It sounded like solo blues guitarist Chris Burkhardt ushered in
the brief rain shower that fell downtown on the 22nd annual Taste
of Morgan Hill festival Sunday morning, as he thundered through a
haunting, emotional performance of his
”
Funeral Song.
”
It sounded like solo blues guitarist Chris Burkhardt ushered in the brief rain shower that fell downtown on the 22nd annual Taste of Morgan Hill festival Sunday morning, as he thundered through a haunting, emotional performance of his “Funeral Song.”
“It’s been known as a ‘rain-dance’ song before,” Burkhardt, of San Jose, joked after his set on the festival’s Second Street stage.
And the rain returned after lunch, continuing intermittently with quick showers throughout Sunday afternoon, but the festival organizer said the season’s first precipitation didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits.
As of about 4 p.m. Taste of Morgan Hill organizers said the crowd seemed a little bigger than last year’s attendance, when about 50,000 people came to the two-day Taste of Morgan Hill, an outdoor food, art and entertainment festival that takes place annually downtown.
“People are having a really good time,” said Jeff Burrus, chair of the Chamber of Commerce board of directors. The chamber is the festival organizer.
On Saturday and Sunday, the festival offered a variety of food, arts and crafts, casual street shopping, a car show and even a quilt show for visitors and residents. But the highlight for some patrons, such as Bob Zat, 71 of Morgan Hill, is the live entertainment.
Two stages – the main stage on Third Street and the Second Street venue – feature a full lineup of live music until 6 p.m.
Zat sat in the front row listening intently during Burkhardt’s 90-minute set. The south Morgan Hill resident had never heard of Burkhardt before, and he was impressed.
“He was phenomenal,” said Zat, a music enthusiast who just started playing guitar himself about two years ago. On Saturday, he enjoyed a performance by the band School of Blues on the main stage.
Other locals took advantage of the cloudy yet mostly-dry Sunday morning to indulge in some unique shopping and dining opportunities, and treat their children to the festival’s rides and games.
Janet Nyako and her two daughters, Kiowa and Edith, went straight to the festival from church. The Morgan Hill residents attend the Taste of Morgan Hill every year.
The trio thought the attendance was light Sunday, as compared to previous years, but they enjoyed the variety of merchandise available from about 150 vendors offering jewelry, clothing, wind chimes, home decorations, and an array of arts and crafts.
Kiowa Nyako said many vendors collectively tend to highlight the Poppy Jasper rock, which is unique to Morgan Hill, in their jewelry and ornaments.
Kiowa, who was wearing a wide-brimmed hat she purchased earlier at the festival Sunday, added that shoppers can find local, homemade items for sale.
“There are a lot of unique things from the local community, that you don’t know about if you don’t go to the Taste of Morgan Hill,” she said.
Friends Sheri Murray, 37, and Jennifer Mckenzie, 36, are also Morgan Hill residents and Taste of Morgan Hill regulars. They attended the downtown street festival with Mckenzie’s two children, who hopped in line for the rides as soon as they arrived.
Murray and Mckenzie were eager to start shopping as they waited for the kids and sipped on a glass of local wine outside Chase bank at Main Avenue and Monterey Road.
“I had to go to the bank and get money first,” Mckenzie laughed.
They also think the festival’s vendors offer distinctive merchandise that “we can’t find anywhere else,” Murray said.
“The kids like the rides and the shopping, and we like the vendors, and the food – and the shopping,” she added.
The entertainment wasn’t restricted to just music. On Sunday afternoon, retired San Francisco 49er legend Dwight Clark signed autographs for a long line of fans at the “Taste Tailgate,” an empty downtown shop converted into football-watching television lounge.
Morgan Hill residents Elena Kracht and Dori Patrinos couldn’t contain their excitement as they waited in line for an autograph and photographs with Clark.
“He’s amazing!” exclaimed Kracht.
Some of the 150 food and arts and crafts vendors reported mixed sales results.
Carol Long came to the Taste of Morgan Hill from Salinas to sell her handcrafted jewelry. She said her sales were slow, especially compared to business at other area summer festivals. Long thought fewer people attended Sunday than Saturday, but more people were buying from her the second day.
But she enjoys the vibe of the Taste of Morgan Hill, and she heard from other vendors that they had successful sales.
“This is my first time here, and it’s a very nice, well-behaved crowd,” Long said. “The way they set it up is wonderful. What a nice community – people have a lot of pride in the city. The music has been great.”
She plans to come back to the Taste of Morgan Hill next year if she is still making jewelry, which she does as a hobby.
Reporting strong sales was Stacey Habina of Stacey’s Jalapeno Jelly, a Morgan Hill company. Habina sells a variety of homemade spicy jellies, made from local produce – particularly from LJB Farms in Gilroy.
This was her third festival, and her booth has become more popular each year, Habina said. She doesn’t sell her jelly often to the general public, and many customers were excited to see her booth at the Taste of Morgan Hill.
“A lot of people said they came to the festival just for our jelly,” Habina said.
Saturday’s weather was drier and about the same temperatures as Sunday – in the high-70s – making for a bustling crowd the festival’s first day as well.
For store owner Teri Shindler of The Raggedy Heart on Monterey Road, weekends such as these are a merchant’s lifesaver, she said.
“We love having festivals and activities downtown. It’s a no-brainer. I think our shops all have the items, we just have to bring people in,” she said. “Probably this weekend will pay my rent.”
Nancy Stenger of San Jose, attended her first Taste of Morgan Hill, walking alongside of friend and multi-time visitor Roberta Curtis, who grew up in Gilroy.
“People are friendly, there are great stores,” said Stenger, who visited Carta Luna in the morning. “We like people who can create crafts. We get amazed at all the creativity.”
Just before 1 p.m. Saturday the United Academy of Marital Arts performed demonstrations on the corner of Monterey and West Second in front of the Second Street stage to a cheering crowd.
“I just enjoy looking at things and seeing people,” said Curtis. “It’s a great thing to do, especially on a beautiful day.”
Police reported no significant crime-related or medical incidents. On Saturday, two people were arrested – one on a warrant and one for public drunkenness.
