Vista, CA. — The 2020 Fall Garden Fest at Alta Vista Botanical Gardens was a GREAT day with 450 people (including Board members, vendors, and volunteers) attending, which makes this a successful event during these challenging times.
Our 12th Fall Festival featured GREAT teamwork including AVBG Board members, Woman’s Club of Vista members, community volunteers, and a selection of vendors. Event Chair was AVBG Director of Children’s Programs Nancy B Jones, who had the pleasure of writing the Safe Reopening Plan with the County which the City required. This challenge was accomplished in 2 days, thank goodness!
Marching in for a year of display in the Children’s Garden is a GREAT new parade of 33 scarecrows that were constructed at home this year, to meet distancing protocols. Everyone wore their masks for the whole event. Lots of happy families enjoyed their creative time together and echoed time and time again, “We had so much fun!” and “The kids really got into it!”
Scarecrow contest winners were:
1st Prize – The South Family for their tall Padres scarecrow depicting Padre Fernando Tatis Jr reaching for a fly ball. They chose a Family membership in Alta Vista Botanical Gardens for their prize.
2nd Prize – The Pelley Family for their Fall Pickles scarecrow which was wearing a mask. They chose a Lamppost Pizza gift card for their prize.
3rd Prize – The Ferraro Family for their Meditating Mama with her Baby; the prize is a Little Cakes gift certificate.
This year’s Scarecrow Contest was sponsored by businesses, families and individuals who donated to support Alta Vista Botanical Gardens and keep VISTA’S OWN Botanical Garden going and growing. Ads for these sponsors will be posted on the scarecrows all year. The Plant Sale included a variety of succulents from the AVBG GrowGetters, vegetables and flowering bedding plants donated by Progressive, and exciting indoor foliage greenery and fall color donated by UPG.
Instead of asking for donated gift cards for Scarecrow Contest prizes, this year the gift cards were purchased by AVBG, to support local businesses that have always said YES to donating during the Garden’s 12 years of Festivals.
Publicity was posted in online and print news outlets, and on Next Door, along with a month-long blitz on Facebook created by two volunteers, Dana Kern and Joey Schmitt. The AVBG Facebook page is www.fb.com/vistaavbg
Hard times were made a bit easier for our community – we encouraged creativity and family time, we shared time outdoors in nature, and we supported local businesses. Membership in the Gardens has doubled during the last 7 months; our families appreciate the wide-open views, plantings, art, and water features. Come visit the Gardens – we’re open every day!
Website: Altavistabotanicalgardens.org
info@altavistabotanicalgardens.org
