Annual festival will have new locale and free admission
Like Dorothy’s house in the Wizard of Oz, the Mushroom Mardi Gras was picked up – from Community Park – and dropped smack in the middle of a new world.
“It will be great,” event director Sunday Minnich said of the May 28-29 downtown festival. “We think it’s going to work out really well.”
The two-day event needed to move during its 26th year because the city had planned to start construction of its new indoor recreation center in March. The center will be built on land he festival has traditionally used for parking and staging. Because of the over-abundance of rain, groundbreaking is now scheduled for May 31 but, Minnich said, she had no way of knowing that the site might be available.
The festival will be open 10am to 6pm both days.
Though Monterey Road will be closed to traffic between Main and Dunne avenues at 7pm Friday night, May 27, making access to the downtown a bit difficult, Minnich said signs will direct drivers to Del Monte or Depot.
Retail merchants are used to street closures during the Fourth of July’s street dance and parade and September’s Taste of Morgan Hill. Most remain open one or both days and enjoy the added business.
Michi’s Floral Company has just moved downtown to prime festival territory – on Monterey between Second and Third streets. Julie Giampaoli said she is looking forward to the business on both days.
“We will be open,” Giampaoli said.
Merchants have already begun to decorate their windows – Jumpin’ Juice and Java, Michi’s and BookSmart – to get in the spirit. Downtown light poles are hung with Mardi Gras banners hung last week by Kiwanis members.
Besides logistical headaches – Minnich said everything is going far better than expected – the major change is that entrance to the festival will be free. Instead of relying on gate fees to underwrite the festival’s scholarship program for graduating high school seniors , organizers appealed to local residents and businesses for sponsorships.
About 30,000 people visited the 2004 festival.
To help ease the disruption of moving the festival downtown and losing gate fees, the City Council voted, 5-0 on May 4, to give organizers $5,000, with the understanding that it is a one-time fee. The money comes from the $11,000 Community Promotions budget that normally is given to Independence Day, Inc., the all-volunteer group that produces two days of Fourth of July events.
The festival had asked for more but Minnich said the $5,000 was enough.
“We are very appreciative of what they did give us,” she said.
Vendor and food service booths are completely sold out. Still, the lower expected revenue means that, this year, the headliners will be a bit less well-known. And the lack of an Eddie Money or War is the only negative comment Minnich has received.
“The bands we do have are highly talented,” Minnich said. “They are up and coming groups that open for big bands.
Because this year’s theme is really Mardi Gras – complete with beads, masks, costumed parades through downtown, the entertainment reflects a Bourbon Street feel on the Mardi Gras Stage at West Third Street.
The list includes on Saturday, the Bayou Boys (11am), Nichole Cheri (1pm) and Kelly Thibodeaux and the Etouffee Band (4:30pm). On Sunday The James Theroux Band opens at 11am, local Shane Dwight and his band follow at 1pm, then Henry Clements and the Gumbo Band takes the stage at 3pm. Big Fun with Ry Kihn, finishes the weekend at 4:30pm.
Visitors will also enjoy strolling musicians, a stiltwalker, characters, The Mardi Gras Crab and Jimbo the Clown besides “Munchkin Land” for kids and the ever-popular wine and beer tent for grown ups, all downtown on Monterey and side streets between Main and Dunne avenues.
Topping it all off, a Mardi Gras king and queen will be selected, announced and paraded through the downtown. Tilly Mayeda, who ran the Mardi Gras for years is still around in “semi-retirement,” Minnich said.
“She’s a great resource,” she said. www.mhmushroommardigras.com
Carol Holzgrafe covers City Hall for The Times. She can be reached by e-mail at ch********@mo*************.com or phoning (408) 779-4106 Ext. 201.
