Festival of the Arts
If you are in love with paintings then you really need to
check out the Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts because it
has some of the world's most innovative and renowned artists
work on display.
The paintings here have some sort of madness which every
visitor appreciates. The colors, styles and techniques in
painting and other media represent creativity in its purest
form. I've always enjoyed this show as a warm up for the Pageant
of the Masters, which I've outlined on another page.
Here's a little history to tantalize you. Prior to 1878 Laguna
was just a small village and it did not have much of a reputation.
It was only when the first painting was made in 1878 that
the village started to gain importance and it became a tourist
spot where artists would usually sell their work.
To raise money the art association decided to have an art
festival in the year 1932 which completely turned the fortunes
in favor of Laguna. The festival was a big success because
it had everything ranging from an art gallery to an outdoor
pageant which drew tourists and artist lovers from all parts
of the world.
Through this festival the artists could display their talents
and thereby earn a living. They set up booths which displayed
their work and visitors could buy their work if they liked
it and thereby the artists made a lot of profit through this
festival (its not so different today, is it?). The festival
also included a live picture show by vaudevillian and artist
Lolita Perine who dressed up the local residents and made
them to sit behind in a makeshift frame.
This show was a great hit and later it got evolved into "The
Spirit of Masters" and presently it is run under the
name "Pageant of the Masters". This show is the
main attraction of the festival and draws in tourists from
far and wide.
It is with this Festival of Arts that the city of Laguna
Beach has grown and has attracted thousands of tourists who
love to come here year after year. The festival has also helped
in promoting art and architecture by awarding hundreds of
scholarships to budding and young artists.
Not only this, the Festival also provides funds for various
other art organizations and helps them to conduct festivals
as well. Laguna Beach is one of the favorite beaches of southern
California (of course I'm biased) and along with the Festival
of the Arts it has become a popular picnic spot especially
along Main Beach and Heisler Park.
During the Festival you may find difficulty in parking. One
option is to park down Laguna Canyon Road and take the trolley
into town. There are a couple of parking lots closer just
across from the Festival. Then there is always feeding the
meters. Some of the parking meters in Laguna have been replaced
by modern meters that take credit and debit cards.
Laguna Beach restaurants
are also known for their variety and high quality food. With
the Festival being really popular you'll need to have reservations
for the restaurants that are close. Also you will need to
carry certain things like a pair of binoculars and a jacket
because the temperatures usually dip in the night.
The Gala night is also very interesting and I am sure you
will enjoy it with your family and friends. Thus the Festival
of Arts has turned into a well renowned cultural institution
which is famous worldwide. My first experience there was nothing
less than awesome and I'm sure yours will be, too.
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