two clerks judging our 54 entries, Friday afternoon. The gourds were amazing. So many great entries, our judges had their work cut out for them!

On Saturday, the Mills Station Art and Cultural Center was filled with adults and children, gourd people, and people who didn't even know what a gourd was. As they entered, mothers were gifted with a gourd shard necklace that said "Happy Mother's Day." There were demonstrations all day long Saturday and Sunday. Demos included rain sticks, rock cane wrapping, eggs shells on gourds, plus a display of uncleaned, cut open, and clean gourds. At the "Make and Take" table, kids and families made owls out of jewelry gourds, eggshell name tags, and necklaces. Saturday night, we had a "reception" with cider, wine, and hors d'oeuvres. I loved the chocolate desserts! About 35-40 people attended the reception.

Sunday saw more people enjoying the vendor displays, doing demos, talking with people from several gourd communities. Folsom, Amador, Calabash, and the Foothill gourd groups were all represented at the Festival. The competition area was filled with visitors Saturday and Sunday, exclaiming over the competition pieces. The display filled the room with imagination, color, beauty, and hard work. Our gourd work gets better and better. 

Everyone left Sunday after packing up late that afternoon with inspiration, new ideas, new gourds, hugs from old (and new) friends, and a sense of a Festival that was well done! Congratulations Folsom.