Artist Melissa Ralston makes final adjustments while her husband Jeff Ralston holds her sculpture titled "Tail Spin" as they wait for a crane to lift it up on a pole on Main Street in Vista on May 16. The sculpture is one of eight kite inspired sculptures commissioned by the city that will be officially unveiled Sunday at the annual downtown Chocolate Festival. (Photo by Hayne Palmour IV - Staff photographer) VISTA: Chocolate Festival meets kites, art, Sunday
Downtown events connect
By GIG CONAUGHTON - Staff Writer | ∞
Artist Melissa Ralston makes final adjustments while her husband Jeff Ralston holds her sculpture titled "Tail Spin" as they wait for a crane to lift it up on a pole on Main Street in Vista on May 16. The sculpture is one of eight kite inspired sculptures commissioned by the city that will be officially unveiled Sunday at the annual downtown Chocolate Festival. (Photo by Hayne Palmour IV - Staff photographer) VISTA ---- Start with chocolate, add art, kites and even trains, and voila: You have Vista's third annual Chocolate Festival, a sumptuous street fair to be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday in the city's downtown.
Business groups created the festival in 2006 to draw visitors and promote the city. Organizers say it has been growing steadily ever since, adding more venders and drawing more people each year.
On Sunday, it should be bigger still. The city and Vista Arts Foundation are using the festival to kick off the city's largest-ever public arts event, "Kites over Vista," a year-long exhibit of giant, kite-related sculptures that will be displayed around town.
The admission-free event will be held on Main Street, about one block east of the Krikorian multiplex movie theater.
As in the past, the festival will feature live music; street venders hawking jewelry, clothing and other items; a food court with everything from donuts, ice cream and kettle corn to Greek food, Mexican food and pizza; a "kid's zone" filled with rides ---- and, of course, lots of chocolate.
This year, up to 100 children can buy and build $5 kite-kits, display them in a 2 p.m. parade, watch kite-flying demonstrations, and help paint a massive mural on a wall at the Dura Paint Company on Main Street.
There's even a train connection. The new Sprinter train started running between Escondido and Oceanside in March, meaning visitors can actually ride the train to the event.
"We're actually advertising 'Take the Sprinter' to the festival," said Jim Baumman, the chamber's chief executive officer. "It's only two blocks from the Vista Village train stop (Vista Transit Center)."
City Parks director Bill Fortmueller said the city and arts foundation decided to piggyback onto the Chocolate Festival to drum up a little more attention to the Kites over Vista program.
"We asked the Chamber of Commerce if we could be part of it, just to try to stimulate our year-long campaign and exposure to public art," Fortmueller said.
Earlier this year, the city commissioned several North County artists to create large kite-inspired sculptures that would be displayed in prominent places around the city for year. The project was built along the same lines as the Port of San Diego's "Urban Trees" exhibit, which placed sculpted interpretations of trees along Harbor Drive.
In Vista, eight kite sculptures were chosen from a field of 15 artists from as far away as New Mexico. They sculptures include an oversized "paper" airplane soaring with tiny figures; a wavy arrow with stained glass tail feathers; and a 17-foot by 14-foot piece showing children hanging onto a huge kite.
Fortmueller said that even though many of the sculptures have already been placed around the city, Sunday's Chocolate Festival is being considered as the official unveiling.
Art aside, the heart of Sunday's event will still ---- of course ---- be chocolate.
In addition to the music, shopping, games and food, there will be a separate "Chocolate Alley" at the corner of Broadway and Indiana Avenue filled with all kinds of chocolate goodies, from chocolate-dipped strawberries to toffee and candies, to cheesecake on a stick.
Baumann said that when the chamber and Vista Village Business Association started the event in 2006, they sort of hit on the "chocolate" theme by accident. Karen Clay, who had recently been hired to head the business association, had previously marketed similar events for a nonprofit in Oakhurst, Ca. ---- and a match was made.
"Last year it was a madhouse," Baumann said. "There's no historical connection, but who doesn't like chocolate?"
Contact staff writer Gig Conaughton at (760) 901-4067 or gconaughton@nctimes.com.
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Liz wrote on May 23, 2008 6:29 PM:Last year, it SUCKED. All booths filled with people trying to sell vinyl siding and life insurance while a Tejano radio station blared music. This year the realtors will be out in full force as attendees gaze at the waste of taxpayer money that is a temporary art installation.
Lame, Vista - really lame.
Dago wrote on May 23, 2008 11:24 PM:I agree with Liz. It was the frick'n Tejano music that killed it for me. If I wanted that crap, I'd have taken a trip to Tee-Jay! For god's sake, can't Vista do anything for once that doesn't involve the Mexican culture?
Artsyrat wrote on May 24, 2008 8:43 AM: I missed it last year. After reading the first two comments I almost want to reconsider going this year.
Why does the City of Vista have such a difficult time bringing Artistic culture in. Time and time again the visual arts has tried to survive here, make it's face known, make a difference here and it always seems to miss the mark. I'm not talking about painted electrical boxes, I'm talking about Fine Art.
The Vista Art Commission, the Vista Art Foundation, VVBA, Chamber of Commerce and all Vista Artists need to work together to make an amazing Arts Festival here. The Creek walk art show suffers every year for what ever reason, the gallery is suffering, this kite/art fair, well, you read the comments.
The Vista Art Gallery is moving soon from it's current location and needs help and support. If anyone in Vista even cares a tad about Art culture in Vista, go check out the needs of the gallery on Main Street. This organization is a group of dedicated local artists trying very hard to keep it alive here. Give them your support...please, in what ever way you can.
Vista has many extremely talented artists living within it's borders and I'll bet most Vistans don't even know that.
Chocolate is good...Art is essential and brings culture and style to a community and Vista needs Art.
Jane wrote on May 24, 2008 9:06 AM:I am unable to go to the festival (sounds like I will not be missing much) but am interested in viewing the Kite sculptures at some other time. Is there a map someplace that will show where all the sculptures are placed? either a driving or walking tour?
OLDTIMER wrote on May 24, 2008 9:10 AM:Many old timers remember the old festivals REAL artistians...then came the transplants and decided they knew what was best! So we have the usual fairs seen at every other street fair just like Carlsbad, Escondido, Fallbrook etc. except in numbers...nothing original. the organization just uses the same vendors and don't have to work to make it special.
disappointed wrote on May 26, 2008 8:16 AM:I went to the Chocolate/Kite Festival this year and boy what a disappointment! Where was the chocolate? We walked through the entire Faire and found only one chocolate booth and saw one selling booth with a small cereal size bowl of Hersheys candy bars. What a joke. Only one fine artist that I could find, selling gourd baskets. We won't be going next year.
Vista Guy wrote on May 27, 2008 3:54 PM:Thanks for being so negative, BEFORE the event is even held, folks! Lame, really lame. This year's festival had 12 chocolate booths and most people attending said it was the best street fair/festival ever in Vista.
to Vista guy wrote on May 27, 2008 7:40 PM:You mean to say Vista Guy that you interviewed most people attending? I'm sure. The festival was poor. An embarrassment to Vista.
whatever wrote on May 28, 2008 1:29 PM:Wow! It always amazes me that people can be so bitter and complain so much but will do SO LITTLE to get involved.
You [complain] that the city tries to do something and you [complain] when they don't do anything. What do you people want? My suggestion is....move.
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