Getting to the core of the Apple Festival

We couldn't do this event without the support of our sponsors. Thank you to our presenting sponsor Adventist Health Tehachapi, to Omni Health and to McDonalds. The financial support of these sponsors and their presence at the event really make it possible to contribute to several organizations who make our community better. Thanks to Waste Management for providing all the port-a-pottys and trash receptacles, to The Loop for the ads, stories and for sponsoring the apple pie baking contest. Also thanks to KGET for media support. My partner is this event, David Brust works his media magic to make sure that we have a lot of coverage and sponsors which provides the momentum to move forward.

There is a lot of work to create a successful event. Working with the City of Tehachapi to get permission to close streets, to obtain event business licenses for each and every vendor, to procuring liability insurance for every vendor is all required to make the event possible. I want to thank Victoria Marsh for the ease at which we were able to work together, plus Greg Garrett, City Manager and Kent Kroeger, Chief of Police for agreeing to the changes in location and for helping to make it happen and a success. The City's public works crew who closed and reopened the streets were amazing.

I learned a lot last year as a health department employee reviewed our event and required certificates for vendors that I would never have considered a requirement. It made this year so much easier to get certified. We wanted to make sure we had a beer and wine garden this year so I worked with Kern County Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control and received the appropriate certificate. I have to thank the Tehachapi Symphony Orchestra volunteers who poured beer and wine both days. We were able to create a nice fundraiser for them to participate. Most of all I want to thank Eddy from B&B Liquor on Tehachapi Blvd who worked with me on the needed beer and wine, holding it to keep it cold and providing ice as needed. It was a great pleasure to work with him.

We had a lot going on during the event and I have quite a few people to thank for their participation. Thanks to Jennifer Williams who contacted the Pilots Assn. and especially to Ken Hetge for delivering a highlight of the event, the sail plane which kids sat in and were rocked in on Saturday and used as a photo op on Sunday. It was a true visual that attracted families to the far end of the event. Thanks to the American Legion Auxiliary for selling apples and to Andrew Pulford and Pulford Family Apple Farm for working with me on acquiring those apples. Windswept Ranch provided a great variety of animals for a hugely attended petting zoo and Judith Campanaro did such an incredible job of face painting that the line never ended. A few members of Kiwanis' Key Club attempted to do some book reading and David Reed premiered his puppet show with gusto.

I would be remiss if I didn't thank Curtis Nelson with Tehachapi Wrestling Club and The Tehachapi High School Wrestling Team who oversaw the safety and operations at the Kid Zone bounce houses. I would be lost without them. Thanks to Hector of Kiddie Amusements for working with The Apple Festival for its entire 5 year history providing those bounce houses.

Of course, no man (or woman) is an island and I really have to thank my family who support me in this event. I owe a world of thanks to my husband, James Carhart who helps me to pack up for set up and acts as our MC and chief support. He puts up with endless hours of me being so focused on the Apple Festival that he cooks (he is a great cook by the way) and keeps the house running. Many thanks to my daughter, Caitlyn and her husband Daniel Havis who drive up from LA to help in whatever way I need them during the two day event. Thanks to Parker Stewart for helping with set up and break down plus to Cassie Sarkasian for making herself available for a lot more hours then I originally asked for.

The Lions Club always make the event special with their fundraising "Apple Drop" and I want to thank them for their continued participation. Thanks to all those wonderful car owners that came to the car show with those bright Red, Yellow and Green cars and a special thanks to Kern County Office of Government for connecting with The Apple Festival for the Electric Car Show and demonstration. Thanks for the daring few who stuck their face in a pie for the apple pie eating contest and for the numerous kids who took their turn at apple bobbing. Centennial Plaza came alive with the music provided by Mike Heckathon, Guy Martin and Opal, and Judd Fassbender.

I truly appreciate the businesses in the area of the Apple Festival. We take up parking, we close streets but we hope that we bring increased business to you and business that will continue as many of the people who visit this event will return to Tehachapi because they discovered you and like our community.

We had over 71 vendors who reported incredible sales. So, I want to thank you, the public for attending the Tehachapi Apple Festival. We do it for you and for your kids. We do it so that people from our surrounding communities discover just how wonderful Tehachapi is. We do it because good, wholesome family fun is important to any community and The Tehachapi Apple Festival hopes to provide that.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.